PERSONALITIES ON THE AIR

Radio Record, 22 April 1938, Page 16

PERSONALITIES ON THE AIR

HEN you come from a brilliant * family and have a name made famous by an elder brother, and reach sticcess yourself, people are apt to say: "How easy! Flying start!" Yet Ronald Frankau only reached success after a gruelling ime. "Frank Danby," the famous novelist, was his mother; Owen Hall, author of "The Geisha," was an uncle; Mrs. Aria, the fashion writer, was an aunt; Gilbert Frankau, author of "Peter Jackson, Cigar Merchant," is his famous elder brother. Ronald "arrived" after varying spells at Eton, 2 business college in Germany, in father’s cigar business, studying singing at the Guildhall, a little farming in Canada, and journalism, His amusing patter will be heard by 2YA listeners in the music, mirth and melody session on Wednesday, April 27.

BREEZINESS OF THE YOUNG.

One of the most penetrating of authors, critics and Dhilosopvphers,

Charles L. Buchanan, has written illuminatingly on Perey Grainger. This writer declared: "What I see in Grainger is a new age expressing itself, With all his partiality for what is vague, sensuous, subtle and ingratiating in art, he is, nevertheless, the incarnation of the bustle, the activity, the cheeky, breezy, informal quality of roung and new people." After all. not

maly great pianists come on to the platform running, coming up the steps two at a time... but that’s just Perey, the embodiment of restless, tireless energy, On Thursday, Apri! 28, 4YA_ has scheruled a half-hour Perey Grainger programme,

INSEPARABLES FOR THIRTY YEARS,

ones Charlie Naughton and Jimmy Gold, both Seots from

Glasgow, have heen inseparable for 80 years. There is one year’s difference in their ages; both are happily married, with a son apiece. Charlie Naughton, who is always getting knocked about the stage, is veputed to be one of the best "fallers" in variety, In 1928 these comi¢s were appearing in Milwaukee, U.S.A... on the same bill with another British doulile act. Nervo and Knox. The luuhagement, acting on a suggestion,

decided to allow each act to interfere with the other~-hence the Crazy Gang. Naughton and Gold will entertain in 4YA’s music, mirth and melody session on Thursday, April 28.

NINEPENCE FOR A LESSON.

When a boy, Albert Sandler got his first fiddle — a eheap instrument

given him by his father, a miserably poor shoemaker in the East End of London. Albert’s first lessons cost ninepence each-and this placed something of a strain on the domestic financial resources-but dad aud Albert wangled it between them. Albert svou knew as much as his teacher-so a change was made to a tutor who charged half-a-crown a lesson, This time the entire family "dubbed in" until the boy wou a scholarship at the Guildhall School of Music. Now Albert has uw luxurious home and a £2000 "Strad." In 1¥A’s dinner music session on Saturday, April 30, Albert Sandler’s Orchestra will entertain.

VALUE OF GOOD TOP NOTES.

A witty minor poet aumed Bond (Christian name not avuil-

apie) once wrote: A very light tenor was singing "Top A" When the plutform on which he was standing gave way; He had no intention of risking his crown, So he hung on his note till they lifted him down.

Joseph Sehmidt has good top notes -so has Tauber. Who said tenors were jealous? Here’s a gramophone record to prove they’re not all smallminded. While Joseph is singing at 2YA on Friday, April 29, Richard will conduct the accompanying orchestra.

Illness Broke Into Career | es |

JIDAUGHTER of Arturo Toscanini, Mrs. Vladimir Horowitz, stated in a recent interview that her famous pianist husband underwent an operation for appendicitis in 1935. This resulted in complications that prevented his appearance on the concert platform for the past two years. He has now fully recovered from his illness and will resume his career this coming June, when he will make gramophone records in London with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of his distinguished father-in-law. Recordeq recitals by Horowitz are seheduled at 2YA on Sunday, April 24, and at 3YA on Friday, April 29.

THE MERE JOY OF LIVING. > ye ean m@mmeaee

One of those things that irritate some people is loud whistling. Not so

4h S aProll GNponss Case, THOUSH. Me Says that youthful whistling springs from "a mere joy of living.* Some are inclined to doubt that. They helieve it. springs from an empty mind. Carroll goes so far as to say that "vouth is not whistling in the London streets as he used to do hecause there is so little music for him to whistle." He should know; he’s a band leader. . In 1YA’s dinner music session on Tuesday. April 26, Carroll Gibbons and his Boy Friends will be heard in tunes worth whistling.

. COMPOSERS ( WRITE * WORK FOR THEM.

As its name implies, the Celebrity Trio is an ensemble

of well-known musicians. The pianist is Reginald King, he violinist Alfredo Campoli, and the is Douglas Cameron. DEssentially a microphone combination-it first broadcast in 1934-it plays and records arrangements of both light and classical music, and devotes special attention to British composers. Many famous ¢omposers have written new works for it, including Erie Coates, Heykens, Cyril Seott, Hardn Wood and Clifford Hellier. Station 1YA listeners wil] hear the Cclebrity Trio on Thursday. April 28, in the dinner musie session.

THE FILM STAR WITH RED HAIR.

