1934—Twelve Months' Broadcasting Progress

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 25, 28 December 1934, Page 14

1934—Twelve Months'

Broadcasting Progress

T is the fashion at about this time of the year to look back on the year’s achievements, and perhaps to make resolutions for next year. It is’ certain that radio can stand this sort of examination better than many organisations, for in 1934 radio in New Zealand has gone ahead even more rapidly than in past’ years. New. transmitiers at Christchurch and Auckland have given listeners in many parts of the country a choice of three or even four programmes every evening, and have made an immense difference to listeners in those districts where reception had been poor. Perhaps with these improvements on the technical side, one is apt to forget the great advance which has been made in the entertainment department as well. That there is. still room for improvement no reasonable person would deny for a moment, and when the programme for alterations to the main stations in the four centres is completed, and the board has more money available, listeners will look forward to another advance in this direction. In the early part of 1984, the Broadcasting Board was fortunate in being able to arrange a series of broadcasts of performances by the J.C. Williamson Comic.Operg Company, which toured the Dominion, presenting several old favourites--‘The: Merry -Widow;" "Katinka," "Wildflower," and "Florodora,’ An excellent cast was engaged in these productions, and the, broadcasts were some of the most popular ever presented in New Zealand, one being.given in each centre. Another musical comedy broadcast that proved very ‘successful wag the relay by 8YA ‘of a pérformance of "Les Cloches de Corneville," by the Christchurch Amateur Operatic Society. , A notable feature of the year’s work was the fact that the Broadcasting Board branched out on several occasions ° as an entrépreneur. On the visits of Senia Chostiakoff and Madame Elsa Stralia to the various centres, the board arranged celebrity. concerts, which proved very successful. Probably: the most'memorable was the second of these concerts presented in Wellington-the performers included Madame Hlsa Stralia,. .the. famous: Australian: soprano; Sénia Chostiakoff, the Russian tenor; Andersen Tyrer, who has been described as "England’s finest pianist’; his wife, Madame Nanette de Lornay; ‘who’ is ‘well ‘kridwh as a violinist in Europe; the Wellington Symphony Orchestra, conducted by. Mr. Leon de Mauny, and the massed Welling- . ton choirs, of: over 500 voices. The.guest conductor for the evening. was Mr, Andersen Tyrer.: A finer selection of artists. could hardly have been obtained in one concert

anywhere in the world, and the evening will be remembered for a long time by Wellington music-lovers. In ud¥ition 0 these public performances, Madame Stralia and M.-Chos-tiakoff toured al the YA stations, giving many studio recitals, and they were received with enthusiasm by listen‘ers at all stations; the board was fortunate also in being ‘able to arrange for M. Paul Vinogradoff. the eminent Russian pianist, who is now a resident of Wellington, to tour with Chostiakoff. . , Other artists engaged by the board for tours of the New Zealand stations included Barend Harris, the Australian bass-baritone, who specialised in Hebrew folk melodies.This artist was already known to many New Zealand listeners for his recitals from the Australian stations, and his singing was much appreciated. Madame Margherita Zelanda, New Zealand’s own soprano, was also able to make a brief tour of the main stations, though it was necessarily hurried owing to -her long list of engagements in Australia. Quite a number of famous pianists were heard on the air during the year; besides Paul Vinogradoff there were | Mr. Laurence Godfrey Smith, a well known Australian ‘musician, Mr. Andersen Tyrer, and Mr. Gordon Bryan, who i Was in New Zealand as examiner for the Associated Boards ‘of the Royal Schools of Music, but found time to give a series of recitals from all the national stations. An attempt has also been made to arrange for a tour by Percy Grainger. the famous Australian pianist-composer, but his engagement list is full for many months ahead, so nothing definite has been decided. At present tours of the national stations are in progress by three other famous artists whom the Broadcasting Board has imported-Madame Goossens-Viceroy, a Belgian dramatic soprano of exceptional ability; Mr. Raymond Beatty, the Australian bassocantante, and Mr, J. Alexander Browne, tlie Australian baritone who came to New Zealand as assisting artist with Philip Hargrave, the boy-pianist, and has remained under contract to the Broadcasting Board. It seems that. these artists will prove fully as popular as others whom the board has previously presented. ‘During the year the presentation of the theme and continuity type -of programmes improved considerably, both in arrangement and in the engagement of 'suitable narrators. These programmes have become: very popuJar with listeners, and, though there has been. room for improvement in the selection of musical numbers; and in

