In the Wake of the Week's Broadcasts

Radio Record, 25 March 1938, Page 6

In the Wake of the

Week's Broadcasts

RADIO CAN COVER THE NEWS

Virst-rute coverage of the flight by Flying-Officer Clousten, the "Tron Man," as they call bim in the Royal Air Force in England, was given by the NBS in tbe week-end. The an-

nouncer at the Blenheim aerodrome did his job thoroughly aud

apiy, and With an obvious enthusiasm that injected added interest into every word, He must have bad a busy flying week himself. I beard his voice from Blenheim ou Sunday afternoon, from Wellington on Sunday night, from Blenheim on Mowday morning, Altogether, a tboroughly efficient and capable piece of work, showing how well radio can cover the news

WHAT 1S FOR BREAKFAST?

When one sits down to breakfast before facing up to the worries of the day, it always seems to me that what is required is pleasant, yet soothing music over the radio. Last week I

tried both 2YA and 228, between 8 and 8.30 a.n., one or two mornings, and

got nothing but jumpy jazz that jangled on the nerves. There may be hardy souls who can stand it at that hour of the morning, but they would be the sort who slap their fellows on the back at breakfast and are viciously disliked by the majority of breakfast-eaters, who are usually u-morose lot. What the average break-fast-eater needs, I feel sure, is something more in the way of the light,

’ clear, soothing, melodies of Monckton, such as "Soldiers in the Park." 4

IT GIVES THE LIE DIRECT.

Here’s a replica of a letter received last week by Gil Dech, conductor of the 8YA Orchestra, a musician who has done much for orchestras in New Zealand, as well as overseas :-

"Some friends, six of them, and I, have just been listening to your playing of the A Major Mozart Con-

eerto, from 3YA, We enjoyed it so much, particularly the opening of the lovely andante which, May we say, was beautifully played, and which came through well. We feel compelled to write and tell you so,"

Signatories to the letter are all very well-known Christchurch musiciansFrederick Page, Valmai Moffett, Laurence Baigent, Rita Cook, Olivia Spencer-Bower, Jean Angus and Leo Bensemann, And yet somebody, recently said that musicians were the most jealous people on earth! a a

IMPORTANCE OF THE RADIO VOICE

Aw After listening to a churchman on a recent Sunday night, I switched over to a Maori announcer. Each had been speaking in- his native tongue. One I could understand, but not listen to, the

other I could listen to but could not understand. Of the two, I preferred the

iatter, Lhe voice in English was microphonically dead, the voice in Maori was dramatically alive. It just goes to show that it is not so much what one says over the air as e how one says it that counts. a

PLAY WAS LARGELY INDIFFERENT.

FN "Play night" from 4YA last week consisted of a George Edwards recorded production (ho-hum!) and a 25minute studio presentation, "Go Back. Napoleon," by Charles Porter and pro-

duced by Ernest Griffin, In this, scientists managed to bring Napoleon back to life. keeping him breathing

Dy means of special apparatus, Napoleon quickly assumes control of things and in next to no time he was making the Great War of 1914 look like child’s play. England’s Prime Minister decided that the scientists must send Napoleon to the back of beyond whence he came, They had means at their disr

posal for causing his complete disintegration.- Napoleon, however, had his own ideas about this and held up his "sponsors" at pistol point. Features | of the play were the number of effects used, and the skilful manner in which they were. handled. Otherwise the play wasn’t so good. It was very jerky and did not seem to hang together at all well.

AS GOOD AS THE RECORDING.

Beautifully played py the 3YA Chamber Musie Players last week was the famous "Trout Quintette" of Schubert. It was a most finished performance, particularly the scherzo movement, The

rhythm was clean and well marked and the balance was finely maintained throughout. Obvious-

iy the players had given a great deal of time and study to the work. It is not exaggerating to say that one could not distinguish the performance from the recorded version. yw

NOT ON THE AIR ENOUGH.

