In the Wake of the Week's Broadcasts

Radio Record, 17 June 1938, Page 6

In the Wake of the

Week's Broadcasts

R.A.F, DISPLAY BROADCAST WAS TRIUMPH

i have a feeling that those people who listened in to the Royal Air Force display in Wellington got almost as much from it as those who had grandstund seats, As publicity for the air

force, the running of the display itself conld have given points to theatré showmen, but the

broadeast arranged by 2YA was no way behind it in orgiunisation and effectiveness, The Jistener-in probably got a better idea of what was happening in the ’planes than the mere spectator, because he could hear the

instructor aud pupil conversing = iv gether, the squadron Jeader giving his commands, and the commeuts of those tuking part in the altitude flight. Alse he had the benefit of an interesting and excellently delivered commentary by I'lying-Offieer Johnstone, full of human and humorous touches-even if he didu't convince me that (ag be said at one point) flying a fighting ’plane "is al very good fun indeed!" The broadcast was further highlighted by brief and appropriate comments-by an airman of the War Years and by one who Lad fought Franco's bombers in Spain, ‘The NBS deserves full credit for ‘un out-

stundingly successful brouwdcust under what must bave-been difficult circum, stances,

""TMPRESSIONS" WERE NOT IMPRESSIVE

I do not quite know what to muke of 4ZB'’s new feature, "hnpressions," put across at 4.15 every Monday and Friday afternoon. A blending o° yerse, nicely delivered by Alex.

McDowell, and (of recorded vocal and instrumental music, these 15-minute sessions are intend-

ed fo vouyey tmuressions ot scene or character. The last .session. 1. heard

was an impression of a yagabond of the road, but, as with other sessions, I was left with a feeling of incompleteness, rather as if the "impression" had missed its objective. It is hard to know for what section of the community this feature is intended, for it falls unhappily between the high-brow and the low-brow, and it does not seem to me to be satisfactory fare for those people who normally listen in between 4 and 5 p.m. Yet there is something in the idea, and if, like most young things, it is unsteady, it should, with age, become stronger and more acceptable. sk

ALL RIGHT FOR THE SAILORS

The farewell to Kear-Admiral the Hon. &. R. Drummond by Auckland ex-naval men and broadcast on relay by 1ZM must have been a merry affair, judging by some of the things that

floated over tlre air. Those who listened to the proceedings were considerably surprised -- some

perhaps shocked-when one speaker told a tale which ended with a broad reference to a classic story of the man who obtained no fish, and another, almost as yulgar, about tle father of a famous set of quadruplets. Such stories might be quite all right and enjoyed when told at a gathering as this --for you know what sailors are-but they are certainly not suitable for consumption by listeners. The official in charge of the relay in the hall where the smoke concert was held, and others in the studio, were just as slrocked as were listeners, but they could do nothing.. It was too late to switch off th: transmitter. ve

SENTIMENT IN THE OPEN AIR

For quite a considerable time we were treated to a very thorvugh course of hill-billy recordings from practically all the radio stations on the dial. At jirst there was something quaint and

attractive about them, but, like the girl in the sweet shop, we soon found that we could not

look at wo hill-billy confection. Now. for some reason or other, 8YA is giving an honoured place in its 10 p.m. to JJ p.m. session to Carsen Robison and bis Buekarvos. A little of Mr. Robison and his supporters, Lymning the glories of the camptire, hume and mother, is al) right now and then, but for the thonsands who, rightly or wrongly, regard "music, mirth and melody" as the spice of the programme, it is not altogether so satisfactory. »

MANNERS AND MORALS BEGIN WELL

father. F, Walsh set the ball rolling nively the other evening in the new "Manners aud Morals" series of talks from 2YA. His purpose was mainly to provide an introduction to the geuer-

al theme that "man ners makyth man" und his talk wus well-mannered, quietly humorous

and well spoken. One gathered that Father Walsh rather regretted the passing of the "good old days" with their greater elegance of behaviour, though subsequent speukers in the series may have other views of the subject, The talk finished well within time, but unfortunately was followed by one of

those blank, impolite silences until the 8 o'clock chimes eame along. Are such gaps really necessary? +32

THREE VOICES SOUND LIKE ONE

The only combination of its kind in New Zealand, the Carina Trio of female artists---a soprano, mezzo-soprano and contralto-guye another short recital irom 1YA last Saturday week. It was

most enjoyable, for they sang well a good type of song. I happen to know the great amount of

trouble these three go to to get good arrangements for their numbers. Their voices blend extremely well. It was a fine composite performance and one could not detect that there were threv voices. es .

