STATIC

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 19, 18 November 1932, Page 7

STATIC

v

SPARK

A Slight Misunderstanding THIS paragraph was awarded "Spark’s" 5/- prize :- . The night was a little cold and so our heater was full on. Our lady visitors were quietly knitting, and at the same time listening to one of 2ZW’s interesting programmes. While lazily fingering the volume control, I inquired if it was too hot. Our lady visitors ‘glanced up with a puzzled look on their faces. "Not at all," one of them said. "I don’t call that song hot." -F.F.C., Wellington.

Ww his talk on current international affairs from 2YA,. Dre Guy H. Scholefield elucidated a puzzle in describing the method by which the President of the Uniteg States of America is elected. Those entitled. to a vote do not directly record a preference for any particular. candidate,. but are able to vote for the representative of a party, which duly expresses a choice when the President’s term is completed. Thus it is that although Mr, Rooseveltf is President-elect, he will not oc-cupy-White House until March, and thus ‘it is also that the head of the nation can quite possibly be elected, in defiance of the majority of the electors’ wishes. Mr. Hoover has really been one of the great Americans ofthis century, and has undoubtedly suffered defeat through the world-wide depression, which the people of the United States have thought is a condition to which ancient: Europe was ‘heir, but which could not happen in a vigorous country _ like the United States. Mr. Hoover’s \ record in big emergencies is of world\wide fame and although it is rare for ‘tiny President to be elected for a second term of office, the oyerwhelming victory of the Democrats in the recent election portrays a spirit of defeatism and dejectedness that the mighty U.S.A. did not know in their humility in 1918. " * » ° ROM 2YA Major Stewart Fraser gave some very illuminating information about the performances of a noted English baby car in the annual road race from Durban to Johannesburg. So much attention has this event attracted that foreign. makers have built special cars for the race, but last year a stock model baby led the field home and ‘broke the record by ten minutes. If that is not an achievement worth being proud of anyone may ask what is. This information was given when Major Fraser spoke on the subject of "speed" and his burden was that such results only come PY actual test of cars in attempts to bréak existing speed records. * HE brief talk by Miss Molly de Gunst from 2ZW, all about herself and her grand opera aspirations, was something well .worth hearing, and I think listeners would be glad that Miss de Gunst’s hopes have been realised, if only because. her beautiful . speaking voice merits recognition as an Australian, There. must be something in the sweetness of Bundaberg sugar-cane that village can give us Miss ""Molly de Gunst. and Miss Gladys Monerieff. There is something more than sweetness in the air there, too,.for Bert Hinkler calls Bundaberg home. *. * a ORE of the brightest programmes that 2YA has given us for some time was the nigger minstrel show:on Tuesday night. Many of the jokes and quite

a lot of the bantering were new to me, and it was a happy thought that decided the show should be of an hour's: duration only. Two hours of min-. strelsy has to have features that wireless cannot supply, and in the days when burnt-cork knock-abouts stormed, much of the entertainment was for those who were not blind, even if they were deaf.. The programme gave a happy hour, and in wisely terminating it at 9 o’clock there was no wearying drag, * * * "THE short sketch of the life-of Sir Herbert Austin, the designer of the seven, the vehicle which infests the roads so crowdedly in Britain and has been termed facetiously or by rival manufacturers, the road louse, was a very interesting contribution to 2ZW’s programmes. Many people were under the impression that Sir Herbert was an Australian, and will no doubt be. disappointed to learn that it was only in Australid that he started his engineering profession, in making machines for the people who barber sheep. His little car is a mechanical marvel, and in competition with the fabrications of the rest of the world’s factories is without a peer. Much valuable information comes from this session at 2ZW, and 1 never miss it if I can help it. * t * if FREL sure that few. were aware that a broadcast from the links of a golf match could be so thrilling, until they heard Mr. H. A. Black on: Saturday when he described the match for the New Zealand amateur champion-. ship. Unlike a seven-furlong race or a spirited boxing contest, there are long waits of inaction in "gowf," and Mr, Black had something to do to keep the carrier modulated, but he did it remarkably well. My sympathy went to the amateur transmitter who carried the machinery about, and I can only hope that in addition to his being one of that body of silent national heroes, he is a "foozler," too, and . thoroughly enjoyed the match from-a

