Big Catering Job

New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 423, 1 August 1947, Page 12

Big Catering Job

HEN I found a Sunday afternoon programme from 4ZB labelled To Suit .Al¥ Tastes, I couldn’t help wondering how the programme arfanger intended to go about so colossal a task. I suppose some such title might be selected to describe the entire programme

output of all stations, National and Commercial; few critics would claim that there exists a listener who cannot at some time or other find something on the radio to suit his taste, the main argument being over the vexed question of whose taste shall occupy most radio time. Since it isn’t possible to Suit All Tastes in one programme, the next best thing is to do what 4ZB is evidently intending, and Suit One Taste At a Time. On this Sunday it was the turn of the Brass Band addicts. In the announcement we were told that the brass band is very popular, that many composers of note have written especially for the medium, and that various distinguished composers have been pleased to accept the invitation to conduct the Massed Bands at the British festival which used to be held in the Crystal Palace. All this can be allowed as fact, but I still don’t like brass bands, and when the Fairey Aviation Works Band began its programme with Kenneth Wright’s "English Rhapsody" and "Scherzo," I felt that both would have been so much more attractive if scored for an orchestra, After two items, I confess I switched off. This will be discounted by band enthusiasts as merely the bigoted highbrowism of an orchestral enthusiast -but it would help all tastes, I think, if 4ZB would print in the programmes an indication as to what section of listeners it is catering for under the title, To Suit All Tastes. I'll be listening on the Sunday when they present Symphony Orchestras.