The Home Forum

Radio Record, 12 August 1938, Page 42

The Home Forum

Liked The Band

"Old Bandsman" (Waikato): Congratulations to the NBS for obtaining the services of the Wanganui Garrison Band at 2YA on July 31, They gave a very enjoyable concert. On behalf of brass band lovers I hope we shall hear them again in the near future.

National Anthem

"One Listener"

(Nelson)

: I for one

would be very pleased if the Nationa! Anthem, put over every evening from 2QYA, was from a record similar to Noel Newson’s rendering on the piano at Alexander Kipnis’s concerts, instead of the present (to me at any rate) mourn-fully-drawn-out affair.

Programme Announcements

"Better Service"

(Shingle Creek,

Central Otago)

; May I suggest a na-

tional programme service given every evening at 9 o’clock from 2YA Wellington. A brief outline of the other YA stations’ next-day programmes would prove a boon to the outback listenér who cannot get the "Radio Record" every week. It would also solve the problem of the sudden changes in the printed programmes.

Kingi Defended

M

8_

(Nelson)

: It appears strange to

me that Kingi Tahiwi should be handed a black mark for his sports broadeast of the hockey Test at Wanganui and that anyone who hag listened at all consistently to sports broadcasts should place it as probably the worst that has. been put across the Dominion stations. Anybody who knows the game of hockey must realise that it is probably.the hardest sport of all to broadcast, as in no other game can defence be turned into attack so quickly. As

for the enunciation-well, apparently the writer of the article cannot understand Bnglish spoken as it should be and in a way in which we hear far too little of. I would like to congratulate Kingi on the fine joh he made of a very difficult: subject.

Short Of Players?

Mrs.

K

Roberts

(Bennetts)

: I tried

hard to listen to the Dorsetshire lalourer’s feature recently, but the monotony of the same toneless voice trying hard to take many parts was more than we could bear. Is the NBS short of: players? This bad radio voice has spoilt many plays and I think it would be as well if it takes only one part in a play in future. Like George Edwards it tries to overdo things by trying to take more than one man’s part and we get tired of it.

Not Too Often |

True Band Lovers

(Westmere) :

Having read a paragraph in your interesting paper under the heading of "Station 1YA had a Dull Week," anc noting the criticism of "too frequent’ broadcasts of the Auckland Municipal Band, I would like to contribute my point of view as well as that of many others. If there is one treat I and otherg look forward to it is the fortnightly performances of that excellent band, and surely once in two weeks is not too often to have this broadcasi. If the writer of this paragraph and all Others who may share his tastes do not appreciate this type of music there are other stations in to which ther may tune and get what they want.

Wants More Symphonies

Musie Lover

| (Auckland)

: Congratu-

lations to the writer of "In the Wake of the Week’s Broadcast." The truth is that we are getting less and less symphonic music and celebrity singers of operatic and classical song than ever, although we must admit they do allow us occasionally to hear Hlizabeth Schumann and Lottie Lehman and Tawhber, but why so very seldo they allow Gigli to be heard? Even with the nightly study of the evening’s programmes, we find it difficult to keep the radio going from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m, Until quite recently here one could always rely on 1YX for an excellent symphonic programme on Tuesday evenings, but this seems now to be interfered with, and 2YC could also be relied on to supply similar concerts once or twice a week, but now that 1YA is more often than not transposed to 2¥C that, too, is wiped out. In fact unless more consideration is shown to those of whose tastes do not appreciate jazz or crooners, it looks as if we shall have to get back to our old gramophones to get at least what we are able to appreciate, Twenty-five

shillings per annum for‘what you dort like is a bit too high.

Solfa System

N J;

Williams

(89 Ponsonby Road,

Auckland) :

In ga recent issue of tne

"Record" you used an article by Mr. Y. Peters, of Christchurch. He is reported as saying "Members of big choirs in England are remarkable sight-readers. They have to be oF their conductors would be more than displeased." He, however, omitted to state that thig is chiefly the result of these people having learned and still using the tonic solfa notation. I.cannot understand why in New Zealand this is almost taboo, for those of ‘us who know realise only too well that for singing purposes there is no comparison between the two notations. I understand that solfg is supposed to be taught in the schools, but either it is taught with a great amount of indifference or the teachers are inefficient in the teaching of it, for I think it would be very difficult to find a ehild who after two years from school could even run up the various scales. Iam a holder of a solfa’ college certificate and should be happy to do anything in the way of making this method more widely known and used.

Answers To Correspondents

Answers to Correspondents.-R.G. (Te Horo): Thanks for your letter. The other side of the argument was given in next issue. "Pro Patria" (Wellington): Thanks for comments. Unfortunately much too long to publish, N.C, (Takapuna): Thanks for Suggestion. Unfortunately it is nat at the moment practicable.