golfer’s . standpoint. This running account of the final of the championship was made possible by the cooperation of the amateur transmitters, who seem to suffer from a conspiracy of silence, for when the recent aeroplane accident occurred and two young men lost their lives through flying into the hill at Porirua in a fog, among the first to render assistance were ,the "Hams." They didn’t get much space in the reports, but, like true sports, they thrive without laudation, but upon the approbation they know they deserve. = ®@ if WAS sorry to hear the announcer at 2ZW, when giving on Thursday night particulars of that station’s Armistice Day services, make reference to the Great War as the war that was fought to end war. Wireless is another written page that science has added to the book of truth, and in our humble acknowledgment of the Creator’s wonderful and miraculous gift, we might reasonably expect that the voice of radio ghall forever and always speak truth. We get altogether too much of this pernicious propaganda, inspired by two classes, the misguided and the traitorous, who would germinate about us a sense of false security. When we honour our deathless army, we gratefully remember that seventeen thousand, the flower of New Zealand’s manhood, gave their all to repel the aggressor who had no clarion eall that the war was a war to end wur. All civilisation deplores man’s limited vision and recourse to arms, but falsehood will never get us nearer the millenium, Radio and truth are terms which a civilised community should be able to consider. synonymous. = * * A WORTHWHILE relay by. 2YA was that from the final concert for the season of the Commercial Travellers’ Choir. A better balanced programme has never been given by the "Drummers," nor. have their concerted vocal efforts been better transmitted. Very often such relays give emphasis to a

few yoices near the microphone, With a background of undefined noise accompanying, but on this occasion definition was marked and pleasing. The solo items were meritorious, and the whole concert one that will be retained in the memory. * * 1% F Harold Logan’s pilot, who is without the shadow of a doubt a great judge of pace, had run the race in the New Zealand Trotting Cup as he did, just in order that he might give the narrator an opportunity of getting listeners on their toes, he could not have done the job better. All recognise that the announcer knows the racing game from A to %Z, and when we were told that the champion was out of the running. I think everyone concluded that it

was unwell. Like a true champion, Tiarold Logan ignores all handicaps, and there are many thousand excited listeners who were truly sorrowful that they were unable to be present and share the announcer’s thrill when the old fellow started to lengthen his steps. It’s a good job for the horse’s eardrums that the broadcast was one-way communication only. If* he had heard the reception from every receiver, added to the rousing cheers that greeted hint when he returned to the enclosure, he would have been deaf for ever more. Quite a- number who take only a. cursory interest in horses will be on the course, when Harold Logan harnesses up again, that would never have seen him, had it not been for broadcasting, ‘ & = $ LISTENERS to 2YA have cause to remember with gratitude the visit to Wellington of the Williamson Grand Opera Company. Apart from the male and the mixed choruses that have made two successive Sunday night concerts celebrity performances, some of the individual artists of the company who have broadcast during the week have been a great pleasure to listen to. Each has distinctly given evidence of artistry and style that is characteristic of a professional, and the joy that correctness of time exemplifies has been reflected in the accompanying. What a pleasure it must be to the.pianist to know that he is playing with the songster and not altogether for the vocalist. One who aroused so much enthusiasm in me that I felt constrained to exclaim "bravo" at the conclusion of each. of his items was Mr. George Vevers, who apparently ignored the microphone and sang to a real live audience, Mr. Vevers "sings," and his musie is not all from his mouth. What a thrill for the accompanist! * * * [™M glad I waited up to hear the rebroadeast of 5SW on Friday night when this station relayed the Armistice Day service from the Cenotaph, Whitehall, This was undoubted-

