From the Land of the Kangaroo and Wattle

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 19, 18 November 1932, Page 1

From the Land of the Kangaroo and Wattle

An All-Australian Programme from 2YA There’s a land that ts happy and fatr, Set gem-like in halycon seas; The ywvhite winters visit not there, To sadden its blossoming leas, ‘More bland than the Hesperides, Or any warm isle of the West, Where the wattle-bloom. perfumes the breeze, And the bellbird builds her | nest. LTHOUGH the average man does not need to be told that Australia has produced’ some of the finest cricketers, athletes and soldiers -not forgetting racehorseswhich the world has known, there are doubtless many who are not aware that in: the musical and theatrical world many Australian artists have reached the heights, their success giving an added lustre to thé fame of. Australia

overseas. ~ 2YA will broadcast. an "all-Australian" programme on Wednesday, November 23, comprising recordings of some of the best-known Australian artists, both in.the Commonwealth, and overseas. , The programme will be of ‘a bright and popular nature, and will feature the following performers: ' Bands and orchestras: Australian Commonwealth Band, , Bondi Beach Concert Band, Atistralian Broadcasting Company's Dance Band, Gil Dech and his Orchestra. Instrumentalists: Percy Grainger (pianoforte), G. Thalben Ball ._ (organ), Tom Katz (saxophone), A. P. Stender (cornet), "The Two ‘Octaves" (piano duo), Don Bradman (piano), Albert Cazabon (violin), William Murdoch (piano), Lauri Kennedy (’cello). Vocalists: Peter Dawson (baritone), Molly de Gunst (leading dramatic soprano with the Imperial Grand Opera Company), Browning Mummery. (tenor), Essie Ackland (contralto), Harold Williams (baritone), Gladys Moncrieff (soprano), Colin Crane (baritone),

World Famous Australian Artists to be Heard What land is with telat | compare? Not the green hills of Hybly with bees Honey-sweet, are more vadian§! and rare In colour and fragraney than these Boon shores, where Pea storm-clouds ceasé, And the wind and the wavg are at restWhere the wattle-bloom® waves in the breese, . And the bellbird builde heft nest. -Robert Richardson. Florence Austral (soprane}a J John Brownlee (baritone), Evelyn Scotney (soprano). Humorists: Pat Hanna and Hector St. Clair. Actress: The .late Nellig Stewart. Choir: St. Andrew’s Cathes' dral. Novelty: Corporal Phillips ("Imito") in imitations. Readers will probably be surprised at the omission

the late Dame Nellie Melba, the world’s greatest queen of song, and John Lemmone, the brilliant Australian flautist, from the programme. The recordings of both these artists, though eminently suitable for ordinary gramophone use, are not suitable for broadcasting purposes. The programme will virtually commence at 7.40 p.m., when a novel feature will be presented by Mr. S. W. M. Stilling, representative in New Zealand for the Australian National Travel Association. Mr, Stilling ‘will transport listeners by radio to Sydney and Melbourne, where the commencing time of this broadcast will be 5.40 p.m. (7. p.m, New Zealand time), and listeners will be given a graphic descrip= tion of what will be actually occurring in various parts of these cities. Special "effects" have been arranged, and all the rush and, bustle of the two Australian cities will be heard by listeners. ing brief biographies of some of the principal performers in the pros To listeners in general, and Australians in particular, the follows gramme will no doubt prove of interest:- (Continued overlaaf,,

Peter Dawsofi : ‘BORN in Adelaide, little Peter, haying been gifted by the fairies with a voice, began to exercise it at a, fairly "‘"gatly-age’ asia treble boy in the: choir Baise the: Congregational. Chureh :in, his ae : native ecit*’ ~ He

sang with then’ until his voice; broke, : -and at the-.age: of -17 won the prize for’ bass solo, open class, at Ballarat. "Im. 1902,: having been Home a..year, studying © singing under Mr. Batford, of Glasgow; "he became a pupil of Sir Charles. -Santley, who made ‘him an

3 artist vo reter, ‘an that did. him erellit, decided to discontinue receiving =the " generous allowance’ ‘from his "father, which he had hitherte, enjoyed, aud "threw himself entirely: "Upon his ‘orm resources. : $ o Hera short time it was ‘uphill. work, pnt. ‘an engagement .to make. records: ‘helped, chim.. financially,. actagee '. One engagement followed "another, tour sueceeded tour, and the "public began to buy Peter's records,’ ‘until last _year the 10,000,000 thark in ‘sdles was. passed! ‘The "Peter Pan‘ofBaritones" eertainly deserves his success. . « , .