"ye Swing music? Not for the Revellers recently heard from 4YA in the first of their 1938 broadcasts of old-time dance music. Dunedin is strong on old-time (lances, and dancing to a group such us

the Revellers, wo know their. work, takes place all over the city. These broa4casts are limited to

one every two months, which, considering the time that is devoted to more modern dance music, and also that the Revellers are so widely enjoyed, is by no means sufficient. 4YA would not be hurting its prestige any if. this band Was given at least a monthly pbroadcast,

A PITY HE JOESN’T SING.

4 If the garden expert at BYA were to hold a bulb in his hand and burst into song listeners would drop their trowels, forks and hoes and write promptly to the studio. But, maybe he can sing!

However, it is a serious business, this gardening, as every Suburban householder in Christchurch

Knows. The "Recor d’’ Suggests at least two songs from the "gardening man"’-"When Autumn Leaves are Falling" and "April Showers." He will answer "Autumn Inquiries" on March 28 and chat about "April in the Garden" on April 4. Ra

WHEN WOMEN Did ALL THE WorK:

a The "Whirligig of Time" series from 4YA has leapt into prominence in a remarkably short space of time.. So far the series. has been confined to the part played by women in history. and the

talks have been given by women who certainly know: their subjects. Last week Mrs. Fv R. Thomnegno))

spoke on.women ‘of the Middle ‘Ages and Tudor women, and’ many who lis--tened to her must. have thought to themselves that "the good old days" were not so good-from the woman’s point of. view, Perhaps’ there may have been a few men who, upon hearing Mrs. Thompson’. remarks,‘ might have yearried for the things that have been. You see, it appeared very much from what was said that the women

-.did most, of the work, and had to do just: whatever men ‘told: thém to do. ' They were little more than--chattels, and as for rights-well, "they just didn’; have none!" An interesting series, and the NBS is to be congratulated on arranging for its transmission.

WELCOME TO CLOUSTON WAS BRIGHT.

Strolling down to Wellington’s Rongotai aerodrome on Sunday morning last, 2ZB announcer, Leon Gotz (pronounced Gerty) somehow found himself in a ’plane in;an official party

bound .for Blenheim to ‘welcome Wlying-Officer Clouston on his arrival from Australia in

record time. Result was a most.. entertaining account of the arrival and welcome at 6.45 p.m., and easily one of the brightest bits of chatter yet héard from 2ZB. Mr. Gotz lived for some time in Malaya, and, to quote a recent issue of the "Record" ", ... though minus an eye, an arm and part of a foot, he is still a pretty lively sort of a‘ joker."

THOUGH OLD THEY ARE WELCOME.

What is it that makes Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas always so popular? Is it the charm of Sir Arthur Sullivan’s music? Or is it the glorious Satire, the wit, and the lyrics of Sir

William Gilbert? Well, it was that very question that caused much bicker-

ing between the two. It is a hard thing to decide, because the one would not be the same without the other. The operas first began to leap into fame more than 50 years ago, and they have never looked back,’ despite the fact that in some respects they are "dated." The NBS has been responsible for several broadcasts of Gilbert and Sullivan in the past, but with these particular presentations it seems to be a case of the more the merrier. Station 4YA put over an excellentlyrecorded version of "The Gondoliers" last Sunday, and, judging from comments heard during the following few days, more people listened to 4YA that night than on any Sunday for a long time.

NORTH ISLAND AND "BALLYHOO"

il Station 4YA put over an unexpected list-minute item recently when 2YA Wellington "was re-broadeast. Dr. Hugh Dalton, Irish M.P., who had just completed a fortnight’s tour of the

Dominion and was about to leave told listeners what his "Farewell Impres-

. sions of New Zealand" were. Interesting stuff, and 4YA deserves at least one orchid for-jump-ing it. on the re-broadcast. Station 3YA didn’t bother, and must have been disappointed because Dr. Dalton had some nice things to say about the city on the Avon. Dunedin listeners who waited hopefully for their city’s share of praise felt slighted because .the speaker merely "passed through Dunedin." However, the nice things said about the South Island;. itg people‘and its scenery, were a welcome change from the customary North Island ballyhoo,