the accompanying notes, on some occasions, they have maintained an excellently high standard throughout the ‘year. In the field of grand opera. the policy inaugurated last year has been continued with great success. Nearly every Sunday night, from one of the four main stations, a complete recorded version of one of the world’s masterpieces of grand opera can be heard; in this way listeners have had presented to them operas by Verdi, Bizet, Mascagni, Puccini and Wagner; a musical treat that has been much appreciated. An excellent feature, too, has been the presentation of abridged versions of some operas, including Strauss’s "Die Wedermaus," and several others which were previously practically unknown to listeners. The Savoyards, too, have been well catered for; nearly every week there has been "An Hour. with Gilbert and Sullivan" on the air from either the main station or the auxiliary in each centre, and these presentations, specially recorded with the Savoy cast, have brought the real "G. and S." atmosphere to listeners, who have the opportunity of seeing and hearing the "real thing" all too seldom. There have, as usual, been relays from various musieal society concerts in all centres throughout the year, and these have proved as popular as in the past. Concerts by musical societies in this country reach a very high standard in many cases, and some outstanding performances have been relayed. In the field of radio drama some advance has been made, though the real enthusiast in this direction wilt hardly agree that anything like the right proportion of radio drama-is included in the programmes as yet. One of the outstanding radio shows of the year was the relay of an open-air performance of "As You Like It," presented in Auckland by the British Drama League, and produced by Mr. J. M. Clark. In ‘England, Shakespeare has been proved to be the most popular radio playwright, and it is a disappointment to many that more of his plays are not produced in this country. Several of the, plays presented ‘showed signs of insufficient rehearsal, and some were definitely not worthy of a place.on the programme,

but the proportion of those worth hearing has certainly increased. New Zealand is extremely rich in amateur actors and producers of real talent, and with the performers available it should be possible ta produce any type of play successfully. An encouraging feature of the radio plays of the year was that several] of them were purely local, work, including a three-act drama by Mr. I’. M. Renner, of Wellington, which was performed. with. great suecess by a good cast, and several one-act "thrillers" by local writers, some of which were worth hearing, while others were not so successful.. A good feature was the production of Sheridan’s "The School for Scandal" in Wellingion, relayed to the southern national-stations. The adaptations and production of this play was done -by ‘Mr. Victor S. Lloyd, whe is well known to listeners to 2YA for his excellent. radio productions, Another notable performance was that of the medieval morality play "Every. man" from 8YA last week. Produced by Miss Marjorie Bassett, with an outstanding cast, this was.a most interesting production. The drama side of the entertainment has also been assisted by the B.B.C. recorded programmes which have been. obtained from time to time. These have all been well received, the most popular probably being "Sir Christopher Wren," which has been revived many times since it was first broadcast. Of the new series which are at present being broadcast, those that have been heard so far have all atracted large numbers of listeners, "Flags on -the Matterhorn" being an especially fine programme, Another impressive B.B.C. programme is to be heard within a week-"We Shall Remember Them,’ a programme in memory of those who fell in the Great War. Writings and music specially selected from the works of the greatest Wnglish poets, authors and composers, spoken and played by the best artists obtainable, make this finely-conceived programme a thing to be remembered. Listeners, of course, are not always satisfied with the programmes-it would be funny if they were-but. the great majority of intelligent license-holders recognise that an excellent service is.being given them, and gladly give praise to the board for what has been done, at the same time applauding: the decision that, to avoid anything like a stereotyped form of programmes, the .schematic — programme plan is to be revised::early in the. New Year. Listeners, remembering the programmes they have heard during 1934,.will. be able to look forward to. even better entertainment in, 1935,