PERSONALITIES ON THE AIR

Radio Record, 12 August 1938, Page 16

PERSONALITIES ON THE AIR

LEADER OF POPULAR TRIO

HE guitar is coming into its own again. Even in Spain, the land of the guitar, it had been suffering an eclipse for some time past-the rest of the world regarded it as nothing more than a slightly superior type of banjo. As a matter of fact, however, the guitar is a true musical instrument, only survivor in style and manner of the lute family of the Middle Ages. It was played all over Europe from about 1600 to 1720, when it began to be superseded by the harpsichord and later by the piano. Even so, it maintained some hold in Spain and Italy. Now a revival has set in everywhere, the modern electric guitar coming to the aid of the older instrument. 2YA listeners will hear Mr. D. G. Paris perform on the electric guitar on Thursday, August 18.

Although born in Dunedin, Max Schetrek spent many years abroad _ be-

Tore returning to settle finally in his native city. At the age of five he went with his parents to Melbourne, and afterward came under the tuition of a number of musicians whose names are household words in European musical circles. Mr. Scherek gives not only Dunedin but 4YA listeners everywhere a taste of his quality. One of his favourite fields is chamber music. 4YA listeners hear the Max Scherek Trio frequently in the evening sessions.

FILM MIMIC AND ANTIQUES.

It was quite by accident that TForence Desmond discovered she had

ability to sing as well as to act. Now she is justly famous for her imitatious of well-known actresses. She heean har

stage career in pantomime, ther became one of Mr Cochran’s celebrat ed young ladies When success came her way she took it with a smile and , made it an excuse to indulge some of her favourite interests, She is now often seen haunting antique shops, with eager eyes peering

for Old Staffordshire figures. This attractive blonde-haired, hazel-eyed actress was born in London one-ang thirty years ago. Her real name is Florence Dawson. _4VA listeners will hear Florence Desmond, impersonator, in the musie, mirth and melody session on Tuesday, August 16,

"ROTUNDITY AT THE ALBERT HALL."

When Ina Souez was televised recently in London, she wore a replica

of the dress used by Christine Nilsson at her farewell concert in 1888. Nilsson, great singer of Victorian days, was once caricatured by "Punch" because of this frock. It had such a tremendous bustle that the "Punch" artist was tempted to portray it under the title of "Rotundity at the Albert Hall." Incidentally, Ina Souez, in her television

broadcast, sang the aria, "Angels, ever bright and fair," from Handel’s oratorio, "Theodora," which was one of Christine Nilsson’s most popular songs. Ina Souez, ‘soprano, will be heard from 2YA on Sunday, August 14, in the role of Donna Anna, in the complete recording of Mozart’s opera, "Don Giovanni."

PUZZLING ODE TO HENRY PURCELL

Many people know f of the famous epitaph to Henry Pureel] in Westminster

Abbey, which states flatly that he "is gone to that blessed place where ouly his harmony can be excelled." That Purcell was lamented by his brother musicians and poets is seen by the number of odes written to his memory, but perhaps the quaintest tribute was in the form of a Latin rebus, set as a catch by John Lenton, a singer and member of the royal band of William and Mary. The Englisk. version of this musical puzzle runs thus:The Mate to a Cock, and Corn talt us Wheat, Is his Christian Name, who is Musick’s Compleat ; His surname begins with the Grace of a Cat And concludes with the house of @ Hermit, note that; His skill and Performance each Auditor wins, But the Poet deserves a good kick on the shins. The solution is, of course, Hen-rye Purr-cell. Listeners to 3YA will hear a concert of Purcell’s works on Sunday, August 14.

HER FLAIR FOR COMEDY.

‘Little wonder that Mrs. Guy Cotterill, with her flair for bright comedy and

her radiant stage personality, is widely popular in Christchurch repertory cireles. Successes to her eredit include

such productions a% "Mary, Mary,’ Quite Cox trary," "Her Shop," "The Late ChristoBean," "The Cat’s Cradle," "Captain Banner," "The Young Idea" and = "Tucky Dip." Before she went into

repertory, Mrs. Cotterill scored in roles for the Christchurch Operatic Society, She has also done a little adjudicating, and is no stranger to the microphone.