Percy Grainger. PORN at Brighton, © Melbourne, in 1882, ' young Percy inherited his talené for music from hig mother, wh» was an accomplished musician and who gaye. him his first piano lessons. For many years the

mother wielded a very powerful and beneficial influence ‘on her son’s rapidly developing musical talent. At the age of ten the boy was a_ sufficiently proficient pianist to give a series of concerts which proved very successful Then came lessons from Pabst, Kywast

and Busoni in Ger-many-six years’ successful development of a pianistic ability that made him later a celebrity in many parts of the world. His excursions were endless. Like Alexander, ne. conquered everywhere. "Wngland heard him in 1907 at He finally "won" London in 1912 at the Balfour Gardiner concerts. By then he was not only the pianist who had specialised in the music of his close friends, Grieg and Delius, and in the modern French and Spanish composers, but was also a "new noise" in composition. He has lately landed on. his feet with a big post in U.S.A.

Evelyn Scotney NE of the most brilliant coloratura ‘sopranos of our time, Evelyn Scotney hails, like a good many other great artists, from Australia. "Strange- . ly enough," she said in an interview, "when I commenced my singing career I rode as a kiddie five miles every morning to a country singing- master, who was also the local © storekeeper.

postman, chemist, undertaker-in fact he. was.,practically. every profession. and trade that a man could be. YFortunately I was still very young when I. was. able, to. shift. to Melbourne, and devote my whole time to singing." Dame Melba was one of the"first to recognise her gifts, and..took. her to Europe to study with Marchest ~ and Tosti. An engagement at the Boston Opera: gave Madame Scotney her. first chance, and. a_ brilliantly successful debut in "Lucia di Lammermoor" induced the Metropolitan Opéra of New York to secure her for that Mecca of opera singers. There she, quickly won hérself a foremost position, sharing the affections of New York with such great people as ‘Caruso; she sang many times with him. Tours’ throughout Great Britain, Canada, the United States, and Australia has since made her fame international. The -.gréatest: joy. of her life is to sing for little children, who, in her opinion, most readily appreciate good music.

Florence Austral’ ORN Florence Mary Wilson-a native of Melbourne-fuflowed the precedent of her countrywoman, Dame Nellie Melba, and~-adopted vhe name Austral from: her native land. Whether

it was done according to the scivunce of bumerology of not, it has proven @a@ fortunate one for the artist. Within ten years of hearing her first opera, Florence Austral climbed the heights, with still greater glory to be gained. Having spent he, early life in an environment where

music was little heard and even less thought of as 1 means of earning a living, Florence Mary Wilson did the usual ballads and songs at home town and church functions. The strength and beauty of her untrained voice attracted attention which resulted in her entering the Ballarat Competitions, where she woly a prize. She began her musical education in real earnest at the Melbourne Conservatoire, four years later leaving for America, where she had more study, and eventually in London she made her debut as "Brunnhbilde." Her success was electrical--her voice caused a furore. As an operatic, oratorio, festiyal or recital artist Austral has nv superior in the ranks of British singers, and whatever she sets out to do she does well. In private life she is Mrs. Johii: Amadio, being the wife of the New Zealand-born flautist, whose worldwide fame should make the inhabitants: of Hutt very proud of their "townie" and his talented wife.

John Brownlee A LITTLE more than ten years ago John Brownlee was a clerk in Geelong, in the hardware store of . Hawkes Bros. To-day, thanks to a fine natural voice, a win at Ballarat Competitions, the: interest of Dame Nellie. Melba and hard work, John is getting near to the top of the tree. ~ | One of the milestones of his short: career was his meeting with his gen~

erous patroness. Her opinion fired his ambitions, and eventually he found himself in her company once again,. this time in London. She took him to the teacher, Dinh Gilly. Brownlee had to learn French forthwith in order to converse with his singing master. For three years he studied hard, not singing in public until his great chance came in 1926, with an engagement at the | Trianon Lyrique, a suburban. Parisian theatre from which singers for the opera are recruited. His engagement’was for six months at fifty shillings a week. Still it was a start, and it brought Melba into his life for the third and lucky time. A friend of Melba’s recommended a Canadian singer with a faultless style as a rare find. Dame Nellie, who went to hear him, was struck by the resemblance to her protege. Final recognition led her to invite him to appear at her farewell concert at Covent Garden. ; His later debut in Massenet’s "Thais" at the Opera House, Paris, and the information during the progress of the performance that he was to be put into "Herodiade," made him. John Brownlee had "arrived."

