PERSONALITIES ON THE AIR

Radio Record, 20 May 1938, Page 16

PERSONALITIES ON THE AIR

IME was when there was a strong prejudice against the now popular game of billiards. The poet Spenser refers to it in far from flattering terms in his "Mother Hubbard's Tale," in which he savs of "The Ape’: «1 thousand wayes he could iid enteriatn With all the thriftless gunies that may be found, With mumming und with amasking all around, With dice, with cards, with balliards farre unfit . Another and later Spencer, the philosopher, was once badly beaten in a game of billiards by a junior member of his club. Herbert sareastically said that his rival’s accomplishment connoted a misspent youth! Billiard fans will be interested in the microphone interview scheduled for 1YA Auckland on Monday, May 23. Clark MecConachy, contender for the World’s Billiards Championship against Walter Lindrum, will, in his remarks, perhaps give listeners a few ‘tips and cues."

FROM "EAST LYNN" TO WEST END.

Away back in 1&&sz, at the Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. a tiny actress of

six made her debut on the stage as the child Willie Carlyle in "East Lynn." That little girl was Ada Reeve. Now past sixty, Ada Reeve, to avoid a lonely old age, has pluckily takena jo! as hostess at a West End milk bar and restaurant. She is usually at her post

every night, and her job is to see thai people are properly served, and Ad: feeve can be trusted to do that. In the Music, Mirth and Melody session on Thursday, May 26, Ada Reeve will be heard from 2VA.

r= SOMETIMES YOU WERE PUSHED AWAY.

prercEas The piano duet in which two players ure seated at one kevbourd was 2

very popular pastime in grandpa’s day. In the parish hall it successfully served its purpose when it covered up the murmur of voices and the noise of late arrivals with a rendering of the "Zampa"’ Overture, by the vicar’s wife. "assisted by our esteemed organist.’ These efforts were all right when both performers were of reasonably slender build, but sometimes each was apt to vuomuplain of being thrust too far. from

his or her part of the keyboard. Duets at two pianos are infinitely better, more comfortable and the musical results are richer, Station 1YA has scheduled a twopiano recital for Wednesday, May 25. Theo Halpin and Claire Armour are the performers. HE IS MAN After trying his OF hand at farming, ALL TRADES. musie teaching. journalism, and other things, Mux Kester (real name Max Kester Dodgeson) has settled down to being an author and producer of no mean ability. He® comes from ' Yorkshire, and was the first "Unele" of the Leeds-Bradford station. He has written over two hundred sketches foi children, and is now a star member of the BBC staff of producers, In addition to all these activities, Mav Kester has found time somehow ~¢ make humorous records. He wrote the lyrics for "Princess Charming," one of them, "Brave Hearts," being written on Paddington Station platform in a dense fog, and so enthusiastic did he become he alarmed a dear old lady us he sang each phrase aloud in order to obtain a perfect rhythm. Max Kester, comedian, will be heard in 1YA’s Music, Mirth and Melody session on Monday, May 23.

HE IS CALLED "RUSSIAN CASALS."

Like many wmusicians who achieved distinction, the Russian cellist,

Gregor Piatigorsky comes of a musical family. | His father, Paul, was an accomplished vyiolinist, and taught Gregor when the latter

wus seven years old. Before the lad Wus nine he was playing the concertos of Saint Saens and Davidoff. At fifteen he was solo ’eellist of the Moscow Royal Opera. HErom 1916 to 1919 he

testa roe Crime Of Famous | Musicians |

SAID Kreisler recently: "Music is too sacred to be sold, and the outrageous price the celebrities charge is truly a crime against society. "T never look upot the money I earn as My own. It is public money. It is only a fund entrusted to my care for proper disbursement. "T am constantly endeavouring to redice my needs to a minimum, I feel morally guilty in ordering a Costiy meal, for it deprives someone else of a slice of bread-some child, perhaps, of a bottle of milk. My beloved wife feels exactly ag I do, "You know what I eat; you know what I wear. In all these years of my so-called success in music, we have not -built a home for ourselves. Between it and us stand all the homeless in the world." He will be heard playing from 4¥A om Sunday afternoon, May 22.

studied ‘cello with von Glen at the Moscow Conservatory, from which he graduated with the Grand Prix. Later he studied in Berlin with Hugo Becker, and in Leipzig from 1920 to 1922. He toured Poland and Germany in 1921, . and has appeared with most European orchestras. Gregor Piatigorsky, cellist, will be heard in 3YA’s" Sunday afternoon session, May 22.

ONCE THEY WERE JUST PIERROTS.

Visitors to Ryde, Isle of Wight, in the summer of 1921, may have encoun-

tered a little party of five pierrots called "Twinkle," led by Clarkson Rose and Olive Fox. In the seventeen years since then, "Twinkle" hag grown into ‘a most flourishing concern. It did something quite outside the concertparty routine by going to Australia on a sixteen weeks’ contract in 1983, and staying there for over a year. The company no Jonger dress as pierrots, hut they still include Olive Fox as leading lady and Clarkson Rose himself, who is a popular broadcaster here through his records, Listeners to 2YA will hear Clarkson Rose, comedian, on Tuesday, May 24.

HE LOVES THE CONCERT ORGAN.