dy the best rebroadeast of this solemn service that has ever been achieved in New Zealand, and I should think that many listeners corrected their eloeks by Big Ben. While I kept one set tuned to 2YA, I went around the other stations as well, and 4Y¥A’s transmission was easily the best. More than likely this was due to attenuat- ° ing characteristics of the line from the point of pick-up to the studio, for much of the sandpapery noise and the harsh high frequency was. eliminated. 4YA made a really wonderful job of it, but should have remained on 5SW for a few moments longer to get the closing-down announcement. * = cd SPEED fans were given a thrill from 2ZW when Mr. Hawley gave his exhilarating account of the racing at Brooklands. Unfortunately few people in New Zealand have been to BrookJands or ever seen a track marathon, and therefore the general listener is mot familiar with the procedure in these races. Of course, the motor dealer may in many cases know all about such things, and to him an explanation would be superfluous, but without a clear account of how the race is conducted, I’m ‘afraid most listeners (half of whom are the fair sex) would be disappointed in not being able to follow intelligently what might have been a real sensation to everybody. x * * A WELCOME surprise during the junch-hour music. from 2YA was the-relay from the Town Hall of Mr. ‘Bernard Page’s organ recital. Possibly. this relay was by way of reparation,. after giving further thought to

his severe but undeserved strictures upon broadcasting in general ang the board in particular. The recital was very efficiently broadcast and the adaptation of Bach’s "Air on a G@ String" was a musical jewel. Mr. Page’s comments upon radio might have been qualified. No one will deny that much ‘rubbish comes from every wireless studio, but what can one expert in a daily concert of twelve hours’ duration? . Nothing has done more for musie than radio, and thousands who a year or so ago had no ear for anything but the cacophonous, to-day listen with pleasure to sonatas, etudes and the ops., that are not found so fearsome after all, I was always an admirer of both Mr. Page’s musicianship and his sporting conformity that is learned so well within the ropes, with. the eight-ounce gloves on, I have two regrets-Mr. Page is leaving us and radio listeners heard so little from him. * 2 * AM making a suggestion to 2YA. It is not likely that the City Council! will dismantle the Town Hail organ when Mr. Page departs, and therefore it is to be hoped that broadcasts of the instrument may be arranged when any visiting organist arrives in the city. Further, we haye in our midst many performers whom radio listeners would be glad to-hear upon the Town Hall organ. One who has a reputation for ability in programme construction is Mr. Heigh-ho (Mr. lL. HE, Strachan), of the Broadcasting Board, and I am sure there is a yast audience that would be pleased to hear what he can do, with his head, hands, and feet, upon the instrument.

BRZETHOVEN was one of the greatest heroes of the musical personalities of all time, and with all his capacity for joy, with all his sense of humour, a love of a practical joke, had his full share of suffering, due to his deafness. and its attendant ills, mental suffering due to his ill-fortune in love, to his own morbidly sensitive temperament, and to worries of various kinds, Independent almost to a fault, boorish at times, and ill-tempered, yet craving to be understood and loved, he lived only for his music. "I will grapple with fate," he said; "it shall never drag me down," Bearing these facts in mind, listeners in their approach to Beethoven’s music are sure to derive enhanced pleasure thereby, and particularly so when on the 28rd they hear Harold Bauer in the famous "Appassionata" Sonata from 8YA, + * * HIS superb sonata in ¥ minor, Op. 57, was first published in 1807, and its title; "Appassionata," was given by the Hamburg publisher, Cranz, and not by the composer. It is a very apt designation, for from the opening to the end of the short concluding presto the music throbs with such vigour and pas sion that it almost seems as if the pianoforte is too. small a medium: for it. It is the product of a mature mind, the work. not merely of a man who has mastered the technique of his art, so that he uses his tools with perfect confidence and unerring skill, but of a man who has faced life fearlessly however bitter. While it is difficult to connect. Beethoven’s music directly with the events of his life, it is easy to. feel in his works the force of his —

personality, with its strange mixture of tenderness and volcanic impetuosity. Musie meant to him more than the writing of a well-turned phrase. It was the vehicle for the expression of emotion, a means of recording human emotion. . His sureness of technique, the thorough mastery of his material, made it possible for him to express himself convincingly. There is no fumbling, every note is vital in the "Appassionata," eyen the smallest detail becoming significant as the work. proceeds. In this we have Beethoven at his best and his musie interprets many of the feelings we ourselves experience, but lack the faculty to express. Broadcasting of master works of this deseription lifts radio to the higher plane and affords many listeners an exhilarating emotion too deep for mere words. { % ‘A {