Indian Surprise Item A Scream!

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 8, 1 September 1933, Page 42

Indian Surprise Item A Scream!

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No Difference Between Sacred and Comic Song — Average Proressional Musician "as Illiterate as Dock Labourer"-Not for Referees to Control the Spirit of Rugby.

COUSTOMED as we are to strident cacophony, local-performer _ blatancy, klaxon horns and good-night melodies, the surprise item in which an Indian gentleman introduced recorded versions of Indian songs proved less offensive than it might have been. The Indian seale has tempered fractions which our tyros find no difficulty in singing and playing, but as their efforts dre a departure from an even scale the accomplishment is not pleasing to the Occidental ear. When the whole performance is discordant, suffering hearers may console themselves by recognising the resemblance to a performance by a budding amateur. [N the Indian sacred song-apparent-ly a step-dance to the accompaniment of a terrific din and a harsh vocal refrain-the vocalist possessed a quality of voice which rather resembled Gracie Fields. I’ve never heard Gracie in a sacred solo, but she certainly has the high-power energy that would make her an acquisition to an Indian temple, and I should imagine the fractions would present no difficulty to her natural aptitude. I saw little difference marking the sacred song and the ecomie-both were literally a screambut the performance really was not typically Indian, for there was no mention of "Baksheesh, Sahib." WitHour having actual experience of general performance in ‘New Zealand, Dr, Cyril Jenkins, in his talk on how to succeed to musical elegance, placed his finger upon the common national imperfections. Mention was made that in the Homeland the average professional was as illiterate as the dock labourer and his mainstay was an inane sentimentality which, unfortunately, the public delighted to wallow in.

That public is represented here, but to a lesser degree, and while we have few professionals, most of our public performers show a lack of appreciation of detail, are inclined to over-reach themselves, and endeavour to make up for a paucity of quality by terrific physical energy. % * * "THESE faults are still too prevalent, although not so common as in prebroadcasting days, and it cannot be denied that radio has done something to improve general style. Dr. J enkins’ remarits in respect to the loud pedal should be circulated among all students

and the vast majority of teachers and professionals. So far as broadcasting is concerned, it would appear that not until some well-known and acclaimed | performer is figuratively strangled will there be a great improvement in this connection. a 2 ~ . PHOPLHE’S standard of comfort is determined by the amount of mechanical power at their disposal, said Dr. BE. Marsden in his analysis of our position in this respect, in one of the outstanding contributions of the week. Reckoned on standards of two centuries ago, the mechanical energy used in New Zealand is equivalent to the employment of three and a half millions of slaves, and that is: without consideration of the power of cars, which is five times as much. The discovery of the fact that high-tension distribution was feasible led to the erection of factories at most suitable points rather than near the coal measures, and industry was thereby revolutionised. * * . * OUR problem in the future, in Dr. Marsden’s ‘opinion, seems to be in furtherance of hydro-electric schemes in conjunction with portable storage cells. The world’s oil fields have only about two generations’ purchase of existence, and our coal will have been mined in about. 100 years. The reduction of volatile oils from coal is costly, and to us impracticable, while distillates from plants grown in suitable tropical areas would of necessity be required to be imported, Dr. Marsden thinks that the development of our atom disintegration process is too dangerous for a people who have not yet learned how to employ forces already at command in a rational manner. . ® . FoR years before the eclipse of the Chinese monarchy, according to Captain Talbot-Lehmann, imperial soldiers had marauded among peaceful Man-

churian peasants until Chang Tso Lin organised a force which put a period to the depredations. This worthy enterprise earned him the label of the pandit general, but he was in reality a saviour of his country, and when chaos followed the revolution his territory had the advantage of an efficient control, and the people profited thereby. The speaker gave harrowing pictures of the country ravaged by internecine war, and his series promises to be a most interesting contribution. a = ec [2 is not the referee’s function to read into the rules of Rugby the spirit of the game, according to the yet@an umpire, Mr. Dan McKenzie; his duty is to exhibit a large measure of common sense, to be strictly impartial, and control the match in accordance with the regulations laid down in the book. A referee’s decision is irrevocable, and therein lies the danger should individual interpretation of the spirit of the game be permitted. Mr. McKenzie recalled days that he knew when referees were not necessary. If a dispute arose the two captains conferred, settled differences, then gave the signal for resumption. % x HE spirit of the game is the business of the players themselves, said Mr. McKenzie, The story was told of a well-known Wellington lawyer whose club met in a friendiy match a team from a visiting warship. The local player sought retribution by ducking a sailor’s head in a puddle on the field, and the raconteur remarked that on that occasion Wellington almost witnessed the unique spectacle of a sailor being drowned on dry land. The relating of the incident afforded Dan high glee, although he refrained from passing remarks.