Broadcast Music of Coming Week

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 46, 31 May 1929, Unnumbered Page

Broadcast Music of Coming Week

— anti _- = — — ----- "Tis the deep music of the rolling world, . Kindling within the strings of the waved air-

Aeolian modulations."

Shelley

Br

Bolion

Woods

A Scottish Opera. "LA Blanche Dame" (The White Lady), by Francois Boildieu, is another example of the opera known only by its overtures. This opera, which was first produced in Paris in 1825, was, for a short time, very popular. In it, the com. poser has used .1e song "Robin Adair," the scene of the opera being laid in Scotland, and drawn by "Scribe," from Scott’s novels, "The Monastery" and "Guy Man- . nering." The orchestra at 1YA will play the overture to "La Blanche Dame" on Thursday, June 6. A Famous Epitaph. IDNEY Homer's setting of Robert Louis Stevenson’s "Requiem" can be numbered among the best-known songs in the world. The music’ breathes peace and hope. The words are those which appear on a plate on the tomb of the poet at Vailima, Samoa, on the top of the hill, where he wished to lie. The two verses are well knownUnder the wide and starry sky, Dig the grave and let me lie, Glad did I live, and gladly die, And I laid me down with a will. This be the verse you grave for me: Here he lies where he longed to be, . Home is the sailor, home from sea, And the hunter home from the hill. Mr. T. Moffit wlil sing "Requiem" at 1YA on Saturday, June 2. : A Satirical Monarch. TT is interesting to see how little some ‘really great composers are known. The Russian genius, Mussorsky, besides many operas, composed over sixty songs, VUPDUUGEADLUDTUSTESEUAUESUUEOVOOOSUANOSHARDELEUESUAUDECSOESAESUECASU OED ESELODUCTOEUEDD SENT CUUPPAUTEERRTAAGS TEACH ERORRSEREEREOMASELUREEGASE A RLS Seg ELAS ELCT TEES ATER REE EAE RE ERED PERT TE EERE ER ET TT SU

which, for the most part, are unknown to-day. One of his best known compositions is the cynical "Song of the Flea" which is sung by Mephistopheles in Auerbach’s Drinking Cellar at the opening of Goethe’s Faust. It is a satire on princes’ favourites, and tells of a flea who was cherished by the king as though a son were he. He was given fine garments and orders, and his poor relations flocked to Court, very much to the annoyance of the queen and her ladies, who were forbidden to scratch. It is not one of Mussorgsky’s greatest songs, but it has served to introduce many people to his music, Peter Dawson’s. record of the "Song of the Flea’’ will be used at 1YA on Wednesday, June 5. Russian; Chamber Music. (COMPOSER of "A. Dream on _ the Volga," a ballet, "A Night in Egypt" and several other operas, Antony Arensky produced large quantities of church music, songs and chamber music which are already forgotten. "He was at one time a pupil of Rimsky-Korsakof, and his works are very similar in form to those of Tschaikovsky, one of his most popular works being a set of Variations for Strings on a theme by that composer. He ' died in Finland in 1906 at the age of forty-five. The Studio Trio at 1YA will play the 1st Movement of Arensky’s Trio is D Minor, on the Russian Composers’ Night, Friday, June 7. A Spaniard Who Persevered. T was indeed unfortunate that: Edouard Lalo began writing his music when France had no time for anything but the UVUEEGEUAUOETUEDUAUEU EAD EEDUCUH DOU TEUUOAH SOUSA EEE HONSEG AGE MET EEU SUDO UTTER

operas of Meyerbeer and -Halevy. For some years he was more or less ignored, but eventually produced a_ successful opera which had been refused by the judges in an operatic competition. His greatest works wére the operas "Roi d’Ys" and "Namouna." He was a friend of Debussy and of Dukas, and proof of the admiration these young men had for him can be seen in the unmistakable traces of his influence in their works. He died at Paris in 1892, having been ill on and off for many years, yet always persevering with his composition. The 1YA Orchestra will render a violin solo with orchestral accompaniment "Andante Symphony Espagnola," by Lola on Thursday, June 6 Kindness Rewarded. OSWELL, in the account of his visit to Corsica, says that on one occasion some Corsicans’ requested. him to sing an English song, and thereupon he sang "Hearts of Oak." "Never did I see men so delighted with a song as the Corsicans were with ‘Hearts of Oak," it was quite a joyous riot." The words of this popular song are by David Garrick, and. it first became popular in "Harlequin’s Invasion." produced. in 1759. The.tune is: by Dr. Boyce. A curious story is told that twenty years after the doctor’s death, his son received a letter requesting him to call at a house situated in one of the London slums. He went and found an old man who said that he was about to die. He had been a beggar for years, and the late Dr. Bovce had always been kind and liberal, As a recognition of this he was giving the son his life savings. Imagine Mr. Boyce’s surprise when -Continued on page 2. TUULUCDUASADENNEDAEUATUONUSDUUSEANEOERUUODAUDESAURDEDUDSOSPESEUEEUSSOED USES EOE TREES

