THINGS TO COME

New Zealand Listener, Volume 12, Issue 308, 18 May 1945, Page 4

THINGS TO COME

A Run Through The Programmes

MONDAY — SEVEN years ago the Women’s Division of the Parmers’ Union of Southland decided to extend its activities to music. As its members were debarred from regular attendance in cities for cultural educa‘tion, they formed their own classes in musical appreciation, voice production, and singing. Every winter a musical festival is held in Invercargill, when as many as 153 entries in 15 sections have been dealt with and in the grand choir contest 10 country choirs have competed. If you tune in to 4YZ at 7.30 p.m. on Monday, May 21, you will hear the Drummond W.D.F.U. choral party in the first of four groups of numbers. Also worth notice: 2YA, 7.30 p.m.: Music by Delibes. 3YA, 9.37 p.m.: Beethoven Quartet No. 12. TUESDAY EVERY now and then the general public takes a violent fancy to a word and wears it out. The vogue for "definitely" is over-definitely-except for a few instances in which it lingers on sadly. But a new word has come to light-new, that is, in its application to unsuitable subjects. It’s "allergic." One person might be "allergic" to swing, another to the classics, and a third even to riding in a tram. Actually, allergy is a hypersensitivity which causes various diseases such as serum sickness, asthma, hay fever, and hives. But you will hear a good deal more about it if you listen to a health in the home talk from 3YA at 10.55 am. on Tuesday, May 22. Also worth notice: ‘2YA, 9.40 p.m.: Schubert Symphony No. 5. 3YL, 8.0 p.m.: Three 18th Century String Quartets.

WEDNESDAY POPULAR English newspaper finds it necessary, owing to its large circulation, to employ a number of presses. To check, and where necessary, correct the work done by each of these, it has its title printed in a slightly different manner by each machine, the difference consisting of a varying number of small white dots in the large black lettering. A few years ago a belief grew up among its less instructed readers that these dots contained racing tips. If there were three dots in the letter D, they signified that in the third race of that day a horse whose name began with D was the likely winner. This was pure superstition, of course, and comparable with the unjustified sadness of a mirrorbreaker. Superstition is as old as the hills. Station 2YA will explain more about it at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May =: Also worth notice: 3YA, 9.30 p.m.: Symphonies of Beethoven. 2YH, 9.30 p.m.: "The Fair Maid of Perth." THURSDAY ANY a novelist, many a radio script writer, and many a film maker has used the racecourse for the manufacture of thrills. The preparation for a race, the event itself and all that might hang on it~-whether the family fortunes are retrieved or the owner wins the girlare fruitful subjects for dramatic situations. Probably the greatest writer of

racing tales is Nat Gould and, although he belonged to a former generation, his stories can still quicken the pulse. If your inclinations in the amusement field lie in this direction, 3YA will be worth listening to at 8.30 p.m. on Thursday, May 24, when "The Famous Match" will be presented. Also worth notice: 2YN, 8.0 p.m.: Brahms Quintet. 2YC, 8.27 p.m.: Music by Ernest Bloch. FRIDAY TATIONS 1YA4 and 2YA have chosen musical. pictures of two different kinds for their programmes after the news on Friday evening, May 25. From 1YA at 9.25 p.m. listeners will hear Ravel’s orchestrated version of the series of piano pieces by Moussorgsky, "Pictures at an Exhibition," which are good music whether you know about the pictures or not, but especially good if you take .note of the various names, most of which give you a good clue to the meaning of the piece. At 2YA, the pictures are of another order-‘Pictures in Brass," in other words compositions for brass bands, with pictorial ideas contained in the titles, such as "Mosquitoes" Parade," "August Bank Holiday, 1914," and so on. @ Also worth notice: 3YA, 8.0 p.m.: The Violin Sonatas (series). 2YC, 9.26 p.m.: Music of Poland.

SATURDAY HE Paris Conservatory Orchestra will present Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14 (Berlioz) from 2YC at 8.0 p.m. on Saturday, May 26. The story is of a young musician of a morbid frame of mind who takes opium and dreams @ vision. The first movement shows his desire, his elation, and often his despair. The second portrays a ballroom where he seeks his beloved; the lady is typified by a waltz theme which runs through the whole work. In the third movement the dreamer wanders through fields. In the fourth he has killed his beloved and is marching to the scaffold to pay the penalty, while the fifth is an unpleasant aftermath, a sort of witches’ Sabbath. It all sounds sombre, but listen and you will find it orchestrally satisfying. Also worth notice: 3YL, 9.1 p.m.: Mozart Piano Concerto. 1¥X, 9.24 p.m.: Brahms Concerto in B Flat Major. SUNDAY REATNESS, whether it is thrust upon an individual or whether he achieves it through his own ability, is difficult of definition. The New Zealand author John Gundry has used it as his theme, however, in a fantasy on two great characters, Beethoven and Napoleon Bonaparte. Early last year. John Gundry won the drama section of a literary competition for Service personnel with @ comedy, "Mr, Whistler Meets Mr. Wilde," and it will be interesting to see how he treats "Greatness," which will be heard from 2YA at 9.50 p.m. om Sunday, May 27. Also. worth notice: 7 2YH, 9.30 p.m.: "Brigg Fair" (Delius) 2YC, 8.0 p.m.: Music by Schubert.