PERSONALITIES of the week

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 29, 25 January 1935, Page 8

PERSONALITIES

of the week

CARO MIO "BEN" ‘THE many successes of Ben Davies, the veteran Welsh tenor, have never affected the simple kindliness of his good heart, and many a younger artist has cause to remember his encouragement and help. He has a jovial sense of humour, too, and a rich fund vf good stories, soinme of them at nis own expense. And one may chaff hin. even about his singing. Meeting liim on» day in the train, as he returned frem as

a game of golf with William Mollison, the actor, a friend asked him how the game had gone. Not very well it seemed, and he chuckled as he replied: "It’s a good job Ben Davies can sing better than he can play golf." This led the tenor to recount many jests against himself. It is no wonder that to countless friends in many lands he is affectionately -known by 4 little pun on the name of Giordano’s song, as "Card Mio Ben." EAST IN MUSIC . HN a lad of eleven plays his first pianoforte sonata in public, the wise old maids of the village decide that he will become either a conceited, dissolute and decadent artist within a detade or two or else carry his name to ‘fame. So they sniff or clap accordingly. The clappers won in the case of Albert Ketelbey, and sure enough he has written some of the most widely-known descriptive music in recent years. Tlow often in the days of silent pictures was there an oriental scene without the pianist drumming out either ‘In a Persian Market" or "In q Chinese Temple Garden"? The pictures these two eompositions conjure up are clean-cut and easy to interpret, so people with the smallest amount of music in their makeup are able to enjoy these numbers. Along with "In a Monastery Garden." they have become decidedly hackneyed, of course, but even now there js always somebody ready to listen to them. His less known compositions are perhaps his best. HARPING JAZZ ; ESCRIBED .by Sir Frederic H. Cowen, in his comic musical dictionary as "an instrument that is always breaking its upper strings at most inopportune moments with a noise like the, report of a pistol." the harp has been Mario Lorenzi’s chosen instrument since he was four. Hé says that he was the first harpist to piay jazz on this most graceful instrument of the "Higher Spheres." That was ten years ago, when broadcasting dis-. covered him doing harp solos with Jay Whidden’s band. He has broadcast regularly ever since, and receives hundreds of letters from listeners. "Some of them ask me if I play the harp with my finger nails or with something on the end of my fingers," he says, "while others want to know if I play from music or by ear. I never know whether to take that query as a compliment or not. EYELASH CATCH ILHELM BACKHAUS, the famous ‘pianist, relates an amusing experjience he had some years ago. He Lad been giving a recital at the Albert Hall, and had allowed himself only just enough time to get from there to the station to catch the boat train for Cologne, where he was playing the next

day. "But," he said, "on coming out of the Albert Hall, there was a procession of 10,000 strong, which formed such a dense barrier that it was impossible ‘for my cab to get through. Luekily, ° a policeman came to the rescue und elbowed a way through for me, and by breaking the speed limit, I just managéd to catch the train by an eyelash, as it was moving out of the station. Put although I caught the train, my luggage did not, and I. arrived in Cologne a bare hour before the. concert starfed, with only the clothes I stood up in. This was a terrible predicament, for on the, Continent it would be an unforgivable thing to appear on the platform. in anything but strict evening attire. However, I got to the concert hall and explained the situation, and une of the directors offered, most nobly, te lend me his clothes. I guickly got into the proffered trousers, but alas! the coat would not fit anywhere! Suddenly a bright idea struck the director, and. he .ordered all the orchestral players to walk past me and offer their coats" for inspection. Never could I have imagined that I was so difficult to fit, for I tried on one after the other, with most ludicrous results. However, the very last coat available was not too hopeless, so the situation was saved." JOHN SEES VISIONS J OHN MOREL after broadcasting, once wrote: "As I.sang theve in the studio I visualised the wide, round world, and with a half-conscious prayer sent my voice up and out and away through those walls opposite me, ever on and on... then came my ‘hig audience’ chance at the ‘Prom.’ The magnetic draw from the hearts of those genuine music-lovers'! As they cheered and called ‘Morel, Morel!’ my heart went out and was thumping ecstatically "somewhere in front of my eyes... After ‘that night things poured in on me and my ‘phone was going all day long... I sang at an International Celebrity Concert. . . I had five months in ‘he Damask Rose.’ At my next breadcast there will be the same prayer and the same yearning, and I shall see the great world stretching before me 10 encompass with my vyoice-a_ great privilege and a great miracle." HIKING SONGSTERS AMcE MOXON and Stuart Robertson, those charming singers, are great walkers. Alice is Yorkshire born (hailing from Bradford), and thougn she has lived for twelve years in’ London, she still doesn’t feel at home there.’ When she and Stuart were first mar } ried they always took walking tours, for their holidays and liked nothing better. They also did a large number of walks in Buckinghamshire and Herrfordshire, and Alice felt there, if rot aus much at home as on her beloved moors and heights, that at least the

