PERSONALITIES ON THE AIR

Radio Record, 6 May 1938, Page 16

PERSONALITIES ON THE AIR

UDGING from the sale of records, yodelling is still popular among the masses. In the dry, matter-of-fact encyclopedia definition, "to yodel" means "to sing or utter a sound, peculiar to the Swiss and Tyrolese mountaineers, by suddenly changing from the natural voice to the falsetto." Yodelling is more popular in America than almost any country, save in the land of snow-capped mountains, zithers, the League of Nations, watches and chalets. The cowboys just love yodelling--and so do radio listeners by the thousand. Listeners to 1YA will hear Cyril Barnett, in person, in a little yodelling on Saturday, May 14.

SHE WAS ONLY THE BOSS’S DAUGHTER.

When Jack Hulbert appeared in a flying matinee in Vondon, in 1913, ia

his own play, "Cheeroh, Cambridge," he was seen by Robert Courtneidge, was offered a part in a new production, accepted the same, and rounded off the whole business by marrying the daughter of his new boss. That’s how Jack and Cicely met. He says his recreations are rowing and step-danc-ing. He is one of the most accomplished dancers in the theatre, and a brilliant, patient, and formidable trainer of choruses. That shrill whistle

from the front row of an empty dresscircle has sent many a poor girl’s heart into her boots-or ballet shoes! Jack Wulbert is in SYA’s Musie, Mirth and Melody Session on Monday, May §%.

}WEMBERS of an audience who are out of harmony with his musical sense are literally a "pain in the neck" to Arthur Rubinstein. He told a Sydney pressman that he was always conscious of any element in an audience not attuned to his playing. This sensitivity induced a marked physical reaction in him. "T choke, I choke," he explained, "and I invariably get a pain at the back of my neck." The secret lies in the fact that when he is playing he concentrates and "absorbs the audience." Arthur Rubinstein, pianist, plays at 4VA on Thursday, May 12, with the London Symphony Orchestra.

HE HAD LOVE OF SEA THEMES

In drawing upon the poets for subjects to set fto music, Sir Charles

Stanford gave the world no less than five choral works dealing with battles and the sea, There was "The Revenge," "The Battle of the Baltic,’ "The Voyage of Maeldune," "Songs of the Sea," and "Songs of the Fleet." But pugnacity was in the Stanford blood. Charles inherited it from his father, John Stanford, an examiner in the Irish Court of Chancery, a tall, dark, strong, and very determined personage with interests that ranged from

music to fisticuffs. As a fighter, Stanford was often wrong and he suffered from a cantankerousness which ultimately became almost morbid. "Hive Songs of the Fleet" by Stanford are included in the programme of the Christchurch Male Voice Choir, which is to be broadcast by 3YA on Wednesday, May 11.

TENOR WHO SANG AS HE STUDIED.

When the Russian tenor, Vladimir Rosing, was studying singing under

Jean de Reszke and others, he was reading for the Bar at the same time. He made his debut as Lansky in Tschaikowsky’s opera, "Eugene Ounegin," and made a successful debut in London, before touring the world. He exercises the same magnetic force over his audiences, as do a few great singers, such, for instance, as Chaliapiv once did. His recitals are models of programme building, and he is at his best in his own Russian songs. He will be heard from 2YA on Tuesday, May 10.

TWO OF THEM COME FROM SYDNEY.

Pssie Ackland, contralto, is deservedly one of the most popular gramo-

phone record stars. The number ot songs she has perpetuated on discs of shellac is now quickly approaching one hundred. Most of these are to organ accompaniment, and there is a reason

for this. These accompaniments are played by the brilliant Dr. G. Thalben Ball who, like Essie Ackland, hails from Sydney. There is an artistic bond between these two artists which

"Pain In The Neck" To Him.

is all to the good in the work they successfully accomplish together. Station 4YA listeners wil] hear Essie Ackland, contralto, on Sunday afternoon, May 8.

BELIEVE IT OR BELIEVE IT NOT.

The harmonica or mouth-organ is useful in places other than the _ streets,

the backrooms of pubs and the forecastles of ships. From a place called Rushville, U.8.A., comes a fantastic story of a man who uses the instrument for catching wolves. He conceals tame animals in a haystack, and makes them howl by playing on the harmonica, thus attracting the wild wolres to traps laid about the haystack. This trapper’s name is not Larry Adler, who attracts humans by the thousand with his mouth-organ virtuosity. Listeners to 1¥YA will hear Larry Adler on the mouth organ, in the Music, Mirth, and Melody session un Friday, May 13.

THE CONCERTINA HAS A GRIEVANCE.