3YA listeners will hear Mrs. Guy Cotterill in her first radio talk, "By Palm Green Shores-A Round Trip to the Islands," on Friday, August 19.

He Told Tales | On Teachers |

{T was Bulow, the great pianist, who persuaded Liszt to teach the piano to the young Scotsman, Frederick Lamond. Now the pupil, an old man of 70, tells two-stories about his benefactors. Nothing irritated Liszt moré than to have a pupil make mistakes. He used to say, "Don’t bring any dirty linen to be washed at the lesson." Or if a pupil made too many mistakes he was likely to say, "Young lady, you had better play Czerny," which was considered a terrible reproof. Bulow, too, could be severe about errors. Lamond teils of a brilliant young Jewish pianist who, in the embarrassment of playing before Bulow, made some mistakes in a run in the left hand. "Young man," said Bulow, "your right hand is kosher (clean), but your left hand is trefer (unclean)," The damning remark referred, of course, to the rabbinical laws about food, The 70-year-old pianist, frederick Lamond, will be heard from 1YA on Sunday afternoon, August 14.

QUEEN WHO WAS. STAR-DOOMED.

Tf ever a woman was star-doomed, that woman was Mary, lovely Queen

of the Scots. It was death to hate her, death to love her. First there was the French boy who was ker husband for two years-King Francis II, a sickly brat of sixteen, who died of a brain tumour. ‘Then followed Chastlehard, the poet-hanged; Rizzio, with fiftysix wounds in him; Darnley, blown sky-high and stabbed as he tried to escape; Norfolk, who was given fair — warning by Queen Bess to mind "on what pillow he laid his head," but who loved Mary all the same till suddenly there came a swift summons to the Tower-and to the block; Babington, who plotted for Mary so clumsily and was drawn and quartered for it. Only Bothwell lived to say he had loved her, but even he, divorced and banished, died a madman, locked in a Scandinavian prison. 1VA listeners meet Mary, Queen of Scots. in the Coronets of England series on Wednesday, August 17.

YOUNG ORGANIST WITH AMBITIONS.

As one of Wellington’s younger school of organists, Mr. Brian Withers

has set a fine example of efficient service. First at St. Luke’s Church, Wadestown, then ‘for a year at St. Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, now in his present post as relieving organist at St. Peter’s Church, he has given churchgoers much deep pleasure by his playing. A Gold Medallist and L.A.B., Mr. Withers has been offered two scholarships for study in England, but had to refuse both: offers for financial reasons. Nevertheless he is still ambitious to visit Bngland and study at Sir Sydney Nicholson’s School of English Church Music, where all aspects of organ work are taught-from recital work to choir training and the training of boys. Mr. Withers has made several organ arrangements of works for his own use. On Sunday, August 14, the morning service of Si. Peter’s Anglican Church will be relayed by 2YA.

FROM CARAVAN BUDAPEST CAFE.

Recording the genuine old-style gipsy music would involve all sorts of

difficulties. It would mean taking a van out on the remote plains of Hungary and stalking an elusive caravan to its evening lair. Bven then, the fiddler might or might not be in form. But supposing everything did go well, supposing you hid your microphone be\hind a cooking pot and caught the Zigeuner at his wildest and most unself-conscious-it is still very doubtful whether sophisticated gramophone listeners would be much impressed. ‘The easier alternative is to visit a fashoinable cafe in Budapest, and find some such famous Tzigane musician as Magyari Imri.. 1VA listeners will hear Magyari Imri and his Hungarian Gipsy Orchestra on Wednesday, August 17.

HE FOUND BLOOD WENT ROUND.

The Pnglish philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, ‘used to say of his contemporary

Willlam Wiarvey, discoverer or the Cir: culation of the blood, that he was the only man who ever lived to see his theories established during his own lifetime. Nevertheless, Harvey’s discovery roused the jealousy of his brother

NATIONALLY "JUST A SALAD"

physicians, and his patients all deserted him for other doctors. Harvey, however, was a rich man, and a generous one. He built a library for the College of Physicians with a great parlour underneath, and gave the college his estate at Burmarsh, in Kent. He also endowed the Harveian Oration, which is still delivered each year on St. Luke's Day. Harvey’s most interesting literary work is a description of the postmortem examination of Old Parr, who died at the alleged age of 152. SYA listeners will hear a talk on William. Harvey by Dr. J. Guthrie, on Wednesday, August 17.

