PERSONALITIES of the WEEK

Radio Record, 19 June 1936, Page 10

PERSONALITIES of the WEEK

' A Sexton’s Son. BENIAMINO ‘GIGLI ts of Italian birth and training, and by right of those things is fitted. to carry on the great traditions of the ‘art of bel canto. Born at Recanati, in Italy, March 20, 1890, Gigli began his musical studies in childhood. His father was sexton of the largest church in his native town, and for ten years the boy sang in its choir, soon rising to be chief soloist. His voice attracted crowds éven then. He was sent to the Conservatory at Rome, where he studied under Rosati, and his operatic debut was made at Royigo, in 1914, in "La Gioconda." His success was instant. He soon became one of the most celebrated tenors of the day. Indeed, he is one of the supreme box office attractions of the concert world. He will be heard from 2YA on Sunday, June 21. — Henry on Paul. "WHOSE ‘who say that Paul Whiteman is finished would get a shock to hear the magnificent reception he gets," says Henry Hall, the eminent B.B.C. Dance Orchestra leader, "The American public, like the public of this country (Bngland), still regard Whiteman as the ‘King of Jazz’ When I was in America, Whiteman made me very welcome. -He sent his kind regards to all in this country, and I take my hat off to a man who has loved dance music and created more interest in it than.any other living person. He still remains, under the most onerous conditions, a king’in his own sphere."-An example, surely, of professional ger erosity from one conductor to another. "-So "Halls well that ends well.". Henry Hall’s dance band will be heard from 1YA on Saturday, June 27.. ‘A Finnish Genius. DESCRIBED by Mr. Ernest _ Newman as the most interesting song writer of our time, Yrjo Kilpinen, although only a little older: than forty, has already given us a goodly quantity of Lieder of beauty, originality and entire freedom from unlicensed and disconcerting modernity. "Hé is a worthy artistic compatriot of Sibelius, Jarnefeldt and Palmgren. Born at Helsingfors, Fin-

land, on February 4, 1892, he’ studied at Helsingfors. Music Institute, also in Vienna and Berlin. Up to the present he has confined himself almost exclusively to songs in his composing. ‘These: include series of settings of poems by Finnish writers anaes d poets. A group of these will be sunz by Gerhard Husch, baritone, acconipanied by the composer’s wife, at 4YA ~ ov Friday, June 26. Records Made Him. NATHANIEL SHILKRET has won a unique position in music in America. He has been .a musician all his life, and he comes of a family which has given many members to the profession. He played the clarinet as a mere child, and at seven was in a.boys’ orchestra, At fourteen he was taken into the ‘ins sian Symphony Orchestra, under Altschuler, and he has since played witb the highest class of band and orchestra] organisations, including the Russian Symphony, the New York Sym‘phony, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Barrere Ensemble. At twenty-four he entered the service of the Victor Company, and has since then scored and directed thousands of musica] compositions, forming the Victor Salon Orchestra, thé International Concert Orchestra, and other bands to perform them. In a word, -records "made" Nat, Shilkret. He conducts, at 1YA on Wednesday, June 24. Bought Applause. WHEN. Edward Johnson (on time one of America’s best operatic tenors). stepped into the management of the Metropolitan "he clamped down on that noisy bri‘gade of paid’ applauders and showéd them the door," says "Musical Digest." Tragedy followed. "The applause was timid and often ill-timed. .. . For an audience does not know the right places in which to express approval." And so the claquers--who are paid for their services by the:sing: ers-gradually returned to the Opfra House. This explains quite a lot about the audiences at that fashionable opera house patronised by New York’s noted "Four Hundred" and a few thousand others besides. Surely the appre-

ciation of an ordinarily intelligent audience requires no professional guidance. "Svengali" of Music. JDESCRIBED as the largest cinema’ in Essex, Granada, Walthamston, was built in 1930 on the site of an old "blood-tub" theatre. The orchestra of 14 players is directed by Charles Manning, who is billed as "The Svengali of Music" (though surely the original Svengali was also "of music’). They play at one end of the "Circle terrace," a long vestibule where the Walthams-

tonians queue up on Saturday nights. The orchestra sit on gilded chairs, _’ some on little square platforms painted pink and green. The whole colour scheme suggests a mixture of chocolate box and lady’s boudoir. Framed photographs of the real Granada, in Spain, adorn the walls. Charles Manning and his Granada Orchestra will entertain 2YA listeners on Friday, June 26, A Roman Bass. XZIO PINZA made his debut at the Polteama Duca di- Spezia, Italy, during.the first years of the

war. From this he was immedi--ately given a contract to sing at the Dal. Verne, Milan. During the Great War he served in the artillery from 1914 to 1918, Immediately after the Armistice he resumed his career, and made his second debut at the . Verdi Theatre, Florence. At Rome, the city in which he was born, his fame had preceded him when he sang at the Costanzi. In Naples, under the direction of the illustrious Maestro Vitale, Pinza offered the public a recreation of the role Mephistofeles. Pinza’s: glorious bass will be heard from 2YA on Sunday, Jine 21.