Rene Houston, the red-haired Scottish comedienne and

film star, has for her real name the following: Kathevina Valorita Veronica Murphy Houston. Her mother was a famous Scottish soprano and music-hall artiste. Rene studied classical dancing and has heen in every side of the show business. Sbé understudied for her mother in a dual act with her sister-and was such a success that they carried it on. She later acted for the films and appeared in "Fine Feathers" and "Melody and Romance. In 8YA’s music, mirth and melody session on Wednesday, Apri] 27. Rene Heuston will be heard, with Pat Aherne.

BANK CLERK TOOK THE PLUNGE.

Originally a bank clerk in Leeds. Henry Croudson,

cinema organist, had great difficulty in persuading his parents to allow him to take up music professionally. But he took the plunge and has never had cause to regret it. Hie chose for bis signature tune. "My Girl's a Yorkshire Girl,’ because he married one. His twin sons study violin and piano under fathér's former music master. Henry spends half his spare time riding on borseback over the Ilkley moors-*baht-at," presumably, Henry Croudson, organist. will he heard j in 3YA’s music. mirth and meledy ession on Friday, April 29.

MUSICIAN WITH MANY ADVANTAGES.

Unlike many ¢omposer pianists, Abram Chasins en-

joxed every possible advantage for the development of the unusual musical gifts he distdayed in early childhood. Born in New York of Russian parentage in J908, Mr. Chasins has studied to such @00d purpose that now he is on the

staff of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He had a faculty for concentration, and has won awards and scholarships that have helped his career materially. Station ¢¥YA _ listeners will hear Abram Chasing on Monday, April 25.

FIRST ON BOARDS WHEN AGED ELEVEN.

Londoners are born entertainers, so if was only natural

that Angela Baddeley should take to the stage as a duck takes to water. Her debut took place at. the Old Vic, in 1915. when she was eleven years old. The play was "Richard III." Since then she has become something of a famous film act-ress--in "The Speckled Band," "The Ghost Train," and "Arms and the Man." She has been twice married, ind has a girl and boy, the result, to date, of these two ventures in matrimwouy, Angela Baddeley’s Cockney sketches on the records are absolutely true to life. She entertains in the music, mirth and melody session at 4YA on Tuesday, April 26.

CONQUEST OF BLINDNESS.

Among modern English composers and organists, the

names of two blind musicians stand very high. These are Dr. William Wolstenbolme and Dr. Alfred Hollins. Both men were born in 1S65, the first in Blackburn, Laneashire. the second in Hull, Yorkshire. When Wolstenholme was a boy of six, he liked playing the piano with one

hand, while he played 4 Harmonium with the other. As the instruments were not in tune, he transposed the piano part to produce a harmonious result. Beat that if you can! Both meén rose to great heights in their profession, and left behind a rich legacy of fine organ music. In his organ recital to be relayed by 4YA on Thursday, April 28, Dr. Galway has included pieces by these two famous blind organists,

PEASANT TO EMPEROR.

If one wished to sum up the life work of Justinian

‘in a phrase, it would be "Good start-bad finish." The great man who codified Roman Law, embellished his capital with numerous magnificent churches, including the celebrated Sancta Sophia, now the principal mosque in Constantinople, and built bridges, aqueducts, hospitals and fortresses, became, at the end of his long life, an avaricious oppressor of his people. He rose from peasant obscurity to imperial glory, and braved public opinion by marrying Theodora, an actress and courtesan, whose influence over him was unbounded. Justinian is the subject of a talk in "The Whirligig of Time" series, and will be dealt with by Mr. L. W. Gee at 3YA on Wednesday, April 27.

BOYS WITH IDEAS ABOUT MUSIC,

"Our college boys zo in for’ brass bands, and they,

the bors and the bands, are a big factor in our national musical recovery. Every college has its band, manned by boys of education and training, who have ideas about music. In my own band I have experienced and seasoned musicians. But I always include some of this new crop, boys with ideas about music, The future of music in America is in their hand."-Paul Whiteman. Paul Whiteman’s Concert Grchestra will be heard in i1YA’s dinner music session on Saturday, April 23.

HE IS HEARD IN 3YA TALKS

Introducing Carl Straubel, frequent occupant of the 9.4 p.m. talks period at

SYA, Christchurch. The other day Mr. Straubel took listeners on a survey of the life of the first Maori to visit © England. Many listeners liked that, according to the number of telephone calls and letters Mr. Straubel received uext day. Specialising in languagesof the good sort, of course-he was at Auckland University from 1923 to 1928. New Zealand history research took up a good deal of his time, and he contributed articles to various publications on this subject. More recently he has been busy in his leisure moments digging into the history of early Canterbury-that is, when not engaged on his duties as a member of the reporting staff of a Christchurch news-_ paper. "No, I’m not a champion-just a plain hack at ski-ing, my favourite sport," Mr. Straubel told the "Record’s" Christchurch reporter last week. He has performed at Ruapehu twice and has visited Mount Cook ski-ing grounds every year for the last seven years. Most. Christchurch listeners to 3Y4 know him as a speaker in the "Serving the Public" series.

No. 25 AS THE ARTIST SEES THEM BROADCASTERS