Broadcast Music of Coming Week

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 35, 15 March 1929, Unnumbered Page

Broadcast Music of Coming Week

Bu

Bolton

Woods

"Tis the deep music of the rolling world, Kindling within. the strings of the waved airAeolian modulations."’ -Shelley.

An Un-Knightly Knight. ROMANTIC but tragic story is connected with each of the Chopin "Ballades." In the music Chopin gives the impression of the story-the moods evoked by the occasion rather than its episodes in detached sequence. In the Ballade in A Flat, Op. 47 (which Mr. Cyril Towsey will play at 1YA next Wednesday) Chopin tells the story of a knight who fell in love with a fairy creature whom he met one evening walking by the shores of the lake. Her loveliness resembled the light upon the water-her delicacy, the evening mists. She yielded to his ardour, but imposed the condition that he should first prove his constancy Wy an enforced absence of but a single month, at the end of which time she would return, and if he still loved her she would become his bride. Wandering again by the lake, haunting the spot. where he had left her, and pining for the day of her coming, he met another yet lovelier creature. In the joy of the new adventure his early love and his plighted word were forgotten. In her arms he was borne on the evening mists far out over the lake. Suddenly she threw off her disguise and assumed the form of his earlier love, for it was none other than she who had taken a different shape to test his fidelity, She cursed him for ‘his faithlessness, and, in ‘ spite of his protests, left him to sink to his death in the abyss, which opened to receive him in the dark waters below.

The Arabian Nights Musically Portrayed. ROM 4YA will be broadcast next Friday (March 22) two movements from a famous Symphonie Suite, "Scheherazade," Op. 85, by Rimsky-Korsakoff, the Russian composer. The suite is founded upon episodes taken from the fantastic "Arabian Nights." To translate the barbaric gorgeousness and Oriental flavour of these stories into his glittering music is the task accomplished by a genius. This was done by a picturesque usage of the orchestra such as few have been able to command. The composer has prefaced his score with the following programme :-"‘The Sultan Scharish impelled to the belief that all women are false by nature had sworn to put each of his successive wives to death on the morrow of the nuptials, but the Sultana Scheherazade saved herself bv exciting his interests in the tales she told him during a thousand and one nights. Driven by curiosity. the Sultan deferred his wife’s execution from dav to day, until finally he revoked his murderous resolve." The two episodes to he broadcast are "The Sea and Sinbad’s Shiv." and "The Story of the Kalandar Prince." The former tale is too well known to need telling again in these columns, but the second story treats of the Kalandar, who who was, in reality, a mendicant Monk whose adventures are not so familiar as those of Sinbad. Three sons of kings go about disguised as ladies, and their beards and heads and eyebrows are shaven. By a curious fate all three are blind of the left eye. They are addicted

to gluttony and will not leave the table so long as they can breathe, so long as any food remains unconsumed. How admirably the composer depicts the stirring incidents of the Tales is evident to all who hear the Suite, and the sheer joy of this music will send listeners back to renew their acquaintance with the delights of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments. This much broadcasting frequently does for us. No wonder we look forward to hearing anew old favourites, or hearing for the first time music inaccessible by any other means. Melody in F (Rubenstein). HE world at large identified Rubenstein from his Melody in F. It wots not of his hundred odd other works for jaano, voice, orchestra and other instrumental combinations and soli. At ten, young Anton aroused the admiration of Liszt and Chopin by his recitals in Paris. As one of the greatest pianists of all time, as a distinguished musical author, and as a notable composer, he has earned the gratitude of the musical world. But to return to the most familiar of all his many pieces, with what freshness and charm its lovley melody falls upon the ear! It comes like a song without words to be sure, but for all that eloquently and tenderly telling its own romantic tale. The world has found it beautiful, and it will ever remain among the brightest jewels that adorn music’s crown of favourite and forgotten tunes. Here Is an instance of public instinct for a good thing. Continued on page 2.

