Let us Travel with SIGNOR LUCIEN CESARONI on A Musical Pilgrimage Through Europe

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 35, 13 March 1931, Page 1

Let us Travel with SIGNOR LUCIEN CESARONI on

A Musical Pilgrimage Through Europe

pprosvcastine in Europe? Well, though I visited nearly every musical centre of importance on the Continent during my last trip there twelve months ago, I did not come into contact with radio in them all. However, I will tell you of the few occasions when'I did. My route lay from London, by air to Paris, then on to Berlin, via Brussels, by train. A few days in the German capital, sight-seeing and visiting colleagues in the musical and operatic world, and then | left for Dresden and Stuttgart... . _. Though time was always short, Ay I yet found opportunity to listen-in to several of Germany’s premier broadcasters, and J discovered something that -brought back not over-pleasant memories of listening-in in America, ‘In Ger‘many they ‘also allow radio adver-tising-but with a difference. In America radio is advertising-all else is subservient to it. © But: in Germany the advertiser is rigorously watched. He is bound hand and foot with legislation, arid any mention of extending the limited times allotted him brings down on his unfortunate head the just wrath of the: authorities, _ And thus I have discovered . that radio advertising properly con- ,. trolled ‘is not the insidious disease it ' is claimed to be. I found it exceedingly convenient and. presented in excellent taste. Another innovation. | While .in Stuttgart I was. mystified while listening-in one morning to hear what appeared to be a chemistry lecture in progress-a lecture

bristling with technicalities and shorn of the usual padding in which science is often clothed when presented to a usually indifferent public. I marvelled at the unusual mentality and application of the people whose country I was visiting-until I discovered later that I had been ' jistening to: a university lecture.

A®*® excellent idea, don’t you: think? ms Students in far-off villages and in the + no longer find it necessary to pinch and save for fees ad for lodgings near a university. No. They just’ listen-in at own ‘homes at given times, and .the lecturer is. brought to em. .

Leaving Germany, 1 spent several weeks in Switzerland, and then on to Italy. Here, of course, I spent most of the time during -my tour. Under the Mussolini regime, Italy has progressed wonderfully. Industry appears to. be the watchword everywhere. I was delighted to discover also that music and . art in most forms are strongly encouraged. Broadcasting, also, has been allotted its share-a- very important one, too-in the social, political and economic reform which

one sees everywhere. Lectures on patriotism, music, art and a diversity of subjects are broadcast each day to hundreds of thousands of school children, land cadets and naval cadets. Occasionally the children . themselves are permitted to broadcast talks to their comrades. They appear to pay much more attention to a radio lecturer than they do,’ unfortunately, to their teachers. I ‘pondered for a long time over this, and then decided that a person whose presence and personality might not be all it should, could often command more respect when ‘speaking into the microphone. as While. staying in Naples, just after last Easter, a curious happening -occurred at Salerno, ‘a small town ’some 60 miles distant, which incidentally is the birthplace of Signor Truda, conductor of the 2YA Orchestrina. @ One day a youth of seventeen, ° living in Salerno, announced to the world that he had invented a device which could collect electricity, from the air, and collect it without expending any energy whatsoever. Quite a stir was caused throughout Europe and Atnerica at the’ time, though I do not think more than _a whisper of the news penetrated as far as New Zealand. Photo- graphs and articles appeared in most of the Continental dailies and were flashed across to America. Science and industry revolutionised. It was enough to stagger the world. , And then it was announced that though the sensational claim was correct. no method had heen

discovered. of controlling the derived electricity. This proved in- — surmountable, and people ceased their speculations and grumbled about hoaxes. But I am satisfied’ that it was no hoax. tT was decided to encourage the young inventor in every possible way to pur‘sue his investigations, and for all I know he is probably working on his sensational discovery at this day. Perhaps we may hear more of him in the future. ... ; Further wanderings led me up the west coast of Italy to Milan, famous for its historic opera house. La Scala. Grand onera is im.

mensely popular in this town, and always has been... Of course, people have been brought up to appreciate ‘it, and they regard it as part of, their lives. I notice with interest that on one night of the week, I think.a Tuesday, the evening performance is broadcast. No, it does not affect the attendances in the slightest. It is meant, just, perhaps, as the occasional "talkie" ‘relays from’ 2YA,: for those people who find it. (Concluded on page 30.)

+ Signor Lucien Cesaroni, who comes from a@ musical family well known in: the realm of grand opera on the Continent, has been acclaimed by the world’s leading critics as one of the greatest Mozartian interpreters of the present day. In this country, however, he is more widely known as an operatic bass of exceptional talent. In the following interview he gives his impressions of European broadcasting, sained during a recent visit there.

A Musical Pilgrimage

(Continued from front page.) impossible to attend in person. Would you, if you wanted very much to attend a particular "tallie," stay at home and listen-in? I think not. Another new idea which is saving much time and money is the broadcasting of new operas to determine their possible future success, In the old days enormous expense was entailed in the rehearsal and production of an opera which subsequently might prove a failure, Hven Puccini’s gem of operas, "Madame Butterfly," was at first indifferently received. Now, however, the complete score ig broadcast several’ times, and people learn to appreciate the music: before attending the initial performance. In this way every ‘chance for success is afforded the opening production. Bvery effort, too, is made to help young and. unknown. composers whose works, excellent though they might’ be,

: (CURIOUSLY enough, Milan shares , one broadcasting station with ' Turin, a town about 80 miles distant / and just across the French border. _ Hach town is connected by a land line to the station, and the programme time ' is divided between the two. While in Milan I visited the broadcasting sta- _ tion there, and spent some time in _ chatting to the conductor of the studio ' orchestra. One idea in which I was very interested was the regular exchange every few -weeks of his orches- _ tra with the one in Milan. The conductors of each, however, remain. behind. _. hus each combination has the benefit of playing under two conductors, each with his own pet ideas of the interpretation of music.’ Also the players themselves much appreciate the holiday thus afforded. them. My: wanderings were now nearing an end. Leaving Turin, I was whirled by rail across France to Paris, .thus completing the round trip. By air. to London, where I spent a few weeks, and then after a tour which will, always be among my most pleasant memories, I boarded.a liner homeward bound for New Zealand. .i.. +