As a small boy, Mr. Clarence B. Hall, then in England,

aecided to learn the piano. Bur then Dr. William Farnhill got him interested in organ playing, and under the guidance of Drs. Farnhill, and Bairstow (city organist of Leeds) he went ahead. At the age of 10, he won a scholarship given by Viscount Lascelles. which furnished him with 12 months’ free tuition at Trinity College. Later he came to New Zealand and has given many organ recitals at the Civic Theatre, Christchurch, with assisting artists, for 3YA broadcasts. He has played the civic organ in Auckland, reputed to be one of the largest Wurlitzers in Australia and New Zealand, and the keyboards of the Burwood and Chatswood cinena organs in Sydney have felt the touch of his fingers. Mr. Hall has studied the operation of both the Hammond and Everett organs and last week was playing at the State Theatre, Christchurch. The (Christchureh civic organ, about which there has been so much discussion, he believes to be one of the finest in New Zealand, chiefly through its beautifully soft stops. Mr. Hall will be heard in another 3YA recital, with an assisting tenor. next month.

1 SPIRITUAL PAPA OF ADOLF HITLER.

If Adolf Hitler were ever introduced to-the works of Thomas Wohhec

"the Malmesbury philosopher." he would hail him as his spiritual papa. It is suid that the alarm of Hobbes’ mother at the approach of the Spanish Armada hastened the child’s birth and was the cause of a constitutional timidity that beset him through life. Hobbes argued that the state of nature was one of war and insecurity. Moved by a desire to escape from the intolerable evils of such a condition, human beings enter into a species of contraet by which they surrender their individual rights, and constitute a state under an absolute sovereignty. The sovereign power need uot be mon-

archical, but, whatever form it assumes it is absolute and irresponsible. At 38YA on Wednesday, May 25, Mr. N. Phillips will give a talk on Thomas Hobbes.

SHE CAN ADD THE WORDS, MUS. BAC.

There are only a very few people in Christchurch who

. Can add the magic letters ‘"Mus.Bac." to their names. ‘ The latest is Miss Bessie Pollard, who Was capped the other day.. She composed "Allegro Moderato" for string orchestra, "Come Away, Death," for voices, in four parts, and two Shakespearean songs for contralto, She will be heard in pianoforte recital from 3¥YA on Sunday, May 22.

CHOIR BOY WHO ROSE TO BE FAMOUS.

Born forty years ago in Bristol, Dennis Noble began his eareer as a chori-

ster at Bristol Cathedral. He joined the Royal Bucks Hussars and served in France, and after being severely wounded, he joined Teslie Henson's eoncert party at Lille. After the war he was appointed lay vicar at Westminster Abbey, and later became a member of the British National Opera Company, We has appeared all over Great Britain in the principal baritone roles in opera and oratorio, and has sung for most of the leading concert organisations, Dennis Noble, baritone, will be heard from 4YA on Sunday, May 22,

SOME LIKED HIM AND . SOME DID NOT.

For Victor Hugo, who painted the past in such stirring eolouts. tbe

dead were always present. "I cal! them," he said, "the invisible ones." Swinburne named him "the greatest man born since the death of Shakespeare." Flaubert said, "What specially strikes me about Hugo, who aim: at being taken for a thinker, is the absence of thought." "He owes his success to his monstrosities.". si | Michelet. Whether they agree with either or neither, listeners enjoy the radio serial, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," an episode of which will be heard from 4YA on Wednesday, May 2

YOUNG PARSON WAS VERY LIKEABLE.

A likeable young parson if ever there was oue, Johu Wesley at twenty-three,

played a good game of tennis, swam like a fish, rode and danced nicely, handled a gun well and all that; he rose at four, lived on £28 a year anil gave the rest away. Earnest he wus in pious study and good works, tov. The Holy Club which he founded was not the least of the Oxford religious movements; aud he put in three years as a missionary to the Ned Indians, All this was before the great day dawued for him in a little meeting-house in Aldersgate Street, London, and the John Wesley we know came into being. The bi-centenary of that memorable event is being observed by talks at 1XYA on Tuesday, May 24, Rev. F. Copeland; at 2YA, Monday, May 23, Rev. Percy Paris; at 3YA on Tuesday, May 24, Rev. M. A. Rugby Pratt, M.A.; and at 4YA, Thursday, May 26, Rev. L. B. Neale.

RANKS WITH THE MALE ‘CELLISTS.

Although vf Ltalian descent, Guilhermina Suggia, ’cellist. was born ut

Oporto, on June 27, 1888. When only five years old she received her first lesson from her father, himself a very fine ’cellist, and studied under him until, at the age of fifteen, she went to Leipzig to take lessons from Klengel. At seventeen she made her debut at the Leipzig concerts, and afterwards toured Europe. In October, 1914, she settled in England, and the rare quality of her playing placed her at once on a level with the greatest male ’cellists. Guilhermina Suggia, ’cellist, plays in iYA’s Dinner Music session on Mon: day, May 23.

NUMEROUS SHOTS AT A CAREER.

Before the ‘late John Tilley reached fame, he hed severai shots ata "career."

During the war he joined the Flying Corps, but he quickly involved the Government in a loss of about £2000, so he was promptly transferred te the Gordon Highlanders. After the Armistice a windfall of £7000 set him up as a dealer in antiques, but the demand for such luxuries "flopped"; likewise John’s inheritance. Warlier in life he tried to pass for a doctor and failed, and in other ventures as a Government official, bank clerk, something in a coldstorage concern, advertising, . canvassing and so on; he just missed, until he tried the stage, then broudeast, and won fame literally over night. Listeners to 3YA will hear John Tilley in the Music, Mirth and Melody session on Wednesday, May 25.