Broadcast Music (Continued from page 1.) he received a bundle of notes to the value of nearly three thousand pounds ! Mr. John Prouse will sing "Hearts of Oak" at 2YA on Monday, June 3. A Philosophic Sentry. HE scene of the Second Act of the Gilbert and Sullivan Fairy Opera, "Tolanthe," is laid in the moonlit Palace Yard, Westminster, a most original stage setting. In the foreground is the sentry-box, and the sentry, rifle to shoulder, paces steadily up and down. His song, with which the act opens, is one of the most popular in the opera. Even though Nature no longer contrives that every boy: and girl who is born into the world

alive should be either a little liberal or else a little conservative, we can relish the wit of the words and the precision of the music with the same zest that our fathers did. Mr. J. M. Caldwell will sing the "Sentry Song" at 2YA on Friday, June 7. The Hungarian Rhapsodies. o. T was mainly through the series of brilliant works, which he called "Hungarian Rhapsodies," that Liszt made known to the musical world the beauties of native Hungarian music. The native folk dances and songs of the Hungarian people are the basis of these "Rhapsodies," and they have been woven into gorgeous musical fabric. Number Two of the:series is the best known and most loved. Indeed it is one of the most widelyknown pieces ever written. It calls upon all the resources of the piano or orchestra, and requires a brilliant: technique for its adequate performance.

A record of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra playing an orchestral arrangement of the "2nd Rhapsody," will be used at 2YA on Monday, June 38. The Golden Thread of Melody. QNE of Debussy’s earliest work was his "Arabesque" and it shows the beginning of the glowing iridescence which he used in later years to paint his musical pictures. The lovely melody shines like a golden thread through the "Arabesque" and seems like an expression of a half-forgot-ten romance. Almost as if in a rev-

erie the composer recalled moments long past, memories of which flitted across his consciousness varying in depth of colour. Miss Althea Slack will’ play Debussy’s "Arabesque" at 8YA on Thursday, June 6. Not Generally Known HE well-known "Berceuse," by Godard, is the Cradle Song from the opera "Jocelyn," by that composer, and is the only number which has survived in’an otherwise uninteresting work. Like all cradle songs and lullabys, it speaks a mother’s love and tender care of her little one. Her heart is in every cadence of her lovely song, and its spiritual beauty has endeared it to an everwidening circle of music lovers. Its popularity is evidenced by the fact that it has been arranged for almost every solo instrument and combination of instruments. The 8YA Broadcasting Trio, and the 4YA Broadcasting Trio will play "Berceuse" on Monday, June 3.

" Siciliana." "CAVALLERIA Rusticana" presents a story of Sicily, with the tense emotional play of passions, love and jealousy. The "Prelude’" to the opera expresses in a remarkable way the ever-changing moods, arising quickly from tender melody to passionate outbursts of rugged strength In the middle portion of the "‘Prelude" occurs the renowned "Serenade," or "Siciliana," which is sung by Turiddu, the tenor, behind the scenes. As the curtain rises, Turiddu is seen. disappearing into the house of his former sweetheart, Lola. Mr. P. J. Palmer will play the "Siciliana" as a "cello solo, at 4YA on Monday, June 3. A Gem of Opera. O have your strongest opponent describe one of your compositio:.3 as "In its. trifling way, the work of a delicate-handed artist," is surely high praise. This is what was written of the so-called Madrigal in "The Mikado," the Gilbert and Sullivan Japanese Opera. This Madrigal is perhaps the most wholly pleasant specimen of vocal ensemble singing in any: of Sullivan’s works. A true Madfigal is not accompanied, but the little patches of orchestration are, in this. case, devised to help the singers, however, they have, on more than one occasion only served to show up bad intonation. There is nothing more cheery than the "fa-la-las" at the end of each verse, which sound suitably cheerful for the dawning of a wedding day. The Ariel- Singers at 2YA will sing the Madrigal, "Brightly Dawns Our Wedding Day," on Friday, June 7. Setting Ibsen to Music. HE primary cause that moved Grieg to write the music of "Peer Gynt" was Henrik Ibsen. A letter arrived from him one morning, asking whether Grieg would lend a hand to prepare the piece for the theatre. He was completely taken aback, he had never imagined that a play so philosophical and so strongly tinged with Ibsen’s scenticism could ossibly be produced. At first he was very nervous at embarking on so

— great a task, but after he had gone more deeply into the poem, the conviction seized him that this was the very work for him, and he simply. longed to set to work if only he had the. ideal place to work in. He and his wife were at that time living with his parents, and one day while out walking they saw a house which looked out over the sea from its place high on a hill, and seemed the ideal place to write "Peer Gynt." They saw the owner, arranged to take possession, had a piano taken up, and set to work at once, and there the two suites were written. The record of the New Light Symphony Orchestra playing the "Peer Gynt Suite No. 2" will be used at 1YA on Tuesday, June 4, and at 38YA on Sunday, June 9. .