World's Best Records Now Broadcast

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 29, 1 February 1929, Page 31

World's Best Records Now Broadcast

Complete System of Handling Latest Releases

HP introduction of gramophone records into broadcast programmes all over the world is now an accepted: fact, and the reason is not far to seek nor hard to find. People are demanding the best in the way of entertainment talent, and they realise that they get the world’s best in the gramophone recordings. This demand for the best artists is due largely to broadcasting and gramophones, which have so raised the people’s appreciation of music that there is now little place for mediocre talent on the stage or in any other form of entertainment. To keep pace with this demand for the best entertainment, the practice of the Broadcasting Company now is to engage the best available New Zealand artists, and to augment their programmes with the addition of specially selected gramophone records. Plectric recordings have now reached such a state of perfection that it can safely be said: that all the world’s greatest artists have been recorded, and in most cases can be reproduced by means of an electric pick-up with an efficiency which equals the actual performance. HB number of records issued every month is enormous. In addition to single numbers large editions of complete works performed by the world’s greatest combinations are being constantly released. These include complete performances of grand and comic opera, symphonies, concerti and multitudinous lesser works, taking up 24 hours continuous performance time. The enormous number of releases which reach. New Zealand make it impossible for the ordinary individual to keep in touch even with a portion of the works presented, while the cost of records places th: making of a complete library far beyond the means of the private individual. The Radio Broadcasting Company is handling this big question in a most comprehensive manner. The whole output of all the world’s leading factories. including His Master’s Voice, Zonophone, Columbia, Regal and Parlophone, pass through its hands, or approxi..ately 8000 records a year. Over 200 a month are being personally reviewed by the experts of the Broadcasting Company. Before the records are accepted for inclusion in ' the radio libraries they have to pass a severe test, in which they are criticised for accuracy and purity of reproduction, and for their general enter-

tainment value. ‘Those records which pass this test are then classified according to their suitability for different classes of programmes, awarded grading marks and filed. As the programmes prepared by each station are received at Head Office, their character is studied, and any weakness or lack of variety is compensated for by the inclusion of suitable records. In order to avoid repetition of numbers, the record catalogues are so prepared that it is imp tsible unknowingly to repeat the use of any record. Only those records of exceptional merit, or those for which there is a popular request, are played more than twice at evening sessions. To prevent the break which occurs between performances, continued through two or more sides of a record, double turntables, electrically driven, and synchronised as to speed, have been provided at the stations. By the use of two records, one on each turntable, performances of any‘length can continue unbroken as in the actual performance. Some of the larger works, complete operas and excerpts from operas, are presented with the assistance of the interlocking dialogue, or descriptions presented from the studio. STEPS are now being taken to for- ward supplies of records to each station. It is probable that in the near future afternoon record programmes, specially chosen, classified for different days. and synchronised throughout New Zealand so that a different type of programme may be heard each afternoon, will be constructed under the supervision of sn expert. A library such as is now being formed will be of the greatest possible value. By its means the Radio Broadeasting Company will be able to present to the public of New Zealand all the best of the world's reeords, and the cost of this service to each listener will be represented by the price of half a dozen records, or less than the price for attendance at two of the actual concerts. In addition to its entertainment value, this library will form an excellent reference library for educational purposes, for it can he expected that broadcasting of records will eventually appeal to every section of the community, not only to the man who wants entertainment of every description, but also to the man who is seeking after knowledge.