In the Wake of the Week's Broadcasts

Radio Record, 12 August 1938, Page 6

In the Wake of the

Week's Broadcasts

NEW ZEALAND PIANIST FROM LONDON

‘From a London stution the other night I heard a pianoforte recital by the young New Zealand pianist, Marjorie Alexander, who went overseas to study some time ago. ‘The reception was zood, the per-

formance was adnnirable, and many Christchurch mausicians told me later

that they also had tuned in and been delighted with Miss Alexander’s improvement in technique. Will she be lNke one of the few musicians: who come back to their homeland, or will ghe, like the others, forget New Zealand when success comes her way?

DO THEY WANT TO GO "ALL SPORTY"?

On the recently discussed subject of NBS, talks, I must have my wail. ‘Why on earth should SYA, in the middle of Carnival Week, decide to go all American? What people want to hear at that gala time is sporting stuff-

' not the impressions of folk who kbave pottered about the warld 9a hit. Toast

week Mrs. M. M. Burns talked about America’s gardens, and Mr. A. L. M.. Perry about travelling by railroad and track and highway across America. Something nearer: home would, perhaps, have been welcomed by sporting folk, aud the undoubtedly interesting talks could have come later.

BARRISTER WHO HOLDS COURT

Whatever the holes, there Was timely seuse in Mr. L. A. Macintyre’s argument against NBS talks, whicb appeared in the "Record" special article of July 29. There definitely is room for

brighter tarks trou the New Zealand Nationals, for the present tendency toward the st ‘idly

poring is attracting, like the "Whirligig of Time" series, very few Listeners indeed. As an example of what is wanted, I would cite the brief series, "Crimes, Curious and Sensational" which has been handled by 4¥A recently. These talks, really part of 2 long series spread over many months,

were given by Mr. C. J. L. White under the anonymous title "A Dunedin Barrister," and apparently won a huge following in the south. Mr, White always marshals hig facts neatly, and speaks in a concise and amusing manner that at once puts him "on side" with the listening public. When this Dunedin barrister holds court the room’s fuil--and I’m in it!

TRAVEL TALK WITHOUT DISCOMFORTS

-s Another talk of the right kind came last week from 2YA on Thursday night. Mrs, E. McKellar-a stranger so far as I know, and, of course, the NBS anuouncers never tell!-spoke on "Alpine

Sports" all over the world, from Hurope to New Zealand, iv i pleasantly conver-

sutional way thal urade icy slopes, even in the cold weather, sound infinitely alluring. Mrs. McKellar has @ deep contralto vvice. one of the most attractive I have hcard recently in 2 woman radio speaker, and

she wag not afraid to put expression into her words when they needed it. 1 hope her talk will go the rounds of the Nationals-it made one realise that radio at its best does open one way of hearing really entertaining travel chai Without the necessity of sitting on a hard concert-hall chair in a draughi und wondering how long it wil) be be fore ove can decently leave for bome.

TWINS ARE USING DOUBLE VOICE

Conuuercial radio’s sbe-twins (pre nounce ski) did not impress me very much when a few months ago they took over 2ZB’s nine o'clock recipe sessions, They were inclined to elocutc

and were Lav uneasy to joke with the microphone, Lately, however, these twe

yvoung announcers huve improved 4 good deal. They talk with more vonchalance und are learning to capitulise on their double voice, an asset which at first they treated as definitely a liability, and, if anything, tried tu conceal. Now they are using "back chat," quite amusing at times, and doing a good deal of interrupting and Tt all lends variety to radio‘s routine sessions. Mind you, some of my experienced women friends tell me the Twins go astray now and then with their ingredients. Maybe so, but who is 2 mere man to judge the quality of an airy scone!

