Light Vocal Music on YA Stations

New Zealand Listener, Volume 30, Issue 762, 26 February 1954, Page 18

Light Vocal Music on YA Stations

COMBINED chorus of Henry Rudolph’s Harmony Serenaders and his Capital Quartet will take the air shortly from YA stations in a new show entitled Down Melody Way. Under the name of the Capital Serenaders, the chorus will explore what the compere, Roy Leywood, calls "the old _ rustic path" of popular music. There wil] be songs to stir the memories of New Zealand’s middle and older generations, but the young will not be entirely. neglected. The first of the six programmes in the series starts with Buzzi’s "Lolita," sung by Robin Dumbell, and follows up with Jerome’s "Broken Wings,’ Monti’s "Tambourina," Arnold’s "Just to Linger in Your Arms," and "I’ve Got a Note,"

with the old favourite "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" to finish up. The new combined chorus allows the show’s producer, Peter Downes, great flexibility. He can, and. does, include numbers for male chorus, female chorus, . mixed chorus and soloists of either -sex: And there’s an accompaniment provided by three fiddlers, a ‘cellist and a bassfiddier from the Alex Lindsay Orchestra. For those who like names, the Harmony Serenaders are Betty Evans, Pauline’ Ashby, Eunice Scott and Patsy Boyd, and the Capital Quartet consists of* Robin Dumbell, John McDonald, Joseph Miller and Frank Malthus. The Capital Serenaders’ theme song, "Down Melody Way," was specially composed for the show, the music by Henry Rudolph and the words by John Blennerhassett. Down Melody Way will be broadcast by all YA stations at 7.30 p.m, on Saturdays, beginning March 6.