Jeanne de Casalis, ereator of "Mrs, Feather," one of the most famous of hu-

morous characters in present-day literature, confessed recently that nationally she is "just a salad." A woman of Basque origin, born in Basutoland, edueated in Paris and married to an Englishman, Jeanne has a glittering personality, "is usually most alert, but when at all vague is usually thinking of three things at once." She loves practical jokes of. a simple sort and is given to impersonating her servant on

the telephone and saying she is sorry Miss de Casalis is out. On the other hand, she loves classical music, writes wittily, and at her cottage at Charing, in Kent, delights in doing her own gardening. Jeanne de Casalis, entertainer, will be heard from 4YA in the music, mirth, and melody session on Thursday, August 18.

ALFREDO WAS ON VARIETY TOUR

Hailing from the important New Jersey city of Newark, Alfredo, the fam-

ous light orchestral conductor, was in his day a child prodigy who studied under a favourite pupil of the great Joachim in his native city. He made his debut as soloist at the age of twelve with the local symphony orchestra, of which he was a member. After a few years he became the violinist in a Classical quartet company and toured the variety theatres for two years, when he determined to do a "lone act," and made a distinguished reputation as "The Vagabond Violinist." Alfredo and his Orchestra will be heard in 3YA’s Dinner Music session on Tuesday, August 15, and Friday, August 19; and he will also be heard from 4YO on Saturday night, August 20. :

(NO SHACKLES FOR THIS MAN.

A young man with the Englishman’s wholesome outlook on life and art, Les-

lie Woodgate contrives to steer clear of the shackles in which the folk-song cult is apt to bind some of his contemporaries, Apart from being & clever composer, who received a Carnegie Award for a composition in 1923 on his 2ist birthday, Leslie Woodgate is employed at the BBO as choral and orchestral conductor. While at the Royal College of Music, he studied composition under Armstrong Gibbs and the organ under Sir Walter Alcock. The BBC Chorus, under Leslie Woodgate, will be heard from 4YA on Sunday afternoon, Augusé 14.

ROYAL | FAMILY BROADWAY.

The so-called Royal Family of Broadway, the famed "Fouse of Barry:

more," has three of its members in the films-Lionel, Ethel, and John. John is rated by some as America’s best actor. His real name is John Blythe, and he was born in Philadelphia on February 15, 1882. For a time he de parted from family tradition by serving as’ a cartoonist on a New York newspaper, but in 1903 he decided to follow in his parents’ footsteps and began his stage career by playing in "Magda." In 1926 he \-ent to London to play in Shakespeare, and started his film career in 1915 with the uproarious farce, "Are You a Mason?" 4YA listeners will hear John Barry: more on Sunday afternoon, August 14, in Gloucester’s Soliloquy, from Shakespeare’s "Henry. VI." |

ANY MUSIC BUT JAZZ TUNES.

Sinee Cedric Sharpe’s Sextet first broadcast in 1931, it has climbed

steadily into the affections of listeners and filmgoers. The combination can play any type of music except jazz, and hag been chosen primarily for its experience in quartet playing. The leader: is Hdward Virgo, and the ’cellist, of course, Cedric Sharpe. , The Cedric Sharpe Sextet will be heard in 2YA’s dinner music session On Tuesday, August 16.

The Crean Rises To The Top

JR,DUCATION in the hard school of musical experience has enabled Richard Crean to rise to the top of theatrical conducting. He started in Dublin at the Royal Irish Academy, studying harmony, counterpoint, orchestration, piano, and violin. In 1912 he went on a world tour with the Thomas Quillan Opera Company. Half-way through the tour, he transferred himself to the musical staff and became chorus-master and solo coach. Back in London in 1914, he went straight to the grand opera season at Covent Garden, and was soon working alongside Adrian Boult and Julius Harrison on the musical staff. Sundry London and provincial appointments led finally to his important appointment at the London Palladium. SYA listeners will hear the Richard Crean Orchestra on Friday, August 19. fe ee x a |