Radio Programmes Discussed

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 33, 28 February 1930, Page 1

Radio Programmes Discussed

LYA Musical and Dramatic Commitiee offers Suggestions

HE 1YA Musical and Dramatic Committee had an animated and interesting dliscussion at its last meeting concerning the alleged dearth in radio programmes of new "songs and. recitations and the repetition of the same numbers. It was a very useful discussion, for it showed the difficulties which confront a station manager and his . prostamme organiser in preparing promes for broadcasting. The on management explained that there was a black list of items at the station and that they endeavoured at all times to prevent the broadcasting of the same items too often. The _trouble was that 800 concerts (comprising about 3600 vocal solos) had to be arranged every year, that the num- _ ber of artists in Auckland was yery limited and that these artists had.very limited ° ‘repertoires. ‘It was difficult to get artists to learn new ‘items and they would sing only the things they ° knew. The modus operandi ‘at the’ ‘stations is for artists to ‘submit lists of the Songs they know and from these lists" vtjthe Station selects the items to ‘be

given. The Station Director quoted an incident which happened the day before the meeting at which.the: discussion took. ‘place. Two ladies brought in the same song. On the list submitted by another, out of eight songs only three were suitable. The trouble was that teachers taught the same songs. It was pointed out during the discussion that singing occasionally before a limited audience in a theatre was different from singing regularly for radio’s yast audience... In the former case a small repertoire would not be noticed, for the same audience would not be hearing the same song whea sung over and over again. . The broadcasting ‘stations have in the main a roll of regular performers.. These are the pick.of the. local talent and they form the basis of the programmes. About half of the lists of items received from ‘artists comprise the same songs. .

‘During this discussion on the limited repertoires of . many singers, Mr. Frank Sutherland was quoted. as an _object-lesson to all radio performers. It was stated that when Mr. Sutherland first came to 1YA he could sing five songs, but "he now has a repertoire of 100 or so. Byery night he sings he brings along at least one new song. rom the yery outset he mare it a practice to do this. That is one of the reasons he is so popular-he always has something fresh.. The -committeeman who mentioned this said that if it was possible for an amateur. to do this it was surely possible for a professional, but professionals seenied to be the ones who were most frequently guilty of singing the same songs repeatedly. ° The chairman -(My. Karl Atkinson) remarked, "Can you wonder — that music is in the doldrums when you can’t get the people whose living it is to make a little effort." In connection

With this discussion, the following 1% solutions relating to songs and recitas tions were carried: "That a subcommittee consisting. of Messrs. Atkinson, Tait, and Montague go through the full catalogue of items contained . in Head Office, library, with a view to bringing down a report at next meeting which will assist artists and the Company to vary the items which are, being put on.’ "That it be a suggestion to the Compiuny in respect to elocutionary items at Station 1YA that they be subnitted. once or twice each week to the official ‘announcer, Mr. Bell, to be cons lirmed or rejeeted." "That the Company be asked to cons sider the advisability of tabulating in alphabetical order items performed on the air during the ast six months at 1YA, and that this list be kept up te date." It may be mentioned ‘in respect io the music teachers of Auckland that 2 number of the leading ones are closely co-operating with 1Y.A and have undertaken to organise whole-night programmes for broadcasting. In this way new artists and new items will be brought to the microphone.