The Orchestrina

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 21, 6 December 1929, Page 7

The Orchestrina

Question of Definition HIS word, which has lately become ; prominent in the programmes of 2YA, has excited quite a little con-. troversy in the Wellington Press. One would-be. wit consulted his dictionary. on, the question,.and found, so he alleged, that the word was not correctly used, being applicable only to a certain musical instrument. He accordingly wrote to the Press attempting to ridicule the use of the word in the proeramines and in its application to the combination of musicians organised under the baton of Signor A. P. Truda. Unfortunately for this individual, his dictionary did not carry him far enough back into musical history, and he was promptly corrected by a covrespondent with more erudition, who, pointed out that the word "orchestrina" was quite correctly used, as the diminutive of orchestra, just in the same way as "operetta" is the diminutive of opera, etc. The word "orchestrina" is of good. Italian mmsical anvestry, dating from very early history, nnd has been revived quite correctly by Signor A. P. Truda, and applied to his combination of artists, whose services. by the way. are being’ greatly appreciated by listeners.