The Tone–Deaf Can Be Highbrow, Too!

Radio Record, 3 June 1938, Page 6

The Tone–Deaf Can Be Highbrow, Too!

ANE RAEBURN makes a plea tor the unmusical. She wants better class drama on the radio, and, in this article, pleads for it in a "kindly and forgiving spirit."

"WHERE are people to whom Beethoyer) means na more than the het Gn 3 emusic-teacher’s

Ss w = GoeeS|*" studio, in whose youth Chopin was confused with one-finger piano "chopsticks," and who think of Tschaikowsky as just another tricky name they have learnt to spell. These ate the people to whom the world of music is unknown. Either on account of lack of interest or training, or because of some physical insensitivity of the ear, they only are in a slight degree responsive to the wizatdries of controlled sound. Jazz tunes, songs and melodies with heavily-marked rhythm appeal to them-but nothing of the concertos and symphonies of the masters. Yet these people are not-as you might think. Professor Shelley-quite beyond the boundaries of Culture. In compensation for the music which they unhappily miss, they take their pleasures from art or literature, in some form, from the mastery of handcrafts, from gardening, from anything. _ Many centre their cultural interests in drama. these am I. Unfortunately for us, the radio--that fairy godmother for the musical-offers very little that is substantial. Both the commercial and the national stations put over the air dramatic serials each week. and the national stations particularly broadcast a num ber of complete plays.

But which of these plays can be said to rouse anything but the most transitory interest? Nearly all are crime plays, anaa FO

logous to the yellow-DacksS one Cdfl DUY Hi thre sands from the bookstalls, and just as easily forgotten. Occasionally we are served with such dishes as ‘‘Loyalties’’ or "Lady Windermere’s Fan."" But these are rare delights. . Surely the increasing interest taken throughout New Zealand in amateur dramatic work-of which recent articles in the ‘"‘Record’’ about Little Theatre protests against authors’ royalties give additional proof---points to a field of entertainment which the Dominion’s radio is largely neglecting. The tremendous popularity among all classes of listeners of the ‘‘Coronets of England" historical series shows how well the less frothy type of drama is received when it is convincingly done. Yet still we are fed on ‘‘yellow-backs."’ No doubt there is one important obstacle to the supply of worthwhile drama to New Zealand radio listeners-and that is the lack of competent players. Most amateurs I have heard are certainly not capable of handling any but the lighter subjects, and too often I am able to sit through radio plays only by exerting the full force of that kindly and forgiving spirit which makes some children’s concerts tolerable to me. Nevertheless, the NBS production of Galsworthy’s ‘‘Loyalties’" was a promise, that we have better talent in the Dominion that is generally allowed to be heard. Though the play was not brilliantly done, it was an honest (Cont. next page.)

(Continued from previous page.) und satisfying interpretation for all that. Why can we not have more of this type of play by this type of performer’? Is it not possible to buy recordings of good plays from Australia and Eneland? The ABC at preseut are running the plays of Shakespeare with a good deal of success. Surely what is upprecluted in Australia ought also to he appreciated across the Tasmuati. Ixu't the number of dramatic-minded und literary-minded in this Dominiou large enough for us to have a Listeners’ Panél for the criticism of playssuch as the Australian Commission have? Professor Shelley, you give the music-lovers their operas every Sunalay. Don't. you think there are sufficient word-lovers in this benighted Jand to warrant n serving, occasionally, of their little Dit of highbrow alse? { think there are. But they haven't, been found yet.