Editorial Notes.

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 14, 13 October 1933, Page 4

Editorial Notes.

Weilington, Friday, October 13, 1933.

NOW that vast numbers of New ‘Zealand listeners have agreed that "classical music is better than it sounds" and that plenty of jazz is the right way to celebrate the return of happy days, might we upset the apple-cart by suggesting that most of the jazz numbers on the market are about as cheerful as a Parliamentary Budget? When it’s not a song of broken hearts it’s a funeral dirge of unrequited love, while the crooner seems to spend his entire life ‘‘singink sad sonks." In a voice that sounds as though he were begging sympathy for a blighted love the balladeer will tell us that "he ain’t never goin’ back to his mountain home," that "walking in the dark without you at my side, the tears I can’t hide," or perhaps "good-bye to love that once was ours." Even when the motive of the song is gay the presentation of the piece is about as joyous as Brahms. The saxophone is not a jubilant instrument, after all. It gives out a throaty, doleful tone that would be more suitable for a funeral than a spree. The saxophone can never make one feel like tossing one’s cap in the air as the concertina or the sprightly xylophone does. Famous dance-band leaders are heginning to take themselves seriously. They conduct their bands as if they were maestri leading a symphony orchestra in a work of art. They treat "Young and Healthy" as reverently as they might treat an Hungarian rhapsody. The public doesn’t want it. If it wants jazz it wants it dressed up in the snappiest noises with cheerful singing and a poop-oop-a-doop here and there. As the New York "Times" remarked the other day the harassed business man, on whose shoulder every crooner weeps tepid tears of unrequited passion, would enjoy an occasional fanfare in the dishevelled vein of "How’re Duchess, old pal, old kid, old sock, old thing, old gal." That is music. ‘THE announcement made by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, to the Christchurch "Press" last week that political addresses would not be broadcast in New Zealand will be generally applauded by listeners in this country. Our broadcasting services are to be kept free of advertising, a fact which prompted the Premier to state that political addresses would be regarded as advertising matter,

Little serious consideration had been given to the possibility of broadcasting speeches in this country, principally because the main body of listeners had shown that political talks were not wanted. The first

duty of the radio was to provide entertainment and, at the present time, the serious side of broadcasting was being well catered for by many able lecturers and economists. The British Broadcasting Corporation, however, has adopted an

entirely different attitude, and the latest English papers to hand disclose that the three political parties in England have agreed to feattre political talks during the winter. Mr. Stanley Baldwin opened the series this week, and he will be followed by such notable politicians as Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, Sir Herbert Samuel, Mr. Walter Runciman, Mr. George Lansbury,*and Mr. Oliver Stanley. Political warfare has waged fiercely over the question of broadcasting in the past few years, the chief point of contention being the proportionate allotment of facilities. It is the committee drawn from both Houses of Parliament and set up by Mr. MacDonald that nas brought about the present agreement This committee at- control ef the "Lreadcasts aud selects the speaxe-s and their topics E,ONDON theatrical managers and the B.B.C. seem to be at loggerbeads over the question’ of broadcasts by popular stage stars. Lhe first inkling of trouble ahead was given when Evelyn Laye, tlic wellknown star, advised the broadcasting authorities that she was unable to accept a contract to play in the radio version of "Waltz ‘Time’ cwing to the fact that she was then statring in "Give Me a Ring" at the FI‘typodrome. While it may appear hard that the tadio public is deprived of hearing a popular star over the air the theatre manager’s attitude is perfectly understandable. The legitimate theatre is just emerging from the blackest period in its history. Theatre-goers are gradually being won hack from the talkies, the dots and the radio, and managers are naturally anxious that the public should come into the theatre. Stars whose personalities have been built up by the theatre cannot be permitted to squander much of their value over the radio.