IN THE WAKE OF THE WEEK'S ...BROADCASTS...

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 25, 2 December 1938, Page 9

IN THE WAKE OF THE WEEK'S ...BROADCASTS...

SESSION HAS ITS FACE LIFTED eo O24

_ BAT piece of ‘‘face lifting’? is the remodelied breakfast session of the NBS, a session on which the whole Th: se

success Of tle listener’s day might depend, if only programme direeff _.

tors realised lt. JAlr OL Le juver nation has been given to the session since 2Y‘A began giving programmes re-broadeast by Hawke’s Bay. More band recordings ean be heard and, instead of second-raters, people like Ambrose and his Band and the Berlin Philharmonic are now on the air. Station TYA still has its own session and 4YZ Invercargill, rebroadeasts 4YA. In contrast with 2YA, 2ZB’s breakfast session has become very dull, but I hear changes are to be made this week to bring back its faded prestige. Chief innovation will be a Breakfast Club, conducted by Reg. Morgan.

AS SHE SPOKE

When I was a child I went to | bed at 8 p.m., no later. My own ; child now dons pyjamas at 10.15) or so, after he has heard the . music. mirth and melody people

over the . And what does he get? Let me tell you, by taking a sample from 3YA, al-

though the programme organiser could not help it. His principals wished it on him. "How-dee forks, this is Carson Robison a-tarkin’ ta ya. Guess Ah gatta bust art inta a bit o’ sentiment tonart. And’, Ah guess you'll lark them sarngs a Dit. Nah, lissen to ’em, ’Ere we go0000." "What does that man mean, Daddy?" asked my child. ~~ "Aw, shucks, kid," said I. "Ya dunno nothin’ yet. Ya stick aroun’ in the marnin’ an’ Ah’ll spill ya a hot story abaght Mister Robison an’ his Bukaroo pals. Gar ta sleep, kid, or I'll put ya on de spart. Take a knock at ya pillah an’ quit kiddin’." My wife remarked: "What on earth are you up to?" And [I replied: "My dear, this ya is the kinda stuff the kid’s gotta larn frarm Ein Zed Narshonal Starshuns an’ darn’t ya fergit it. Ah'’m garn ta pernes up that kid my own way, . Awi ray dear wife said, getting all infectious, "O.K., big boy. ga rart ahead, an’ spoil that there kia. Carn’t ya spoik de King’s English?" We laughed, and turned off the radio. . :

SECRET OF MUCH PRACTICE

Nothing more perfect of its kind has been heard through 8YA’s microphone than the work of the Americal woman trumpet virtuoso, Grace Adams East. And

the remarkable part of it is that she can switch from "Tillar~ ney" to Ravel’s "Rolero" with

the greatest of ease. Miss East starting playing the trumpet for her health’s sake. It seems to have done her a lot.of good,.in more ways than one. As with all other instruments the secret lies mainly in‘ constant practice. Wandering throngh 3Y¥A’s studios the other morning I heard her hard at. it, going from."Ave Maria" te her own arrangement of the Gershwin "Rhapsody in Blue."**%hére’ is’ In her playing a roundness and full-

ness of tone tor which countless New Zealand cornetists and others have unsuccessfully striven, although there are one or two exponents in.a fairly high rank. Miss East says she is fascinated by Maori music and is eagerly looking forward to her visit to Rotorua. Possibly cn her return to America, she will present a number of Maori melodies adapted to the trumpet. Allied with this musical virtuosity is a charming manner, courtesy in the extreme, and a demeanour that makes her the firm friend of just about everybody she meets.

ELEGANCE OF OLDEN DAYS

Old world touch of considerable charm in these days of rhythm was Riven to 2YA’s programme last week when several numbers, "Dances of Our Ancestors," were

given by 4uUlab Castle with her violin and Ronald Cas: with his rare WPlizabethan = instru-

ment, the virginais. Programme included the Minuet of Purcell, the Sarabande of Leclair, the Tam-

pourine and the Courante of Jonna Christopher Smith, all played with — an elegance and charm that — seemed to belong almost exclusively to the age that is past.