William Murdoch BoRNn in Bendigo, in 1889, young William had a strong dislike of music up to the age of ten. Then one day he wanted to discover the secret of how his mother made music out of the array of black blobs and strange signs. So she started to give him lessons. Soon he

outstripped his teacher, and was placed under a good professor, But, although music was his hobby, he had: no intention of following it as a profession. When he was 18 he won a. prelimin. ary legal scholarship at the Unt versity. of Mel-

bourne. Soon after be won the Clarke Scholarship at the Royal College of Music. He then went to London and spent four: happy years as a student. Still he did not aspire to become a professional pianist, but the necessity of earning a living, and the monotony of a. humdrum. life, induced him to accept in 1911 an‘ engagement to tour as a soloist in South Africa. Since then he has acquired a world-wide reputation by his tours in Europe, Australia and the United. ‘States. Apart from his mastery in concertos, and as an exponent of Chopin,’ Murdoch is one of ‘the finest living artists of the day in chamber music, as his noteworthy ‘association with Sammons, Tertis and Cedric Sharpe proves. He was the first pianist to introduce modern British and French musie to Scandinavia. He is also an onnivorous reader and ‘has composed some charming songs. Murdoch, on account of being: rejected for military service in.the Great War, was, together with his great friend, Felix Salmond, the famous ’cellist, accepted as B_ flat clarinettists in. the Band of H.M. Grenadier Guards. In 1912 Murdoch toured New Zealand with onenereke success :

"a Thalben Ball BoRkn in Sydney in 1896, George Thalben Ball, the well-known organist, studied at the Royal College of Music, London, under Parry, Stanford, Bridge, .Frits’Hartvigson, and Dr. Charles Wood, thereby getting probably the best grounding possible to qualify him for the post of organist and choirmaster at the historic Temple Church, London, to. which he was appointed in 1919. TFor.the past thirteen years he has been professor of organ at his alma mater, the Royal College of Music, Mr. Ball achieved Empire fame ag the sponsor and musical] director of the recording by Master Ernest. Lough, boy i ~_ soprano, and the choir of the Temple « Church. Lauri Kennedy BRUGINNING as a youngster, Lauri toured Australia and New Zealand with the Kennedy family, who provyided for the "smalls" of the Commonwealth and the Dominion many fine.concerts. Lauri Kennedy comes from a musical stock, and at the outset was destined for a successful career, His tours as instrumentalist, incompany with John McCormack, tog him further afield, and his appointment as leader of the ’cellists in the British Broadcasting Corporation’s fine new orchestra is the logical outcome of a career built on hard = study, natural aptitude, and an enthusiasm that is as infectious as his breezy personality.

Gladys Moncrieff "HE rise to pre-eminence of this charming Australian soprano, her captivation of London’s musical heart. /

and the great wefcome she received upon returning te her native shores thrilled all patriotic Australians, It is ‘interesting to recall that prior to her ‘sailing fér London a petition signed by 8000 ~=-s theattregoers was presented to J. ©, Williamson, Ltd., reading as follows: "A petition from

theatregoers to keep Australia’s greatest . actress, Miss Gladys Moncrieff, in her own country. Australia first." This must indeed be unique in stage annals. Starring in musical successes such as "The Street Singer," "The Maid of the Mountains," "Rio Rita,’ "The Merry Widow," ‘The Lady of tte Rose," "A Southern Maid," ete., has won her golden opinions from competent jRdges from Kreisler to her fellow Australian and mummer, Oscar Asche, who greatly praised hér interpretation of Dolores in the last-named musical eomedy,

Beryll Newell HIS Sydney lady does not lag be hind Raie de Costa or Patricia Rossborough in attractive tone, touch | or individuality. Her list of recordings is growing monthly, and from thes time she set light music circles agoz with her ‘Ragamuffin Romeo," "I Love You.So. Much," and "Happy Feet," each new issue of her dises has come'in for enthusiastic praise. She is a first-rate musi¢e arranger and accon(Continued on page~18.)

| Kangaroo and Wattle

(Continued from page .’2.) panist, and much heavy work fell to her lot. when the:famous Maori issues by Anna Hato and Deane Waretini were in preparation. As an accompanist she is equally in her element, and like many other proyed artists she is the essence of modesty.