WHAT. NAME, PLEASE ? HB names given below are those of men and women who are. featured in the coming programmes from the New Zealand: national stations or of radio performers avho have ‘been featured in the news during the week. On these pages are paragraphs. rélating to the activities of the persons mentioned in this column. PROFESSOR ALGIE, in a talk on the Versailles Treaty from 1YA on Thursday, January 31, HARRY DAVIDSON, in numbers with the Commodore Grand Orchestra from IYA on Thursday, January 31. JOHN MOREL, in recordings from 2YA on Thursday, January 31, MARIO LORENZI, in recordings from 3YA on Saturday, February 2. GREGORY IVANOFF, in violin solos from 4YA on Tuesday, January 29. . YVONNE ARNAUD, in recordings on the piano from I'YA on Monday, January 28. ALBERT W. KETELBEY’ RS} Concert Orchestra in recordings ~~ 1YA on Tuesday, January 2 BEN DAVIES, in recordings from 1YA on Monday, January 28. WILHELM BACKHAUS, in recordings from 3YA on Friday, February: I. LESLIE HUTCHINSON, in recordings from 4YA on Tuesday, January 29. STUART ROBERTSON, in recordings from IYA on Friday, February 1, and Saturday, February 2.

. hills of the Chilterns were a very good substitute. ‘The Robertson’s threv-year-old girl, Dlizabeth, might have Interrupted this hiking in recent years, but before they know where they are little Bess will set them the pace. MINIATURE CASTLE "(HE most picturesque home in 'Takapuna, one of Auckland’s marine suburbs, is the miniature castle wherein lives Captain J. A, Algie and Mrs. Algie, parents of Professor R. M. Algie. "The little stone castle is perched on the top of a cliff overlooking the Rangitoto Channel, and few people see it for the first time without asking questions. For all its cold grey stone walls it is a comfortable little home, even to look wpon from outside. When it was being built there were many conjectures among Takapuna residents as to what the plate was to be used for. Stone by stone the walls grew. and later buttresses and battlements added a further touch of mystery. One of the turret corners on the flat roof holds a Hlagipole,, which is dressed .on special occasions. Over the "porteullis" is a coat of arms in stone grey plaster, with an inscription to complete the perfection of its unique detail. SAUCY, BUT GIFTED Teamed frequently with other wellknown names in English comedies, she has more than a French actent and joie-de-vivre to recommend her, this Yvonne Arnaud. There was something of the prodigy about her when she took up the piano, and by the time she was 15 years old she had toured the world on the strength of it, and also won the first prize for pianoforte at the Paris Conservatoire. Since then her great success on the stage has somewhat obscured her qualities as a pianist. It is no secret in England, however, where she has been heard in some fine broadcasts, The low-voiced, vivacious. Yvonne has even played along with Mengelberg, Colonne, Nikisch, and others. Her talent at the keyboard has "not faded with the years, for she still practises in her spare time-even in the dressing-room ‘between acts. HOT FIDDLING It’s a few years since New Zealand audiences first saw and heard Gregory Ivanoff bowing the catgut on the stage, and if Clem Dawe were to bring another show to the Dominion without this artist, the omission would be noticed immediately, Ivanoff has a splendidly toned violin, and he not only knows how to play it, but he can fiddle a popular ditty as well as he can present Mendelssohn-and that’s saying. some-thing.-He plays with more than usual verve and enthusiasm, too, and does not rely on a crop of long hair for a personality. Not everybody can hold an orchestra together as well as Gregory does, either. His pictureque uniform when he wields the baton shows a wellbuilt man who keeps himself fit, and his charm off-stage is as good ag his physique. Dot White, Clem Dawe’s sister, also in the show, is his spouse. "COMMODORE" DAVIDSON ARRY DAVIDSON, conductor of the Commodore Theatre, Hammeyrsmith Orchestra, has also been ¢he organist at the theatre since its opening over five years ago. Hatrry’s first job was at a humble little einema in

Croydon and he was paid 35/- a week fo combine the posts of pianist and cinema operator. While the audience "was taking its seats and when it was leaving the building, he supplied a background of music. He also made all the incidental noises which in those days were very important. Admission to this theatre was twopence to all parts. Soon after he went to his next job, the proprietor bought a large pire organ to supplement the piano. He | was. told that he must try to play both. at once in big moments, He succeeded, ° playing the organ with one hand ané two feet and the piano with the other hand: WEST INDIAN "HUTCH" "HUTCH," or as he is known on his many recordings, Leslie Hutchin-

son, first saw the light in Granada, British West Indies, where his parents had the idea that a government job was best. So in the Treasury Depariment, at £60 a year, he worked ag clerk ~-yet wondered if he’d found his rei career. Deciding that he hadn’t, this dreamy-eyed, dark-skinned West Indian set sail for New York. After rather more "downs" than "ups" aw opportunity did at last turn up and "Hutch" made a hit as emergency pianist at a swell New York party. Since then he has travelled far and entertained the peoples of many coun-tries-royalty, diplomats, statesmen and society leaders have all encouraged and patronised "Hutch," who is now himself a king-with a piano stool for a throne!