THINGS TO COME

New Zealand Listener, Volume 15, Issue 389, 6 December 1946, Page 4

THINGS TO COME

A Run Through The Programmes

. Nobody Any Good "AN ill. wind blew," the play West Coast listeners will hear from 3ZR on Tuesday, , December 10, is a new version of an old story, a burlesque written by Tom Tyndall, of the NZBS. It is the story of two Yorkshiremen who went to Paris for the first time-you hear them trying to talk French with a Yorkshire accent-and they had a piece of paper with something written on it; and everyone they showed it to became indignant at once and left without a word; and in the end .. . Well, there is the title of the play, "An Ill Wind Blew," and the time to hear it is 8.28 p.m. on Tuesday, December 10. Vaughan Williams’ Fifth N English recording of the Fifth Symphony by Ralph Vaughan _ liams, made by the Halle orchestra (conducted by John Barbirolli) under the auspices of the British Council, is to be broadcast by Station 2YA at 8.12 p.m. on Tuesday, December 10. When the Symphony was broadcast by the BBC in August, 1944, W. McNaught, the music critic of the BBC Listener, said that "to hear it properly, you must hear it by radio." He went on: "Having tried all three ways I feel that something in the nature of the music ‘takes unkindly to the circumstance of the concert-room and the business of the gramophone. I put this down, not to any emotional mood that resents interruption, but rather to the intensity and quick flow of the music beneath its largely placid rhythm. Although both rhythm and harmony are simple on analysis, within their framework runs an intricate texture, formed not of decorative additions, but of essential lines of music that are themselves easy to follow and keep one’s ears intent on their multiple course. Little of the world’s music has this effect of binding the attention with long threads, or offers so few of those positive tunes or dramatic moments or other junctures that now and then give the mind a stance." The movements of the symphony are: Preludio and Allegro; Scherzo; Romanza; Finale-Passacaglia. A quotation from Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress is attached to the Romanza, and refers to an inscription on a sepulchre by a cross: "He hath given me rest by His sorrow, and Life by His death." Just William MONG People in the Programmes this week is John Clark, who looks like making a big name for himself as an actor. The BBC chose him to play the lead in their serial Just William based on the popular stories by Richmal Crompton, and the serial is at present being heard in the Children’s Hour from 2YA on Fridays. John started acting in school plays, and has acted in some of Will Hay’s school sketches as well as appearing in films. If you haven’t already met "William," you must get to know him. In fact, you may find that you know him already, for William is just the tough yet well-meaning youngster who creates havoc in many a home -with the best possible intentions, of course. The part of William’s long-suf-fering father is played by Gordon McLeod, who has acted in many parts of

the world. For nine years he played leads with Sir John Martin-Harvey. He managed his own company in Canada and America for four years, and has also played in South Africa, India, China, Japan and North Africa. He has done a great deal of broadcasting for the BBC and has appeared in a number of films. Lars Porsena and All That VERY schoolboy knows, and most adults remember, about that noblest Roman of them all-Horatius, who kept the bridge in the Brave Days of Old to the discomfiture of Lars Porsena of Clusium (who had sworn by a variety of tutelary deities to take it from him).

Listeners will have an opportunity to renew acquaintance with him on December 15, when 1YA will broadcast (at 2.0 p.m.) "Horatius," a fantasy freely adapted for broadcasting by Patrick Dickenson from The Lays of Ancient Rome by Lord Macaulay. Just how free the adaptation is we are unable to say, but we hope that nothing will be done to destroy the archaic charm of such lines as Then none was for a party; Then all were for the state; Then the great man helped the poor, And the poor man loved the great: Then lands were fairly portioned; Then spoils were fairly sold: The Romans were like brothers In the brave days of old. Hector Berlioz NEW composer-series for 3YA on Friday nights will begin at 9.30 p.m. this Friday, December 6, when Berlioz will replace Sir Edward German before the words "and his Music." Five of these programmes \(which come from 2YD, Wellington) will be devoted to Hector Berlioz. The first one will include the Benvenuto Cellini overture, three excerpts from The Damnation of Faust (Introduction and Peasants’ Chorus, Mephistopheles’ Serenade, and the Hungarian March) and the Beatrice and Benedict Overture. In the later pro- grammes listeners will hear the Corsair and Roman Carnival overtures, "The Royal Hunt and Storm," the "Queen Mab" Scherzo, the "Farewell of the Shepherds" (from the Childhood of Christ), and other pieces. The Vale of Kashmir "RESIDE the Shalimar," an NZBS production about Amy Woodford-Fin-den’s Indian Love Lyrics, is to be broadcast by 2YA at 9.30 p.m. on Thursday, December 12. The composer lived in India for some years and often made the trip to the Vale of Kashmir in the Himalayas to escape the heat of summer. "Pale Hands I Love" is her setting of a poem by Laurence Hope, inspired by .

one of the beautiful lakes in the Shalimar Gardens. Listeners will hear something in this programme about the picturesque setting of the songs, and in addition to the Indian Love Lyrics themselves the programme will include the "Jhelum Boat Song," sung by Peter Dawson. Lhude Sing Tishoo! |F any doubts remained about the A.C.E.’s determination to prepare its listeners against all eventualities these should be resolved by the talk to be broadcast by 1YA at 10.45 am. on Thursday, December 12 (by 3YA the same day at 2.30 p.m., and 2YA on Friday at 11.0 a.m.). The Summer Sun has so far been conspicuous by its absence (if we may coin a phrase). Indeed, if one is permitted to parody a parodist, 4 Sumer is icumen in, Lhude sing tishoo! Froste frezeth, Nose snezeth, Al is icy nu. ... But the A.C.E. takes no chances. We commend their enterprise to all members of the band of hope. Friday for a Thriller STATION 3ZR’s new serial, beginning at 9.35 p.m. on Friday, December 13, is by Ngaio Marsh. Listeners may retnember the series, Surfeit of Lampreys, which she wrote for radio and read herself; but this is a dramatised serial, based on one of her published thrillers, Overture to Death. That was the one about the hate-life of the ladies of the parish, who were helping the vicar to raise money to buy a piano, but who loathed one another under their cloaks of parochial amity. We don’t know if the Greymouth station’s programme organiser picked the traditionally grim date especially for the premier of this prelude to decease, but no other day in the calendar could be more suitable. We have told you a little of the story, but don’t wait for us to finish it. Station 3ZR will do that for you in instalments.