. There are some of us who have never had a weakness for the concertina, be-

cause it always seemed to be an instrument with a grievance. Maybe it has one; its social ambition in the musical world is still unfulfilled, though of late it has "got on,’ having op several occasions appeared iu Queen’s Hall in a modern orchestral work. There is a snobbish tendency among the other instruments, however, to regard it merely as a "gate crasher!" But an instrument with as many ardent lovers as the concertina needn’t worry. ‘Think of the thousands of Salvation Army lassies who clasp it ecstatically to them in both hands. Items on the English concertina by Robert McKnight are featured in 1YA’s programme on Tuesday, May 10.

CECIL RHODES THE DIAMOND KING.

Mark Twain used to say that when Cecil Rhodes died,

he would like to possess a piece of the rope! But Rhodes was not as bad as all that. The man who visualised a "Uuited South Africa" and founded and endowed the Rhodes Scholarships had more to his credit than the amassing of so many millions that he was called "The Diamond King." Rhodes was very solicitous for the interests of the Uganda natives whom he saved from the dangers of the liquor trafiic. ‘ In the "Whirligig of Time," series of Iks at SYA, Dr. A. L. Haslam, a ri Khodes Scholar, will speak on the subject of Cecil Rhodes on Wednesday, May 11.

PLUCKY TRIUMPH OVER HIS TROUBLE.

The American historian, Francis Parkman, over-

taxed his eyes with study and became almost blind, and racked with nervous disorders. But this didn’t deter him. He had a frame made with wires to guide his pencil, and employed a schoolgirl to read aloud to him. The average rate of progress of his book was six lines a day. He got a little better, went over to Europe to study books and MSS., and in two and a half years produced his classic "History of the Conspiracy of the Pon-

tiae.’ This remarkable man was always cheerful, had hosts of friends and weut in for horticulture so thoroughly as to become Professor of the subject at Harvard. Extracts from this, the most famous of Parkman’s many works, will be read by Mr. D’Arey Cresswell at 1YA on Friday, May 13.

ROSE FROM HOOTS TO APPLAUSE.

Richard Strauss was a musical rebel. Virtually brought

up on music, at the age of six he composed a polka, and before he was sixteen he had a list of compositions to his credit that few of even the very greatest could equal at that age. These compositions were in the traditional form, and because they were traditional they did not satisfy Strauss, At the age of twenty-three, Strauss rebelled against conventionalism, and by rebelling acceded to the urge of his soul. In 1887 he composed his first symphonic or "tone" poem, The crities objected violently to this new descriptive music and condemned Strauss out of hand. But Strauss heeded not, he went on with his "modern" music, and tone poem after tone

poem came from him. He was scoffed at, openly hooted, and accused of coimmitting sacrilege. The interpretation of everyday sounds as part of a musical score was a heinous thing. But Strauss conquered, and to-day he is justly acclaimed as one of the greatest of modern composers, modern in either sense of the term, On Sunday next at 2.30 p.m. from 4YA, will be presented the second symphonic poem composed by Strauss (in 1888). This tone poem, "Don Juan," will be played by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

"YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP THEIR INTEREST."

"Philadel phia’s Own Baritone" is what Nelson Hddy

is affectionately called by music lovers and critics in his own city. A reporter once asked him, "Well, Nels, what’s the secret of it all? Open up and let’s pass it on." "First, be just natural," replied Hddy. "Then you’ve got to keep them interested. I’m always hunting for new things to do for my home audiences. I try to make good use of the element of suspense. The people never quite know what I’m going to do next-and they stay interested." Station 2YA’s programme for Friday, May 13, includes in its artists the name of Nelson Eddy, "Philadelphia’s Qwn Baritone."

"GOD BLESS YOU" SAID THE SKIPPER.

In one of Marryat’s novels there is a story about a captain who had been

eautioned by the Admiralty against swearing. One day ne roared out to an errant seaman, "You’ve tied a granny instead of a slip-knot, God bless youyou know what I mean!" Plain speaking is one of Jack’s virtues, and in the maritime narratives fascinatingly spun by Mr. F. M. Renner there is not only directness, but a ring of authenticity that pleases listeners. On Tuesday, May 10, Mr. Renner will be heard again from 2YA. ‘This time his subjeet is "The Vlying Bo’sun."

MELBA GAVE HER SOME COACHING.

It is very doubtful if anyone ever had the advantage of a

better operatic tutelage than the soprano, Miriam Licette. Of British birth, though French extraction, she spent some youthful years in Singapore, and later started her operatic training with Madame Mathilde Marchesi. She had been recommended to Marchesi by Melba, who later very good-naturedly gave Miriam some invaluable coaching herself. As if this were not enough for any lucky girl, she then went for lessons, successively to Sabatini, Ettore Panizza, and last but not least, Jean de Reszke, Miriam Licette sings Marguerite in the complete presentation of Gounod’s "Faust" at 2YA on Sunday, May 8. The opera will be sung in English.

No. 28. AS THE ARTIST SEES THEM BROADCASTERS