PERSONALITIES of the WEEK

Radio Record, 12 June 1936, Page 12

PERSONALITIES of the WEEK

Chaliapin’s Wedding SAYS Theodor Chaliapin, who will be heard from 3YA_. on Wednesday, June 17: "In 1898 I married the ballet dancer Tornage. The wedding was in the little village church where I then lived, and a poor country ‘pope’ gave us the blessing. After the wedding we arranged an original Turkish feast. We ‘sat on the ground on a earpet and ‘played :all sorts of pranks, like little children. There was nothing that one usually has at weddings-no beautifully decorated tables, no. speeches; but on the carpet were bunches of -wild flowers and bottles of wine. Wedrank .out of the bottles. About six o’clock next

morning we heard a deuce of a noiseit was a group of my friends who told us it was time to get up to go and pick mushrooms. They all broke forth into a kind of impromptu concert, conducted by Serge Rachmanino mo Lehar’s Compatroit. NOW in his 54th year, Emmerich Kalinan shares with his older compatriot, Franz . Lehar-both are Hungarians-the ‘distinction of being the most famous composer of operetta in Europe to-day. His music is‘ gay, sentimental and pleasing without being commonplace, and his orchestration ig invariably musicianly and brilliant. He has a big list of successes to his credit, including "A Little Dutch Girl,’ "The Cireus Princess," "The Bajadere" and "The Gipsy Princess." The last-named will be heard in abridged form from 4YA on Sunday, June 14, Kalman has had considerable broadcasting experience. At a Mengelberg concert with the COoncertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, and in

Copenhagen with the Symphony Orchestra, he conducted programmes of his own works. He has broadcast with the B.B.C. Royal. Music Lover | FYROM a. book by Pavlova’s: former conductor, ‘Theodote Steer ("With Pavlova ~-Rotind the World") is taken-.the . followitig anecdote about King: Edward VII, who was a. great music lover. At five minutes."to- eleven one night his Majesty ordered his orchestra to play his favourite selection from Wagner's ‘"Mastersingers." As the concert was always supposed to close at eleven: and the: usual version of-the ‘selection ‘took over half an hour to play, the conduc tor thought it wise to judiciously cut it down to seven or eight minutes. When the last bar had'been played the King rose and asked coldly: "What. exactly do you mean by -that? Where was the quintet? Where wass:Pogner’s address? Where was Beckmesser’ s Se: renadé? ' Absolute laziness, I call,it." | Then, after a pause, he added: "And now ‘for a:punishment you will. play over. the ‘whole selection. From ‘be: ginning to end, please." ; Modern Russia’s Jester" NEXT Stravinsky, one of the "most talked-of "Russian composers to-day is Serge Prokofief, who will be heard as pianist in his own concerto at 1YA on Sunday, June 14. He is the jester among modern musicians. Irony ‘and satire and laughter are his characteristics. Born in 1891, he has lived in places as re: mote from his Russian home as Japan and.the U.S.A., and his most. recent home was near Oberammergau. AS a Russian he stands ‘in direct cohtradiction to such mystic impressionistic composers as Scriabin. Under his. mischievous exterior,. however, hides a bashful and sensitive personality which occasionally. reveals itself. He. ‘has nevey known obscurity or failure, winning recognition and fame from the very first. Back in 1639 BACK in 1639 the regiment, of H.M. Scots Guards was raised, and for a long time that excellent title fell into disuse but was restored by Queen Victoria in 1877. In 1685 Hautbois were introduced to lend a little musical background to the regiment’s activities These musicians were not attested, but were simply hired by the month. The bandmasters

CEUCOERADECEE! DANCE FEATURES

Next Week’s Sessions | EXT week’s feature dance sessions from the national stations: 1YA, Tuesday, June 16: Relay ¢ .2e musie by Norman Volkner and His Internationals. 2YA, Friday, June 19: New reledsé dance programme, | 3YA, Thursday, June 18: Talk on modern ballroom dancing, Saturday, June 20: Relay dance music by Bailey-Marston Orchestra, 4VA, Wednesday, June 17: An hour of ‘favourites of 1934. seecacececeae geereeacnataitie

of the Scots Guards number among them names which are famous in the annals of military music history. John Mahon (the first appointed), Edward Hopkins, William Hardy, Carl Boose, Charles Godfrey, J. C. Van Maanen, J. P. Clarke, Edward Holland, Henry T, Dunkerton, and Lieut. F. W. Wood have ruled the destinies of this great band which will be heard from sya on Monday, June 15. : "Such is Fame!" SIR CEDRIC HARDWICKE, the English actor, tells a good Elgar story in his excellent book,

"Let’s Pretend." When conducting a big musical festival at an English south coast resort, he chanced to meet one morning an old school friend visiting the town to play in a croquet tournament. For a while they talked of -boyhood days and then the friend said: "By the way, weren’t you awfully keen on music at school?’ Sir Edward admitted it. "Did you keep it up?" was the astonishing response! They belonged to two utterly different worlds evidently. Sir Cedric also gives us lively pictures of Bantock and Elgar (both keen racing enthusiasts)

earnestly discussing that mysterious element known to racing people as "form." Sir Hdward Blgar conducts a programme of his works at 1YA on Friday, June 19.