IN THE WAKE OF THE WEEK'S BROADCASTS

Radio Record, Volume XI, Issue 1, 10 July 1936, Page 14

IN THE WAKE OF THE

WEEK'S BROADCASTS

Crazy Daisy. Jx,NOUGH was heard of "Daisy Bell" last week from 2YA to satiate the oldest old-timer. Up to Wednesday one listener claims tohaving heard the. old tune no fewer than three times, and, of course, it inevitably cropped up again during Wellington’s first community sing of the season. It’s all very well to sing it in a convivial moment at a wedding -though even there it is likely to be unwelcome if the bride’s dowry is a Rolls-Royce. "Daisy Bell" was.a fine song, no doubt, for the.first 25 -years of its existence, and one would not suggest its unpopularity. But to have heard it since infancy and still have it served so frequently encourages some people to thing that Daisy would have been better in a crazy-house.

Falling, Falling. HERBERT F. WOOD came over the air from the De Luxe Theatre, Wellington, via 2YA, in fine style on Saturday night. His voice registered splendidly for light music such as he gave listeners, and his reception by what sounded like a large audience was enthusiastic. One thing which does not sound very: attractive over the mike-however acceptable from the platform itself-is a tendency to "scoop" in‘ the manner of the early genus croonerus. Without this feature, _Mr. Wood’s voice would have been completely pleasing. His second number. by the way, was "I’m Falling in Love With Someone," and ag the acclamation continued, 2YA announced that Mr. Wood’s recall number’ would be "Good-bye," from "White Horse Inn." Something slipped, however, for the tenor followed the orchestra into a.re petition of the "Falling. in Love" refrain. Probably pressure of time, for the pictures must go on. So Mr. Wood was obliged to keep on falling. It Had to Happen. [= just had to happen. It wasn’t very bad, really, when it did happen. But dozens of people have said that some day the slip would come. And last Sunday: afternoon, after it had been raining bucketsful all day, the slip occurred. From 2YA Mr. Clive Drummond had to report, ‘on pbehalf of the A.A.; that a‘ slip.had occurred on the south side of-then‘eame the other slip-"the Pokaraik--er, Paekakariki: Hill." Dozens of. people must have rubbed their hands gleefully: Clive Drummond had made a- mistake! Well, nearly a mistake, anyway» Quite a tribute to his"customary immaculateness. Letters. will doubtless have now arrivéd by the © dozen on-editors’ desks to. tell them about it. Editors are traditionally interested in that sort of thing.’ "Live" Evening. WELLINGTON had quite a "live" evening last Saturday from 2YA. The first quarter-hour of the concert session was on relay from the De Luxe Theatre of the theatre’s orchestra with organ, and a couple of tenor solos: for

good measure. For nearly two hours later in the evening Henry Rudolph and his orchestra were heard on relay from a dance hall, What-one heard of this dance band was worthy of mention. It was a well-balanced combination, and the placement of instruments for the microphone was effective-a feature Which has not been given sufficient thought by many more sedate combinations than a dance band. The tempo was uniformly good, and "swing"

rhythm-polite term for new dance music-was surely pleasing to those listeners who wished to wear the pile off the carpet to Rudolph’s music. Of two vocalists heard, the female voice had rather more appeal than the other. Hers was a really passable effort of near-crooning, and a sight more worth listening to than some of the sob-sister stuff preserved in black wax. Almost Insulting. OME people are almost insulting when they don’t want to believe a_ thing you assure them is true. One

had the experience of being all but called a purveyor of terminological in-exactitudes-ever the gentleman--last Tuesday night after "Metamorphosis of 534" was broadcast from 2YA. A fellow-listener to the programme just flatly refused to believe one’s word that it was concocted-except for historic speeches at the Queen Mary’s jaunch-and committed to records by . the staff in Wellington of the Broadcasting Bo-sorry, the National Broadcasting Service. The finale, describing the great liner’s departure from Southampton, had so definitely convinced him of the programme’s English origin that he was vehement about it. When he sees this in print, perhaps he will forsake his infidel’s pedestal. Being a southerner, he had asked himself, "What good thing ever came out of Wellington?" Fame. WeELt, if not fame, at least some unexpectedly generous recognition. Since "The Egypt’s Gold" programme was first presented from 2YA a couple of weeks ago, several of the leading metropolitan dailies of New Zealand have handed some fine and column length (or more) compliments to the broadcasting staff men who made the whole show. The question is being freely asked, "If our own men can do things like this, why go to the B.B.C. for recorded programmes?" There still remain reasons why this country should do so, but the question is in itself the highest praise.