Well-known European Conductor Talks on Broadcasting

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 48, 14 June 1929, Page 31

Well-known European Conductor Talks on Broadcasting

[HE conductor of the Pavlova Orchéstra, Blfrem Kurtz, paid a surprise visit to the studios of the New South Wales: Broadcasting Company Limited during the week, and expressed himself in enthusiastic terms of the up-to-date studios from which 2FO ptogrammes are transmtited, and also the standard of music in New South Wales. Mr. Kurtz has been intimately associated with the Stuttgart Broadcasting station for the past five years. He is the .musical director, and is chiefly concerned with conducting orchestral performances, many of which are broadcast from the principal theatres. It was interesting to learn that listeners in Germany pay at the rate of 2s. per month, Wnglish money, for their license, which agrees with the 24s. a year paid by Australian listeners. The Postal Department in Germany deduct one-twentiéth, or a little over Js. a year for administration or ¢dllection. In Australia the departmental deduction is ds. per listéner’s license. The transmission side in Germany can be run more cheaply than is thé case here, and with royalties and copyrights on a lower scalé thére is a bigger percentage left for actual programme presentation. . Mr. Kurtz described how the public performances of his symphony orchestra are broadcast. An orchestra of 85 members plays from the stage of the theatre, one microphone is suspendéd (the height of the dress-cirele) halfway between the front row of the dress-circle and the proscenium, and thé second mi¢rophone suspended very high up and directly on top of the orchestra. ; ,