Here and There Selections from this Week's Programmes

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 42, 28 April 1933, Page 5

Here and There Selections from this Week's Programmes

By

TRIPLE

GRID

Autumn, Included in the dinner-music session at 8YA on May 2 is the music of the fourth and last episode of Marius Petipa’s ballet, "The Seasons." As there is much movement and excilement on the stage during this last part of the work, so does the music become more and more cumulative in effect. When the curtain rises Bacchanalian revelry is in full swing. Very soon the former seasons re-enter, firstly Winter to "patter" music in imitation of hail. Next comes Spring and a theme by a solo clarinet, followed elosely by the chief satellite-the Zephyr. A brief return ta the music of the Bacchanal follows, t» be abruptly broken off at the entry of

Summer to the tune of the "Cornflowers an@ Poppies Waltz." The adagio, "The Fai of the Year," and a miniature tone poem. containing some of the most beautiful music prepares the listener for more Bacchanal music. It soon becomes less frenzied, a new dance is begun, during which "a rain of dead leaves" falls on the stage. At the height of this dance, darkness falls. The brasses thunder out the theme of Winter, while the rest of the orchestra is thrown into a state of great agitation. Out of chaos emerges the theme that accompanied the Bacchanal, but transfigured and played quietly. This short poetic section is called ‘"Apotheosis," showing the constellations tvhich float above the earth, a quiet echo from the spaces above where changes on time and seasons ring. The curtain falls, breaking upon quiet reflections, then a full -orchestra brings the music to a fortissimo ’ ending. | ‘Jascha Heifetz. Listeners on May 1 will hear the recorded version of "Hebrew Melody" as interpreted by the incomparable Jascha Heifetz. Beginning at three years of age to play the violin, young Jascha completed the course of the Royal Music School at Vilna at seven, and after study with Professor Leopold Auer in Petrograd, was a mature artist at the age of ten. His tour through Russia was @ triumph; the keenest critics of Hurope had nothing but praise for him. After terrible experiences in escaping from his distressful country to the United States by way of Siberia during the war, he conquered America. He now ranks as one of the greatest violinists of the day. His technique is flawless, intonation perfect, quality of tone superb and entirely individual, phenomenal mastery over bow and violin having youchsafed him in childhood by a beneficent nature bent upon creating a perfect model. A@ Ambitious Performance. Congratulations are due to the Dunedin Orchestral Society upon the decision to include in their programme of May 2 Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony-with full chorus. This tremendous work is not often performed, even in the capitals of Europe, and the writer is not aware of a previous performance in New Zealand. Since the advent of broadcasting, recorded versions have been heard and it may be presumed that the gramophone and radio share the honour which prompted the original suggestion that the society perform the stupendous work. The idea of setting Schiller’s "Ode to Joy" to music first came to Beethoven in 1792. In 1808 he wrote the chora! Fantasia, the precursor of the choral section of the Symphony, and in 1823 the score was completed with the "Ode to Joy" as its final movement. For thirty-one years Beethoven’s ideas were germinating before the final touches were given to this ‘tremendous work! There is something gratifying in the thought that it was an English society which commissioned and paid for the Symphony whic) was later known as "The Ninth.’ The Philharmonic Society was always exclusive. A new sub-.

seriber was all but refused because he kept a confectioner’s shop, but his sponsor wus able to assure the directors that the subscriber had never served behind, the counter. Never progressive. never propagandist, the society marked an epoch when jit gave the initial performance of the terrific Choral Symphony. A pathetic story is told of the Vienna premiere performance. When the applause had reached full volume, one of the singers touched Beethoven (he was standing by the conductor) on the shoulder and motioned to him to turn and see the manner of his reception. He had heard nothing! He had been completely deaf for some years. The work is a great interpretative test for the conductor and a trying

technical one for the unfortunate sopranos who have continually to shout on top A. Tutankhamen, one of the last three kings of the eighteenth dynasty. gained the title through @ judicious political marriage. His tomb in the’ Valley of Kings was. discovered by Lord Carnarvon. andMr. Howard Carter, and was officially opened on November 29, 1922. All of the articles found, including a magnificent ~ painted wooden mannikin in the king’s likeness and used as a sort of tailor’s dummy, point to the fact that, at his death, Tutankhamen was a mere boy. If. this be granted, the religious changes