PLAUDITS FOR QUEEN BESS

"The Coronets of England" series ou (Jueen Elizabeth came to an end at 1YA last Wednesday night. Like thousauds of other listeners, I followed the series through and was sorry

when the Jlizabethan story concluded. Whoever played the role of Vlizabeth from her

youth to her old age deserves the highest praise for a remarkable performance. Her soliloquy before the death of Essex, in the second to last episode, wus one of the finest pieces of emotionul acting I have heard in any drama, over the radio or on the stage. J think many listeners would like to be told the names of the excellent cast in this series. T have heard vaguely it was recorded in Australia by an English company on tour of the Commonwealth, Could the NBS tell me? The new series of "Coronets of England" from 1YA deals with Mary, Queen of Seots, and is just as good entertain-

ment if the reaction of Wellington and Dunedin listeners is any indication.

AN APOLOGY TO MICHAEL.

Last week, shume upov us, the "Re cord" paid an undeserved compliment! Bryan O'Brien took it, for the sad story .of little Harry und his "Badgie," whieh was told on one of the closing

nights of 2#4bs late lamented Young New Zealanders’ Ratdio

Journal, Actually it wus Michuel who wade my Adan’s upple choke in my throat that evening with the pathos of his tale. Sorry, Bryan, and congratulations, Michael, for a memorable example of how stories for children should be told aver the air,

PROGRAMME GAVE ME A.COLD

Perhups iu a spirit of bitterness, 41.0 featured recently au apt continuity progrulime in which every recording had :omething to do with cold and uncomfortable weather. True, there wasn’t much snow or frost

but the rain came down so heavily I almost went © out

and pub on galuvshes! "On a Cold and Frosty Morning" opened the programme, and later on came "Rain," "Singing in the Rain.’ "Onder My Umbrella." "When

Ll Met My Girl in the Rain," "Rhythm of the Rain," and "When the Rain Comes Roaring Down." After so much ‘wetness, it was singularly apropos to include ‘the whimsical comedy sketch, "Musical Influenza." Sneezing heavily,*I waded from my radio set and to bed. And I did have a cold next morning! vs

bust AND JIGSAW PUZZLE

It is not often, these days, that I listen to the radio when there’s no work to be done. I was just switching off 2YO last Wednesday night to return to my jigsaw when the first lines of

Graeme -: Holder’s "Dust" caught my attention. Thirtyfive minutes later I:

recovered consciousness. Something or other about that little play "got" me. Atmosphere, 1think, The theme was melodramatic, not over original, and possessed no particular artistic entity. But yet I could smell the dust of the Oklahoma "dust bowl" until I almost choked. I felt that trees were my personal friends. After hearing the fate of the tree-murderer I realised Arbor Day had. a new signi’ ficance for me. That, after all, is what the stiff-moving little drama aimed at doing, "Dust" was a very fine job of work to the credit of the NBS production team. Lately they are coming ou iby leaps and bounds,

DID WAR START LIKE THAT?

? On the anniversary eve of the outbreak of the Great War last week, IT tuned in to 2YD giving a timely recording of the play, "Twenty-four Hours." T missed this. I think. when it came

ovec from one of the main stations earlier in the year, but in a way I was glad because it was

so weighty with significance last hursday. All the same, why can’t we have something less conventional on such a day? "Twenty-four Hours" struck me as being very much hack-work, the theme splurgy, the script ponderous. aud the acting entirely without zest. Adequate perhaps, as radio drama goes. but certainly not an original or ever an interesting view of the crooked politics and blunders that goaded the purblind nations into the futile massacres of 1914-1918. MM

ONE HORSE CAME PUFFING HOME

Because T like the mouth organ (well played) I listened as often as I could to contestants in the recent 4ZB harmonica competition-not that the pieces were always well played by any

means: f[ amused myself by "picking the winners," and in the under 15

. Class backed # young fellow who played "Silent Night" with real sincerity. Ouly one of my horses came home, but I was delighted it was the player of "Silent Night." His tremolo was remarkably fine. The winners were: A grade (under 15), H. Donaldson; B grade (over 15), W. A. Waller; OG grade (chromatic), L. Sainsbury. _"