THINGS TO COME

New Zealand Listener, Volume 12, Issue 295, 16 February 1945, Page 6

THINGS TO COME

A Run Through The Programmes

MONDAY ‘TOKYO, 1944, is a violent mixture of East and West, a city of cries in the night and sudden disappearances,, a city of jealousy and hate where Nazi officials watch their Japanese allies with undisguised suspicion. Tokyo is the capital of fear. That, at any rate, is the way it is presented by the BBC in a new radio thriller -a_ serial called "Appointment in Tokyo." This is a story of intrigue and counter-intrigue in the very heart of Japan, and though the story itself is fictitious, the serial is perhaps more important than most radio fiction in that it sheds some light on the Japanese war machine. "Appointment in Tokyo" will start from 2YA on Monday, February 19, at 9.40. p.m. ~ Also worth notice: 3YA, 9.25 p.m.: Dvorak Trio (studio), 4YA, 8.3 p.m.: Piano Quintet in E Fiat (Schumann ) TUESDAY CE upon a time sentimentality was the cloak which all men and women of fashion wore if they wanted to cut any ice at all. They sang sentimental songs and mooned about in exaggerated attitudes with long hair flowing and large velvet bows nestling under their chins. After a while the fashion began to change slowly; then came a world war and sentimentality went out with a rush. Women cut their hair short and men pretended to be cold and cynical. Anything even slightly approaching sentimentality was spurned. But is the cycle turning once more? An item to be heard from 3YA at 9.25 p.m. on Tuesday, February 20, is called "In a Sentimental Mood." It is one of a series of programmes "designed to awaken echoes of the past and revive romantic memories." Also worth notice: 1YX, 8.8 p.m.: Transfigured Night (Schonberg). 4YO, 8.0 p.m.: Violin Sonata (Elgar). WEDNESDAY (CHRISTMAS is over, but it will still be entertaining to Hear from 2YA at 8.6 p.m. on Wednesday, February 21, the radio comedy specially written for Christmas by Norman Corwin, that : comes here on U.S. Office of War Infor"mation recordings. It. has the curious title, "The Plot to Overthrow Christmas," and though we haven’t listened to all of if ourselves, we have gathered this much: it is "The story of the utter inglory of some gory goings on in Hell;’ it happened in Hades, Ladies — and Gentlemen .. . the fiends held a meeting for the purpose of defeating the custom of Christmas .. . what_went on in the sulphurous hole we'll soon pick up by remote control. . . ." We lifted the needle at this point and the next thing we heard was Nero practising a complicated cadenza. As we cannot think of anything to rhyme with cadenza, we will stop now. Also worth notice: — 1YA, 8.0 p.m.: Passacaglia (Walter Piston). 3YA, 9.30 p.m.:, "Faust" Symphony (Liszt). THURSDAY ANOTHER of the series "Palace of Varieties," which revives the songs and atmosphere of the London Music Hall of the 50 years that ended with the last war, will be heard from 2YA at 8.0 p.m. on Thursday, February 22.

This episode includes that famous old song "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree," which was one of the favourites of Florrie Forde, and which is now sung by Helen Claire. In the same programme, among many other numbers, is the famous Cockneyism, "’Arf a Pint of Ale," which was first sung by Gus Elen, that king of coster comedians, and is here sung by Nat Travers. Also worth notice: 2YC, 8.43 p.m.: "Les Plaisirs Champetres" (Monteclair ). 4YA, 9.25 p.m.: Music by Vaughan Williams, FRIDAY . N the 180th line of longitude lie the _ Fijian Islands, the home, among other things, of strange chants and customs. These chants have never been transcribed, for they consist largely of quarter tones. They have never, therefore, been heard gy the outside world till now. The programme in the BBC series, "Travellers’ Tales" to be heard from 2YA at 8.28 p.m. on Friday, February 23, contains: recordings of these ancient chants. What is more interesting for New Zealanders is the fact that the only way the BBC could have the records made was by calling in the help of the New Zealand recording unit van which had landed in Fiji to record messages from our troops. The recordings were made Vivian Spencer and Don Cameron of %the National Broadcasting Service, New Zealand. Also worth notice: 1YA, $8.0 p.m.: By-paths of Literature: Famous Unfinished Novels. 3YA, 8.20 p.m.: Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra (McDonald).

SATURDAY HERE is a programme to be heard from 3YA at 9.25 p.m. on Saturday, February 24, called "It Began with Celluloid," but it is not a dramatised fire-disaster. Celluloid was one of the first substances to be a "plastic" in the current. sense of the word. You may be old enough to remember celluloid collars, or young enough to remember those celluloid kewpie dolls tied to a black cane and sold at agricultural and pastoral shows. The collars are a thing of the past now, but ping-pong balls, piano keys, drawing instruments and many other things are still made of celluloid. For the story of what is replacing it and going far beyond it\in the industrial world, tune in to 3YA. Also worth notice: 1YX, 8.0 p.m.:. Music by Beethoven. 2YC, 8.0 p.m.: Symphony No. 3 (Rachmaninoff ). SUNDAY NE would scarcely believe that the airman’s first impression on approaching London in summer is not that of the greatest city in the world, but of a huge expanse of greenery-yet it is true. A programme, "Parks and Gardens" (in the series "Snapshots of London") is all about those areas that are responsible for the pleasant illusion the airman enjoys. In fact, only about 10 per cent of Greater London is built up. The rest is roadways, gardens, trees, or flowered squares, and the great parks such as Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park and Wimbledon Common. "Parks and Gardens" will be heard from 4YA at 4.15 p.m. on Sunday, February 25. ° Also worth notice: 1YA, 8.15 p.m.: "The Bartered Bride’ (Smetana). 2YA, 3.0 pm.: "Sinfonia for Strings" (Douglas Lilburn).