READINGS HAVE A NOTABLE DEBUT

Prutessur ‘TY. 1. Adams made his debut from 4YA the other Friday night in the new session, "Selected Readings from English Literature." He read from Dickens’s "Our Mutual Friend," and,

in recognition of the proximity of ihe King’s Birthday. read Gaunt’s speech from act IT,

seene 1, "Riehard the NSeeond." The reading could only be described mildly as a "treat," and if the professor is not inundated with "fan-mail’ then there is no justice in this world. His is in deed the perfect radio voice: unbhurried, precise, clear, full of emotion. His words were round and full. and not even the briefest syllable suffered from any suggestion ef clipping, He invested his selected extracts with 4 delight and charin that possibly even the writers would have beeu surprised tu hear, Appropriate incidental music added to the pleasure of the world, The musie, it might he said in passing, wie selected by Dr. V. I. Galway. ak,

THEY HONOUR AND ALSO OBEY

When one solitury man is tert wnong u bevy of ladies it is customury for the ladies, for some reason or other, to sympathise with him. (tallants, on the other hand, envy him.

Mr. Alfredl Wors- ley. ot 'hrisf- elmrel1, (OurT: neithej ~Hpal thy 116' @IHTT, tor hie i~

qsed to having yguite a mass of women obey him implicitly. And fhe reason for this extruordinary phenomenon *s quite a simple gue. He is conductor of the Christchurch Liederkrantzchen, one of the few solely feminine choirs in the Dominion. They gave a studic performance at 3YA a few nights ago. taking in a wide variety of works. Jnterludes by the J. HW. Squire Octet lent ariety to the benr or so of chorul music.

"TWAS ON THE BATTLE EVE

I-onuee met a wrestler whose lugs paws could stroke the prettiest little bits of melody from ua ukelele, You could hardly see the ukulele. Tt seemed incongruous, a bit, but after all, why

shouldln t 8 "10n1gu} Sun hnco1l( Immu iI OI("( in il mhile? Another interestig +XHMple of aL light

ing man going "all drawing-room" was offered listeners the other night, when

3YA. interviewed Dominic Ganzon, light-weight boxing ckampion of the Philippine Islands, the evening before he fought and beat his Australian opponent, in Christchurch. As well as chatting brightly, the visitor gave listeners some passable saxoplzone inelodies. A versatile person this, but most listeners, no doubt, would vasily prefer to take from him a tune on the s@xophone rather than a straight left.

DID MICROPHONE PLACING AFFECT PLAYING?

What happened to the Savoia Band lust Saturday? Station 4ZB relayed intervals from the Saturday night dance in the Town [lall, but the broadeust lacked the appeal of earlier ones.

The band was flat and lost tune badly. It was particular1y¥ poor in that breezy little wuun:-

ber, "f Love to Whistle." and I think no listener would have felt disposed rv whistle to the band’s playing. Maybe the microphone was badly placed, anit caused this ‘distortion.’ That may very reasunably have been the case, for there did not seem to be either a piany or a Violin in the orchestra, although the piano at least must have been there. But whether there be excuses or not. the band failed to measure up to past performances,

SOMETIMES IT TAKES THE EXPERT

Jtud ihe great god ‘Flu nor descended op ine che other week-end Ll would have joined the 12,000 sightseers at Hagley ark, Christchurch, to see the King's Birthday celebrations and the review

of the troops by his Iixcellency the Gov-ernor-Geueral, Lord Galway. However, 1 caught the spirit

o¢ the Whole thing and just about "saw" all that was going on through 8YA’s excellent commentary. ‘The yalue of passing over the ecommentator’s work to a ‘horough expert in his own line was wmply shown on this, as on many another occasion, when something out of the usu:d run has been undertaken by the station, The relay was in the hands of a military man who knew his job from quick march to halt. Bur that day. if 7 beard "Laud of Hope md Glory’ round the dials once I heard it twenty times, Very stirring. but pot good for "fit!

ARNE HARTMAN HELD HIS TITLE

When Aroe Hiartinan. "wizard of the jouno-accordion." played from 3YA the other day he undoubtedly lived up te liix title. We have "wizards" of all sorts of instruments, from the ‘eello to

the Jews harp, put how often do they fail to produce the auticipnrred musical Avice. flartmianr.

however, has the power to make his instrument sound ove moment like ou full concert organ and another like an orchestra, Just what Larry Adler his done in making the harmonica the "popular" instrument of the day. Hartman is doing with his portable band.