KNICK KNACKS

Radio Record, Volume X, Issue 7, 28 August 1936, Page 24

KNICK KNACKS

"-FIAMILTON DICKSON afew months ago composed his "Country Suite," -and offered to play it for 2YA. listenevs. Everything went well, and the broadcasting: authorities liked his music, A- month went by, and Hamilton Dickson’s name popped up again in the 2YA programmes, This time he turned on his string orchestra and conducted some particularly ‘fine light music-"If I Were King" was outstanding.’ This week, on Wednesday night. he is to conduct the String Orchestra again, introducing to 2YA listeners a new suite by Frank Tapp. Several musical people’: who. heard the June 17 performance of. Hamilton Dickson’s String Orchestra decided that he had a combination of players at least as big as the 2YA Concert Orchestra. He didn’t, Thé awful truth is that he had only twelve in the orchestra, and the effect of numbers was contrived by a nice apprec‘ation for the — relative volume value of pianissimo and fortissimo and an ability to get the orchestrg to play the numbers ‘according to the conductor’s definite interpretive ideas. Furthermore, the ‘young Wellington ’eellist has sufficient imagination to coax from a dozen string instruments an impression of .other instruments. and he balances them well for the microphone. There are five first violing in the orchestra, two seconds, one viola, two ‘cellos, one bass and one piano. . Miss Ava Symons, popular leader of the reenlar 2YA- Orchestra, is also the leader of this smaller combination, and Decima Tlughson (wife of Hamiltou Dickson) is the pianist. The first number the String Orchestra will play is "Orpheus in the Underworld." Well known? Yes; but people like it, especially in a light programme, as long as it is well played. The "Knick Knacks" Suite has not been performed before in New Zealand. Indeed, Hamilton Dickson mentioned to the "Radio Record" that as far as he knew his was the only ful score in-the country. It is a recent composition, copyrighted. 1925. The suite is pleasantly tuneful and active. and should find immediate appreciation among those who are fond of light orchestral music-and plenty of others hesides, Strangely enough, Hamilton Dickson doesn’t know the first thing «about Frank Tapp. the composer of the suite, and doesn’t know anyone who does now. Just in case, the "Radio Record" put it to Bileen Joyce casually during a chat, but the Australian pianist didn’t know either, Nor did a couple of well-known musica} omnibuses who were consulted.