_..Broadcast Music

‘(Continuation of Cover page.) Liszt himself said of Rubenstein, ‘He is King. of all pianists-he must carry all before him." The tribute of a master to"a master. The famous "Melody in F" will be played as a *cello solo at 3YA on Friday (March 22) by Mr. Harold Beck. Chanties and the Negro. ‘AS two typical sea chanties, (1) ~~ Shenandoah, and (2) Rio Grande {both arranged by Sharpe), will be sung at 2YA next Thursday (March 21), by the Lyric Quartet, a few remarks on the origin of these interesting songs will be quite in order. The majority of the chanties are Negroid in origin and these two are no exception. As is well known the Negroes of the Southern States of America and the West Indies are most musical and sing on every possible occasion. They have songs to suit all kinds of collective action, such as working at a pump, loading or unloading a ship, or digging in the fields. One of the gang called the Chantyman is told off to act as a sort of precentor. He sings the tune, improvising the words after the starting verse, the rest of the gang roaring out the choruses, working with the swing and rhythm of the music. . The melodies used are traditional and have been handed down from generation to generation. Many of the chanty tunes bear a strong resemblance to hymn tunes of the Moody and Sankey type. After the American Civil War troupes of Negro singers toured the Northern States, and it was this introduction of their traditional slave tunes that brought about the mix-up with religious hymns. Thus it will be seen that American revival hymns and

chanties have a common source-Ne-gro music. The two chanties'in’ question are what are called windlass and capstan chanties, of which Rio Grand is probably the finest extant. It seems to appeal to all, giving, as it ‘does, such splendid possibilities of sound to open vowels. To hear it pealing over a quiet anchorage with the musical clatter of the windlass pawls adding a quaint accompaniment unlike that of any orchestration ever attempted, must have been a memorable experience. The days of sailing ships and chanties are quickly passing, but we do appreciate their rendition by our male quartets, reviving memories of a bygone day and generation. Brahms and Chopin. ISTENERS to 8YA will have the pleasure of hearing miss Dorothy Davies in a bracket of two fine piano solos on Thursday, March 21. At one of these, the Brahms number, "Capriccio, Op. 72, No. 2, B Minor." the average listener might well shy clear. But we must not worry over its formidable title, rather let us listen with attention to what is just a "caprice" reflecting the greatest of modern classicists in lighter mood. The piece suggests in its gay dance rhythms the background for a ballet of care-free sprites. The clever shifting of accents and the extraordinary variety of tone-colour give the pianist unique opportunities not present in the usual run of piano solos. Coming to Chopin’s ‘‘Nocturne, Op. 15, No. 2, in F Sharp Major," this solo is full of details of ravishing beauty. A delicious warmth of colour gives it almost an Oriental atmosphere, painting, as one writer says, "the palm and the cypress, the rose thicket, and the great stars burning low in the Southern Sky." It opens with a melody of heavenly beauty, .

lavishly bejewelled with such art that the ‘very embéllishments become _ apart of the melody itself, _ The whole nocturne is instinct , with a fervour, yet repose, that re- , -veals the true Chopin, writing from his heart and not for salon display. , At the close we hear again the haunting melody of the opening, here its indescribable calm touches one like a benediction.

Famous Hymn Tunes. OR nearly a quarter of a century bands in New Zealand have taken a deep and abiding interest in hymn tunes and have studied them with excellent results. They play them so well that they have become regular items on their programmes, and next Tuesday (March 19)‘ the. St. Kilda Band will play two well-known hymns at 4YA. The expression that is put into their rendition by our New Zealand bands would do credit to the Besses 0’ th’ Barn, or the Black Dyke Band.. These tunes are in reality more folk tunes*than many of the freakish ditties that research students would foist upon us, and ninety-nine out of a hundred listeners really enjoy hearing hymns. "Fierce Raged the Tempest" was written by a clergyman, the Reverend Godfrey Thring, one time Prebendary of Wells, and editor of "The Church of England Hymn Book." He says he wrote this particular hymn, to picture to himself the scene on the Lake of Gennesareth which he had visited some time previously. No doubt the words owe much to their magnificent setting by a fellow cleric, the Reverend John Bacchus Dykes. The tune "St. Ael- red," is one of the reverend doctor’s finest efforts, and is "chock full of fat for the lucky basses." "Sun of My Soul," a notable inspiration of John Keble, the poetparson, and author of the "Christian Year," has three tunes to it, Sir Herbert §S. Oakley’s tune "A bends," shares popularity with "Hursley," composed by Paul Ritter. The third tune is called "Keble," but is not often sung,