New Programmes at 1ZM

New Zealand Listener, Volume 12, Issue 298, 9 March 1945, Page 8

New Programmes at 1ZM

"HERE have been two pleasant innovations at 1ZM in the past few days. On Fridays at 7 p.m. there is now a twohour programme of modern composers---a request session, and the response has been such that already the programme is filled for some months ahead. This being so, my own request is merely that we may be told the name of the composer of each piece, both at the beginning of the session, and again when it is played. Though the names of many of these compositions are vivid, we can’t always remember who wrote them, and when we are anticipating Belshazzar’s Feast. (which was included the other night) it is a help to know whether it will be 10 minutes of Sibelius or 30 minutes of Walton. Superficially it might appear that in playing serious music on a Friday evening, 1ZM is overlapping with 1YA, but regular listeners know that 1YA’s Friday programimes are usually more impressive to the eye than to the ear, * * * T 5 p.m. on Saturdays there is now a very welcome half-hour of piano music from 1ZM, this week all Debussy. Cortot, Paderewski and Eileen Joyce took part, and my special thanks go to the anonymous pianist who played my old favourite, the Children’s Corner Suite. I have always found it difficult to adjust myself quickly to Debussy’s mood and idiom when he appears briefly in a mixed programme as he usually does. This session was nicely arranged and seemed just the right length. Here again it is a treat to have this kind’ of music creeping into the earlier hours of the evening. A session like this should appeal to young piano students, and if the rest of us cannot always manage to down tools at this hour, at least we may work more happily with a background of music that is to our taste.