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Radio Record, Volume XI, Issue 1, 10 July 1936, Page 64

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Top o’ the OrganP Organ Lover (Dunedin) writes :-I have read with interest the arguments in the "Radio Record" about organists. I do not think any of the ones mentioned are worthy of the name of the world’s best. I think Leselie V. Harvey ig far above anyone else I have ever heard. His contro] of an organ is just marvellous; he never plays a harsh note, or runs his bass notes all together like so many do. Wig rendering of "Absent" and "Until" is beautiful. I bave heard bim playing grand opera, light music, oyertures and jazz, I also think Emil Velasco | is very good, too, but I have not heard him very much, Humour-Minded Critic (Ashburton) writes: In reading one of the recent "Radio Record" articies "Big or Small Casts," one is forced to agree with Dance Seiveking in that a radio play should have just as many characters as is necessury for its correct presentation. But, with all due regard for his opinion that a lot depends on the listeners as well as the play, still more depends on the actors and sound effects. A good story can be rudely shattered or a poor story made into a masterpiece, but it all depends on the quality of the actors. . In support of this theory I present the ease of the drama "Quartet," recently broadcast from 3YA. The etory of "Quartet" is simple and straightforward, and the dramatic finale is almost discernible from the start-a story, in fact, that wearies one by reason of its constant repetition at the hands of rapid-fire novelists. "Quartet," in expert hands, became an instantaneous success. Another par in the article deals with the appreciation of farce. .Perhaps the powers-that-be should be more tactful in their choiee of humour or more tactful in their handling of ticklish situations and should slowly educate listeners to be humour-minded. Why not? We hare them air-minded, stock-minded, wrestlingminded, and are now slowly educating them into a state ‘of centenary-minded-ness, so why not educate them into a state of humour. Take it from one who has been close to

the suicidal edge that the little chuckle which grows into a rib-aching laugh 1s the best of cures for the after-effects of depression, war, or any other public malady. So here’s to Uncle Billy and his merry clan, the Claphams, the Dwyers, and all jesters of the air. On with their foolishness and off with the blues. We may yet hold up our heads and laugh. whether we sit alone or in the crowd. Bulldog { Frankie (Wellington) writes --Until I eottoned on to what had happened, I felt quite upset about "Bulldog Drummond." You see, I had so much enjoyed "Friday the Thirteenth," and how wa I to know these weren’t the same people? I was a second or so late in tuning in to, 2YA, so perhaps J missed the anbouncement, but I want to say that in the circumstanees the extemporisation was highly commendable. J infer that the bus contuining the cast swerved to ayoid a moving pie-cart, and had to be abandoned up Newtown way, By running hard, his pockets stuffed with scripts, the producer collected a working party, and these went round knocking up their friends, arriving at the studio with ten minutes to spare. Then it was discwyered that the ser:pts had fallen out on the way, but with pencil and paper the thing was quickly put together, parts drawn out of a hat, and breathing was nearly normal as_ the studio came on the air, So what with shaky pencil writing and some people not being sure if it wus "Slay" or "As You Like It," one couldn’t cavil at peculiar interpretations. And if the same voice was Lord This one minute and the village idiot the next, well, what’s the difference, anyhow? I was uever quite sure if distant squeaks portended another forced loan from the invalid or if the owl had fallen inte the bath water, but it was all very jolly, don’t you know Phyl, darling, and all that. I am sure Captain Drummond is unaware of the fact that the Rolls-Royce people would be glad to rectify the transmission and gearbox on his ear, if only for the sake of their reputation, And I want ‘Dr, Lakington to know that his acid bath provided me with the only thrill of the evening~-when I heard him fag! into it. But when the callous hero cri¢d "Pull out the plug!’ my wife laughed 5° much she gave herself hiccoughs and spilt her tea trying to drink out of the wrong side of the cup. Derivations Lapsus Linguae (‘Te Awamutu) writes: -From 2YA on Thursday evening we had a talk by Mr. Begg on "A Dip into the Doric," but unfortunately no real information was given as to its origin, and many listeners must have wondered what it was all about, so a little explanation may be quite in order. The Doric of Scotland is really Anglo-Saxon or Early English, with Gaelic and the wider Celtic plus a dash of French, Anglo-Saxon was introduced into Scotland, through the kingdom of Lothian, by the Angles, when © Scotland was known as Albyn, This is the basis of the Doric, exactly the same origin as what we now call Hnglish, The language in Scotland has developed along different lines from Wngland, being influenced by the Gaelic and French languages.. In England, although many

of the nlace names are Celtic or British, the Celtic had no influence on the language there, as the Celts were practically wiped out of England, but in Scotland the Gael and the Anglo-Saxon were blended. Old English lasted to the time of the Normans, about the eleventh century, and had four dialects, Northumbrian, Mercian, West Saxon, Kentish. Ags Lothian was a part of Northumbria, it was their (lialect that was introduced into Scotland. Words that are looked on to-day as Scottish are really Anglo-Saxon, for instance, ben, blate, stour, scunner, swank, wyte, wheen, muckle, gang, forfairn, greet, and others, Words of Gacli¢ origin are airts, bannock, jagg, brechem, bourock, craureuth, dirdum, dourie, ingle, loch; maut, skelp, kebbuck, slogan and stab, The following may be looked on as Scottish: Heugh, hirple, haiver, gulley (a knife), gowpan, gonril, gowket, dauder, daud, agee, anent, biggin, graith, haivers, dawted, vogie, glaur, slaister, sheugh, shaup, byke, oxter, deyaul, feckless, snick, glower,‘splairge, rive, pernickety, spurkte, cogie, wersh, fykie, skilpit, rype, drumlie, and fey. A glossary of Senttish words and phrases will be helpful to any who Wish to look up the meaning of many of the words mentioned, but a word like "sheugh" will almost defy pronunciation by any other than a Scotsman, Even the familiar "Seots wha hae" seems to beat the popular LYA sports announcer, as he usually says "Scots wah hah," with the "a" as in father. N.Z. Dance Bands Buescher (Oamaru) writes: Ll would like .to endorse the remarks of ‘Plebiscite."" I, too, appreciate Lauri Paddi's Band, and in my opinion it is the finest comb-nation ever put over the air in New Zealand, I did not miss one of his relays from 2YA and hope to hear sim more in the future, If we must have recordings, how much longer have we to put up with fifth-rate bands, such as Ilja Livschakoff, Dajos Bela Dance Orchestra, Paul Godwin, and others? These bands are definitely in. ferior to English and American bands, yet they seem to be the only bands available for the 5 to 6 p.m dance interlude at 8YL. Any of the Dunedin B_ stations wil] run vings round national stations ° for dance programmes Lowever, 1 am hoping that the change in broadeasting control will give us more of the good New Zealand «nds,