Harold Williams N 1893 Harold Williams was born in Sydney. Beginning as a_ boy soprano, he was able to buy his first suit of clothes out of his earnings. This’ was when he was eleven, and he

was very proud of this because his parents at that time were living in rather straightened circumstances. Like most healthy boys, Harold was, however, much more. interested in sport. In 1913 ne played for New South Wales against the All Blacks. He play-

ed cricket for the famous Sydney Waverley: Club, and in 1925, at the annual match for the: benefit of the Musicians’ Benevolent Fund, he made a flawless century for the Do; minion Artists against Kennerley Rumford’s XI. This was the first time he had played since 1914! He seryed in the Creat : War, and after the Armistice, while awaiting re‘patriation, he took up singing lessons for amusement. After three months, his master seriously suggested to him that it was worth his while to take his hobby ‘seriously, and stay at Home. Not having the remotest idea what he was letting himself in for, or realising the big fight a young singer has to ‘undergo in England to obtain recognition, Williams agreed. His rapid swiccesses were extraordinary. He staked the whole of his modest capital on three London recitals, after which engagements literally flowed in. He has sung at Covent Garden on numerous occasions-also the title role in "Hiawatha" on the occasion of the Royal performance at the Albert Hall. His records must be among the most popular of any on the market. .

Essie Ackland npaE ambition of Essie Ackland’s father was that she should be in'a position to be independent in case anything happened to him. So with this object she

learned typing and shorthand, and -eventually, at the age of 17, obtained employment at the Victoria barracks. At one time she was in charge of 2 section of some 40 girls, and about this time she started singing at concerts, mostly given to Australian soldiers. Then for four

years she did not sing at all, feeling. that her voice wanted maturing.

'. In 1920 she started singing again with the Welsh Choral Society, and for two years did solo work in various States, touring both Australia and New Zealand with the late Jean Gerardy, the famous Belgian ’cellist. In 1924 she gave a farewell concert in the Sydney Town Hall, the audience numbering amout 4000, Going to England absolutely unknown, she sang to Leslie Boosey, who promptly engaged her for his ballad concerts at the Albert Hall. Her growing success is a matter of history.

The Late Nellie Stewart O programme could: be termed truly representative of Australian artists if it did not include some reference to the late Nellie Stewart, "The Idol of Australia." Although she will principally be remembered, particularly by theatre-goers of the past three decades, for her greatest stage triumph as Nell Gwynne in "Sweet Nell of Old Drury," she was in her earlier life a very gifted singer, and achieved fame overseas both in grand and light opera. Her work in Gilbert and. Sullivan operas stamped her as an artiste of rare gifts, and during an American tour she achieved a triumph such as has rarely been vouchsafed to a visiting artist. | Ag "Sweet Nell" she became the idol of the Australian public, and for many years a full house was always assured when she was billed to interpret the character of the kind-hearted, impulsive:and lovable Nell Gwynne. Shortly before her death, which occurred toward the end of last year, she recorded three excerpts from "Sweet Nell," and in one of these"Nell Gwynne’s Entrance, in Act I’she will be heard in the all-Australian programme. In this particular scene she is assisted by her daughter, Nancy Stewart-also an accomplished actress -as Lady Olivia Vernon.

Molly de Gunst Miss MOLLY DE GUNST is claimed to be the natural successor to the late Dame Nellie Melba. Her teacher. Madame Christian, prophesied fame for her, and although her experience on the operatie stage has been brief, she is already acknowledged to be a star of the first magnitude. Madame Christian trained Melba, as well as scores of other famous singers. Miss de Gunst has been an excellent student indeed, a great worker and most receptive, said Madame recently. Miss de Gunst scored a magnificent triumph at the opening Gala performance by the Imperial Grand Opera Company in Melbourne. For an artiste of years of training and experience her interpretation would have been a notable achievement, but for a girl appearing for the'first time in grand opera during the season in Sydney her success was remarkable. Whatever doubts J. C. Williamsons might have had about her ability they completely vanished by the end of the first act. Miss de Gunst’s performances during the New. Zealand tour of the Imperial Grand Opera Company have been in the nature of a triumph for ‘this gifted Australian artist, and those who have witnessed her superb interpretation of the role of Tosca will agree that she is deserving of all the encomiums heaped upon her by the critics. Miss de Gunst is still in her early twenties. She was born in Bundaberg, Queensland, which was also the birthplace of Gladys Moncrieff.