THINGS TO COME

New Zealand Listener, Volume 15, Issue 386, 15 November 1946, Page 4

THINGS TO COME

A Run Through The Programmes

Lilburn in Prague [N a talk from 2YA on October 27, the eve of the Czech Independence Day, listeners were told that there had been a performance in: Prague of the Overture "Aotearoa," composed by Douglas Lilburn, of New Zealand. Prague, with its 100,000 inhabitants, now has three permanent symphony orchestras and, after being barred for years, German composers are again appearing in the programmes, though not as frequently as before. The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, which is the oldest symphony orchestra in the country (and now the State Orchestra) celebrated its 50th anniversary early this year. As a State Orchestra it has achieved complete financial independence for the first time in history. If these facts have whetted your appetite for some Czech music, you will find some in the programme from 2YA this Thursday, November 14, at 8 p.m., when two examples of Czech chamber music will be heard. One is Smetana’s "Trio in G Minor" (Opus 15), played by Jan Sedkiva (violin), Sera Trau (‘cello) and Adela Kotowska (piano). The second is Martinu’s "Sonatina for Violin and Piano," played by Jan Sedkiva (violin) and Ruth Bauerova (piano). At 8.40, same evening, same station, there will be a studio recital of "Biblical Songs" by Dvorak. Bird Pie TTORINO RESPIGHI, the Italian composer (1879-1936), is known to listeners here by his arrangements of other people’s music ("Ancient Airs and Dances for the Lute," "Rossiniana," and "La Boutique Fantasque") rather than by his own compositions, which were numerous. At 7.30 p.m. on Thursday, November 21, 2YA is to broadcast a recording, recently released, of Respighi’s Gli Uccelli ("The Birds") made by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. This was a "Suite for Small Orchestra" which Respighi wrote in 1927, and is based on tunes from other composers -tunes suggesting the characteristics of such birds as the dove, the hen, the nightingale, and the cuckoo — whose names are given to four of the movements you will hear. "The Dove" is based on a piece by Jacques de Gallo, written about 1670; "The Hen" comes from’ Rameau’s well known cacklingpiece; "The Nightingale" is from an anonymous 16th century English composer, and "The Cuckoo" is based on a piece bv pes eseiciat" Pasquini, written about 1660.

Solomon. on Records INCE Solomon himself was here, we have been getting to know some of his recordings that had not been broadcast before. Among recent accessions to NZBS record libraries are the "Archduke" Trio and the Third Piano Concerto, of Beethoven, which are both in next week’s programmes. The Piano Concerto (in C Minor, Opus 37) which Solomon recorded with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Sir Adrian Boult will be heard from 2YC at 8.0 p.m. on Tuesdav, November 19, and the "Archduke" Trio (in B Flat, Opus 97) which he plays with Henry Holst (violin) and Anthony Pini (‘cello) will be-on 2YA at 2.0 p.m. on Sunday, November 24.

Another of Solomon’s major recordings is the Bliss piano concerto, which 2YC is to broadcast at 8.16 p.m. on Saturday, November 23. An Auckland Composer NN Wednesday, November 20, at 8.38 p.m., 1YA will broadcast from the studio the first performance of Tracy Moresby’s Sonata in G Major for violin and piano. Mr. Moresby is an Auckland composer who has already had _ songs broadcast and who -has written various piano works, including a sonatina for piano to be broadcast in the near future. His compositions are characterised by simplicity and a certain wit reminiscent of Poulenc of the French school. This new sonata will be played by the violinist Erroll Allott with the composer at the piano. Lochinvar ‘THE fifth canto of Sir Walter Scott’s Marmion, which most of us encounter some time or other during our schooldays, has been set to music, and will be sung by the Royal Auckland Choir from 1YA at 8.20 p.m. on Saturday, November 23, Harry Woolley conducting, Alan Row at the piano. The hero of the ballad in this canto was "Young Lochinvar" who was "so faithful in love and so dauntless in war."

It was Lochinvar who came "out of the west" ("Through all the wide border his steed was the best") because a laggard in love and a dastard in war was to marry his fair Ellen, but Lochinvar had a different idea. Refusing more than one drink, he claimed a dance with the lady at her bridal feast and when they got near the door, he whisked her on to his horse and away. "She is won! We are gone, over bank, bush, and scaur." All this will be told in music (composed by W. G. Hammond), and the soloist with the choir will be Ashley Macdonald.

it’s a Hard Life ‘THE tenor singer Jan Van der Gucht -you can hear him in "Journey to Romance" from 4YA at 8.29 p.m. on Saturday, November 23-enjoys telling a story against himself. Here are two of them. After he had been practising singing hard all one morning, he was greeted by his neighbour with "Oh, Mr. Van der Gucht we never knew before that you played the saxophone." Another shock came soon after he had started singing for the BBC, when a friend introduced him to a lady as "Mr. Van der Gucht who makes love on the wireless." Whereupon the lady took one look at him-and gravely shook hands with a total stranger standing on his

right. In spite of his name, Jan Van der Gucht is English born and has lived in Essex all his life. Other performers in this edition of "Journey to Romance" are Muriel Barron, Griffith Jones, Eduardo Moreno, Joan and Valerie Trimble, and Antonio de Bournay. Women Novelists ‘THE third and fourth programmes in the BBC series "The Written Word" now being heard from 2YH Napier at 6.0 p.m. on Sundays, are about Jane Austen, George Eliot, and the Brontés. The Jane Austen one (this Sunday, November 17) is written by Sheila Kaye-Smith, who is an avowed "Janeite," and as such collaborated with G. B. Stern in the book, "Talking of Jane Austen" published a few years ago. The talk to be heard the following Sunday (November 24) is given by Roy Fuller, and is.a study of the novels of George Eliot and the Brontés. The whole series, you may remember, is designed to trace the development of the novel, and there are more talks yet to be heard. Visiting Soprano PEGGY KNIBB, the Australian soprano whose photograph appears among People in the Programmes . in this issue, has a busy time ahead of her, with five performances in Handel’s Messiah in as many towns, and more broadcasts in addition to those already heard. Her broadcasting dates for the rest of this month are these: 3YA, November 15 and 17 (this Friday and Sunday); 4YA, November 20 and 21; and 4YZ, November 28 and 29. She will sing in Messiah in Invercargill on November 26, in Timaru on December 2, in Dunedin on December 4, in Auckland on December 7, and in Wellington on December 14. Some of these performances will be broadcast by the NZBS.