PASSED BY THEIR WINDOWS

To do its relay of a massed bands turn-out in Christchurch the other day, Station 3ZB_ did not have to go far. In fact, for the parade, all it had to do was stay put, as nine

bands miead past: the siation’s windows in Cathedral Square before

going along to Lancaster bark to give a concert ia aid of a fund for new instruments for the Salvation Army Band. Dave Combridge, who conducts the weekly band session for the sintlion, made an excellent job of the commentary and, as the bands passed the studio windows, at three-minute intervals-nmilitary, prass and vipes-a description of the uniforms and effects was broadcast by John Bickerdike, the station’s youngest announcer, Altogether. a very good effort.

‘FAST GAME; FAST BROADCAST

Listened in with some interest to an unusual relay conducted by 4ZB on a recent Saturday night. The relay was made from the leading city skating rink, was of

an account OL a hockey match on skates between Otago and Southland. Teams played

six a side, ten minute spells, and ‘the game certainly lived up to its reputation of being, next .to iceskating, the fastest game, in the world. Mr. Bright, manager. of the skating rink, gave part of, the. "running commentary, ‘but I think he found the game too fast to give

a clear description. Bernie Me-' Connell, of 4ZB, handled it later on, and I thought better, but the players shifted position so rapidly that probably even Whang MceKenzie would have been somewhat at a loss to keep up with it. Players used a square block of wood, instead of a ball, but as Bernie remarked, "It’s fast enough with that." The old complaint of time with the commercials caused the relay to be cut short at an exciting moment.

VITAL NEWS WAS WITHHELD

¥ the National Broadcasting Service is to acquire any reputation as a news service it will have to be 2 little smarter than it was the other Sunday morning. I can ae eee! ae ey

Vly Syoem Ae 2YA, but from that station at nine o’clock an announcement was made that |

the road north of ‘Taihape Was blocked owing to a military lorry crashing through a bridge over the Hautapu Stream-just that, and nothing more. Probably not half of 1 per cent. of the listeners were interested in the blocking of the road, but the thought immediately arose ia all minds: "Was anyone hurt?" This crash turned out to be one of the most tragic in recent months and, as the victims came from all parts of New Yealand, ranging from Dunedin to Dargaville, and doubtless had) many friends all over the country. 2YA’s lapse in not supplying further information was a serious one. , ~~

ELECTRIC ORGAN FROM TYA

AVING heard that a new type of electrical organ was being installed in 1YA’s big studio for a special performance on Friday nicht. I listened in and was agree-

ably surprised at what I heard, Mendel ssohn’s "Pjano Concerto in G Minor," played by Miss

Dora Judson on the piano, and by Albert Bryant at the keyboard of the electric organ. Definitely an experiment, this broadcast was interesting, entertaining and most effective. On the organ was played an adaptation of the orchestral paris. The performance was highly successful, although probably the purist would miss the orchestral colour. In the slow movement, however, the most successful, the organ attained a remarkably good imitation of the string tones. It was a novelty that was not chea> or trashy, and this serious aitempt would stand repetition again in the near future.

BRIEF BUT MOST EFFECTIVE

I have always admired the performances given by the Dunedi2 Returned Soldiers’ Choir, [t is always entertaining, always worth letenine to. Unlike many similar

choirs, it knows its limitations, never attempts to over-reach itself. Forty minutes of its last

public performance in Dunedin was broadcast by 4YA, and the choir was heard to delightful -effect in two conirasiing mumbers, "A Song of the Northmen," and "Summer's Eve." Voices blended splendidly in the rousing rhythm of the firs? number which was noteworthy for the quality of the attack. Second number was nicely interpreted, the peacefulness of the title of the part song being well suggested. Of the various selo items broadcast.I liked Messrs. C. R. Witliamson and Richard Duerten in "Tenor and Baritone," but their éneore number "Passing By," was nearly as good: . Pity there wasn’t more of the choir broadeast, and it. seems a pity 4¥A. cannot, make hrrangements to put over the whole of such concerts.