THINGS TO COME

New Zealand Listener, Volume 14, Issue 350, 8 March 1946, Page 4

THINGS TO COME

A Run Through The Programmes

MONDAY ‘THE latest of station 2YD’s series of composer-and-his-music programmes, which has just begun there at the usual time (9.2 p.m. on Mondays) is devoted to Weber (1786-1826). The first programme, which was heard on Monday, March 4, contained the overtures to Euryanthe and Der Freigchutz, a movement from a piano sonata, and two operatic excerpts. The second, which appears in the Monday of the programmes in this issue, Monday, March 11, will begin with the Jubal Overture (at the end of which "God Save the King" is. heard), then Caspar’s Drinking Song from Der Freischutz, and the Concertstuck for piano and orchestra, played by Casadesus and the Paris Symphony Orchestra. There will be about eight or nine sessions altogether and later they will go to the other stations. Also worth notice: 1YX, 8.0 p.m.: Petroushka (Stravinsky ) 3YA, 9.25 p.m.: "Scenes from Childhood" (Schumann). TUESDAY ACH afternoon next week -that is from Monday, March 11, to Friday, March 15-the Classical Hour at station 4YA will feature "Music for Strings," all of it belonging to the modern period when the technique of this medium became developed and fully individual. The first work, on Monday, will be Arthur Bliss’ composition, which he chose to call simply "Music for Strings." Then on the Tuesday there will be Dvorak’s agreeable "Serenade for Strings," Opus 22, which he wrote in 1875, when he was 34. The remaining three programmes will include a Suite by Frank Bridge, an Adagio by Lekeu, a Romance by Sibelius, and Samuel Barber’s "Adagio for Strings." Also worth notice: 1YX, 8:32 p.m.: Symphony No. 2 (Schubert) 2YA, 8.0 p.m.: Symphony No. 3 (Gliere). WEDNESDAY Y a coincidence of circumstances, the programmes for Wednesday, March 13, make the day look at first glance as if it were some occasion for remembering Robert Louis Stevenson. O. L. Simmance is to give readings from "Forest Notes" at 8.04 p.m. from 3YA, and at 2YA the serial based on Kidnapped is to ‘be heard at 8.20 p.m. And on March 16, incidentally, three of his "Songs of Travel," to Vaughan Williams’ music, will be sung from 1YA at 8.24 p.m. Stevens6n is up for consideration at the moment anyway-a new collection of Novels and Short Stories has just been published in England, edited by V. S. Pritchett. Mr. Pritchett, according to Philip Toynbee (in the New Statesman and Nation) is Dane eesaie bent on reinstating him." Also worth notice: 2YA, 9.26 p.m.: "Palace of Varieties." 3YA, 9.25 p.m.: Symphony No. 5 (Shostakovich ). THURSDAY E don’t know exactly what to make of the item, so briefly described, that is to be -heard from station 2YH at 8.0 p.m. on March 14. It lasts but three minutes. No composer is named. It is called simply "Tune in G."

Is it the first of a weekly series designed to help musical people develop absolute pitch, so that they can dispense with tuning forks? Or an exhortation, in some private code, to George or Gerald, or Gertrude or Gwladys, that they should tune in to 2YH in time for Beauvallet? Or is it just what it says, some tune written in the key of G, and merely so called? It could be the National Anthem, or "Auld Lang Syne," or "For they are jolly good, etc."-all of which are most commonly played in the key with one sharp. But we shall wait, breathless, to hear the resolution of our doubts. Also worth notice: 2YA, 7.30" p.m.: Leonora Overture No. 3 (Beethoven). 4YA, 8.20 p.m.: Viola Concerto (Walton). FRIDAY RIDAY is not usually considered an appropriate day on which to embark upon any enterprise of pith and moment (if you doubt us, just try and get into the baker’s for that essential extra loaf), but since St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday this year, Christchurch Hibernians have taken the dilemma by the horns and are celebrating with an Irish National Concert (to be relayed by 3YL) at 8.0 p.m. on Friday, March 15. West Coast Irishmen are playing safe and holding their concert the day before (3ZR, March 14, 9.51 p.m.). Also worth notice: 1YA, 8.15 p.m.: Piano Concerto in E Fiat (Mozart). 3YA, 8.22 p.m.: ’Cello Concerto (Dvorak). SATURDAY As I’ve said before, and shall probably say again, it’s the man who tries to be clever who helps us at the Yard." So says Chief Inspector French when telling how he solved the particular problem in the instalment of the BBC series Chief Inspector French’s Cases which 3ZR will broadcast at 9.45 p.m. on Saturday, March 16. The series is written by Freeman Wills Crofts, who was, long before radio appeared-and still is-one of the great writers of the carefully-designed detective story. All his work is good, hard reasoningalmost cold, in comparison with the usual thriller. Also worth notice: 2YA, 8.30 p.m.: "Is this your favourite 3YA, 8.44 p.m.: "Leaves from my Grandmother’s Album." SUNDAY (GFORGE BORROW’S Lavengro is the subject of a new programme in the BBC series "Have You Read?" which will be heard from 2YA at 4.30 p.m. on Sunday, March 17. Lavengro was the strange autobiography of a wandering scholar who spoke 22 languages and had only one true friehd, the Gipsy, Jasper Petulengro. It was written just over 100 years ago, and its name was the Gipsies’ name for Borrow-it means "wordmaster." The script of this programme was written by Penelope Knox, and it has been produced by Patric Dickinson. The incidental music is the tune Lisa Pan, arranged by Arwel Hughes. Also worth notice: : 1YX, 8.34 p.m.: Suite No, 2 in B Minor (Bach). 3YA, 3.0 p.m.: Symphony No, 4 (Mahler).