effected during his short reign become extraordinary. This was the first tomb of an Egyptian king to be found intact, and its small size bears silent witness to the troubles of ° his reign and to his premature death. Crossing from Kgypt to Italy we visit Pompeii, ancient city of laughter, happiness, and love, which is now. the scene of excavations. During the great eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Pompeii and Hereue laneuin, retreats of wealthy Romaus. were covered completely by ash and lava, the superincumbent mass being about twenty feet deep. In 1755 one of the Bourbon kings ‘ordered excavations to be commenced, and statues, walls and buildings when unearthed were in a wonderful state of preservation. Figures in all states of attire, in attitudes of flight, were also found, but everything, excepting statuary capable of being moved, was ruthlessly buried, eventually to: crumble. To the short reign of Murat (1808-15) we owe the Forum, the town walls, and the Street of Tombs. Most of the buildings were constructed of stone or brick, but such is their state of preservation that the most beautiful mosaics the world has known have recently been unearthed by an excavating expedi- tion. "Two Thousand Years Ago, Wandering in Pompeiian Ruins-the Tutankhamen Marvels," is the title of a talk to be given by Mr. C. E. Wheeler from 2YA on Monday, May 1, when he will take us to explore these remnants of earliest civilisations, The Glory That Was Greece. The story ot early Greece is shrouded in the mist of ages-legends of gods and heroes, which constitute her only approach to history, are of that mystic kind in which a superstitious and ignorant age delights. But how much truth may underly the tales of Cecrops, Cadmus, Thesus, Heracles. and many others, it is difficult to say; or to what extent the évents of the Argonautie expedition, Trojan war, and other exploits, may be real, historians can never hope to fathom. Yet, ever with us are famous names, such as Homer, Aristotle, Plato and Socrates, even if only as a memory of the golden days of the Grecian Empire. Writers, philosophers, historians, scientists, they have left their marks indelibly on the scroll of time. As in literature, so in the other arts the Greeks attained the highest pitch of excellence, and in architectural and sculptural pro- ficiency furnished models for the rest of the world. In no other race has artistic spirit and genius been so generally diffused throughout the people, and expressed itself so markedly in the minor arts of life. Professor T. TD. Adams will give listeners a word-picture of people. architecture, art and customs of this civilisation flourishing twenty centuries ago, from 4YA on May lina lecturette entitled "The Glory that was Greece." . Successful Women Composers. ‘recorded . version of Calliohoe ballet will be heard from 38Y.A on May 5. In addition to being a brilliant pianist, Cecilie Chaminade was one of the first Frenchwomen te

High Lights in the Programmes ELLWOOD STRING OCTET-2YA, Sunday. LYRIC Sunday. "NINETY DAYS’ LEAVE"-4YA, Monday THE MELODIE FIVE-2YA, Tuesday. DUNEDIN ORCHESTRAL SOCIETYAYA, Tuesday. RELAY OF JOHN BROWNLEE CON-CERT-AIl YA’s, Thursday. RELAY FROM RADIO EXHIBITION — AYA, Friday. WELLINGTON HARMONIC SOCIETY2YA, Saturday. The Talks "TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO"2YA, Monday. "THE GLORY THAT WAS GREECE"AYA, Monday. "THE MANORS & FARMHOUSES OF OLD ENGLAND"-1YA, Tuesday. "HOW TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC’-2YA, Friday. "MORE WATERFRONT CHATTER’1YA, Saturday. "NATIONAL SPORT OF SPAIN’ "-2YA, Saturday.

‘ein an important place in the yworld of composition. She was ‘eomposing already at the age of eight, and was only eighteen when she gave her first public concert-a performance that placed her in the front rank of executants. Many of her songs ‘and smaller pianoforte pieces enjoy a wide popularity, though her larger works, with the possible exception of the ballet "Calliohoe," have not been so successful. The latter, however, is ‘a firm favourite with conductors, ‘players and listeners alike, and has won her a deservedly popular niche in the gallery of acceptable light com"posers. Johannes Brahms, ‘he centenary of ’ whose birth will be fittingly commemorated by the YA stations on Sunday, May 7, began his musical career 28 a pianist, with such suecess. that when he was only ten, an enterprising American tried to earry him off to the States on a concert tour. The offer might have been accepted-to the hard-up Brahms household it was a real templationput Cossel, the boy’s teacher, put his foot firmly down, and Brahms never ‘ceased to be grateful to him for keep‘ing him to his studies. It was the same Cossel who once said of Brahms: "What a pity it ist He might be such a good pianist, but he will not jeave that everlasting composition jnlone."’ His first works were, naturally, for his own instrument; his Op. 4, published in his twentieth year, is ithe. C Major Sonata, dedicated to (Yoachim, and his last pianoforte pieces appeared forty years later, so that his Jove for the instrument was un abiding ‘one, It is stamped:on all his music for it; even from the outset its idiom is his own, with no concessious to the virtuoso, nor even to popular taste. "Dry," "harsh," "erabbed," "awkward" ~-these are a few of the epithets which ave been hurled at it, and one of his contemporaries, himself a prolific conser and the father of fourteen daughjters, each one more gaunt and grena-jdier-like than the last, used to speak ‘of it as’ "old bachelor’s music." It must be confessed that it demands an ‘effort. from the listener who would understand it fully, as from the player who would. give its message aright. ‘But the‘ effort is richly repaid when 2 deep vein of sincere poetic feeling and a big loftiness of conception, set forth with @ wonderful wealth of tone effects jis realised. Norwegian Rhapsody. Included in oyA’s dinmer music programme for Monday, May 1, is Lalo’s "Norwegian Rhapsody," a ) work. captivating in its churming and colourful melodies. Edouard Lalo was one of the pioneers of French instrumnental music and has considerably contributed to the development of the national musical movement in France, which was caused by the reaction folJowing the Franco-German war o£ 187), Wor nearly three-quarters of the nineteenth century the musical interest in France was entirely concentrated on opera. Every composer of note with the exception of Berlioz, made an effort to exclusively write operas. The younger musicians encouraged and stimulated by the successes of Wagner, commenced a serious work of raising the musical standard of their country and the war of 1870 considerably consolidated their efforts. Cesar Franck, Saint-Saens and Lalo rendered a great service in propagating an interest for instrumental and chamber music,

which had heretofore been non-exist-ent. Lalo’s works are melodious and graceful, as well as being very colourful. He has left many violin ani chamber music works and a successful opera, "Le Roi.d’Ys," whilst his "Norwegian Rhapsody" continues’ to be one of the most popular works for the orchestra.