MAINLY ABOUT PEOPLE AND PROGRAMME FEATURES

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 5, 11 August 1933, Page 22

MAINLY ABOUT PEOPLE AND PROGRAMME FEATURES

NH day the conductor of a London suburban theatre orchestra, while gazing at the traffic passing his window, beheld a little blackfaced curlyheaded boy holding a small-sized violin in one hand while he played marbles with the other. He called the boy. and placing some music before him, was delighted to find the little six-year-old could play in perfect time and tune. From that day the child, whose name was Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, was marked for music. While still at school he led the class-singing with his violin, and began to appear in public. Some years later a local benefactor. enrolled him as a student at the Royal College of Music, where the youth produced the first part of "Hiawatha," an‘ attracted the attention of Stanford and Sullivan. x % HH son of a Sierra Leone negro who married an Wnglishwoman, Cole-ridge-Taylor was intensely proud of his negroid origin, and his music occupies an almost unique place in the affections of cultured music-lovers. He was in later life a fervent apostle of colour, a believer in the folk-song element in art, and his aim was to do for negro music what Dvorak had done for Bohemian, and Grieg for Norwegian. Practically everything Coleridge-Taylor composed was interesting music and full of colour. Just before his untimely end in.1912, he sold the copyright of all his works for the sum of £100. Within a few weeks of his death his widow was penniless, and a fund was opened on her behalf. Thus not only did music lose a powerful disciple, but his dependants reaped no benefit of a life’s work. On August 15 a selection of Coleridge-Tay-lor’s colourful works will be heard from LYA.. ° _ fs La S T will no doubt surprise many to _ learn that the Wellington Competitions is the biggest festival of its kind in the world.. This year’s total of 3800 entries constitutes a record that no other city approaches. American attempts are quite insignificant in comparison, while at Blackpool, where the largest similar function is held in England, the entries number about onethird of Wellington’s. Dunedin initiated competitions in New Zealand, and for thirty years the southern city has been going strongly in this realm of art,,and turned out many champions competing at other centres. Christchureh: still fosters art by competition, and ‘has always been successful, but every attempt at resuscitation at Auckland has:been a failure. Wellington’s entries ‘this year beat Dunedin's ° by 2an0. * z % . "AST year some members of the: Wellington society’s executive: favoured. abandonment of the festival for. a year or so, but better counsels prevailed, .and; the. greatest .success for: ten years was scored. A strong appeal was

made for the preservation of flesh and blood art, and the public responded magnificently. During the last few nights the Town Hall was inadequate, and on the final night, when the Concert Chamber was thrown open for an overflow, over 1000 were unable to gain admittance. * * % N August 11, Mr. Byron Brown wil! speak at 2YA on the subject, "Competitions, Past and Present," and deal with those of Wellington from 1911, when they were first held, to to-day. In those days the Town Hall was invariably packed every night, and although programmes continued until after 11 o’elock many remained to hear the judges’ remarks. Quite a number of the competitors of the early period has

made a reputation in the world of dramatic: art. Marie Ney, Dr. . Hales, Bathie Stewart, Helen Gard’ner, and many more were Wellington competitors,.and no doubt: Mr. Brown will recall some interesting and pleasant reminiscences in connection with entrants who have become. famous. EW musicians in New Zealand have achieved such widespread success in varied types of entertainment as Mr. Tv. Drayton’ Venables, A.L.C.M., L.L.0.M., L.T.C.., who will be heard from 2YA on August 14 in a selection of ‘songs. Born in Birmingham, that very musical centre of England, Mr. Venables later ‘became a pupil of the well-known London teacher, R. Izard Coltman, under whose guidance he laid the foundation of a solid artistic discernment. He visited New Zealand in 1911, returning‘ in 1914, just before the outbreak of war. Joining. the forces, he soon became widely known ‘throughout the Army as a member of the famous: Diggers’: Concert: Party.

HEN 1YA was opened, Mr. Venables was appointed announcer and sta-tion-director at that station. Possessor of an unusually matured voice of mellow timbre, with an extensive repertoire both in musical scores and elocutionary numbers, he has been in great demand for concert, oratorio, opera, and musical comedy productions in every part of the Dominion. He is an accomplished pianist, and has held the appointmént of official accompanist of several musical organisations. He has originated a number of musical societies in New Zealand, has been conductor of many more, is well known as a most competent producer, and has earned and received the grateful thanks of several municipalities for his zeal in promotion of charity concerts. Bd x s T is difficult to define genius at any time, but when it is observed in a child its elements are the more inexplicable. When all the philosophers haye passed the definition through the crucible of their minds it still remains unsolved-a gift of the gods. Of the musical prodigies of our own age, none compare with Yehudi Menuhin. Sit Edward Wigar presented him with a° copy of his violin concerto and made a request that he be allowed to conduct the performance for a gramophone company on the occasion of Sir Edward's 75th birthday. At the first ‘rehearsal Elgar declared, "My boy, it couldn’t be done better-let’s go to the races or go and see London." fd ¥ * YEHUDI knows over 48 concertos, all the 12 sonatas of Bach, all of Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Schumann, Mozart, and a host. of others. In his thirst for knowledge he insists on studying and playing all the chamber music there is for violin, which is almost a life’s task in itself, and takes i keen delight in questioning the great musicians of the day. He studies thee to four hours a day, plays with ol®er children during his leisure time, and. although he has never been to school, he has acquired very definite views on most things. Listeners to 4YA_ on August 11 will have the opportunity of hearing a recorded version of this amazing youth’s virtuosity. .