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

Radio Record, 9 December 1938, Page 27

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

MEDLEY THAT IS MERRY

enigaetiettins GS "ose number of people do not care for records consisting of medleys, either instrumental or vocal. Main argu-

ment aavancea against them is that pieces are too short. for enjoyment.

I’ve never considered that as-pect-numbers included in any medley must be abbreviated; but I have been annoyed by the haphazard arrangement of [numbers in some recordings. One record I always like to hear-and strangely enough I’ve heard it only from 42M, as I did tonight-is ‘‘Hiking Medley,’’ rendered vocally and instrumentally by the Midnight Minstrels. Well sung, well played, well connected, the dise contains more good tunes, past and. present, to the groove, than any other I know. Moreover they come rolling through the speaker with lighthearted freedom. One eould hike all day to the songs on this record, sung as they are.

EE, BY GUM, THE LAD‘’S GOOD

On Tuesday nights one or another of the many troops of Boy Scouts in Dunedin appears on 4ZB’s children hour. Sometimes the amateur talent is more amateur than

taient, DUE OCCasionally something promising is heard. I like listening to these

amateur performers because they are triers. The other Tuesday I tuned in in time to hear a boy giving "Biceps,

Muscle, and Brawn," a la George Formby. It was very much a la Formby, too; one of the best imitations of the comedian’s voice and manner that I’ve heard; and it was rounded off with the inevitable banjolele. You might say Formby’s voice is easily imitated. Maybe, but it takes a clever person to imitate successfully, not only the voice, but the personality of another, That boy was successful. I was pleased to hear Jill and Peter’s really enthusiastic reception of the boy’s item,

ENGLISH .. OPERAS ON THE AIR

For an hour, from 9.5 until 10.5 the other Sunday, 4YA gave a programme that even the most disgruntled of listeners must have agreed was first rate. Two Eng-

lish operas were on the bill, "The Bohemian Girl" and "Maritana," given by record-

ed vocalists and orchestras. As a change from Ttalinn onara. and from the ton fra

quent heavy Sunday performances, it was acceptable; as entertainment, it was more than acceptable, and nothing of any importance from either opera was overlooked. "The Bohemian Girl’ was restricted to 16 minutes, which meant that the various songs were introduced and no more, but Heddle Nash, Denis Nobel, Miriam Licette, Clare Serena, and the Grand Opera Company, gave good measure as regards "Maritana." These operas are among the best written in English, and it is good to see them for once in a while occupying a prominent place on a programme.

_ PLAY THAT A PLAY

National Broadcasting Service production, "Behind the News," a sea play by "Taffrail" (Taprell Dorling), from 8YA the other night, was remarkably well done. If all

recorded piays we hear possessed the same quality and dramatic intensity, then

eriticism would cease. More of this kind of work would be welcomed.

CLINICS FOR THE CHURCHES

The Rev. Alfred G. Hall, D.D., Ph.D., of Canada, the international of the World Fellowship of Faith and Service, has gained many followers through his

8ZB talks in the "Reflection Sessions." Dr. Hall established the "church of the

air" in America, and his appearance in person at 3ZB has already had striking results. In a talk the other evening he said the time would come when every church would need to have its psychological clinics-healing clinics where people might, by prayer, be restored to health. |

TWO UP AND COMING BOYS

Coming boys in Dunedin’s musical world. seem to be Ian Bassett and Ernie Webb, cornetists. They made their first appearance in a somewhat shaky broadcast °from

4ZB some months _ back, but were heard in better work at a later trans-

mission irom 4YA. Since then they have consolidated their teamwork, and as I listened in to them as guest artists from 4ZB the other Sunday I could not help noting the improvement, There are few things better than the cornet well played, and cornets in a duet would seem therefore to be just twice good measure. The players gave three numbers, each nicely balanced, and played with a proper understanding and sense of melody. Closing piece, "The Merry Mountaineers," tripped along joyously and was a fitting finale to a short session. Pianist’s name was not announced but he (or she) was vood.

INTIMATE BUT VALUABLE

Station 3ZB became intimate the other evening on a subject which few people care to discuss, yet which is of vital importance to many thousands. This was a side-

ight on the making of a dental plate, with the station’s Jack Bremner giving

his talk from a city dental rooms. In this way a radio station can teli the great public things it hasn’t dreamed of, and also can be of great help in| the drive after nation-wide health.

PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN

Despite the rather annoying familiarity of certain voices-an inevitable handicap to a company so prolific in play-producing as that of George Edwards-latest

contribution to} ‘Lives of Famous Women," the story of Florence Night- |

ingale, now on 4YO’s programme, is so far the best of the series. Whether or not this is because the story of the "Lady With the Lamp" has s0 much human interest about it, I am not sure, but, naturally, that enhances’ the story value. One thing I am sure of is that the company seems to have become imbued with the spirit of turning out a really good play (not all EHdwards’s productions are that) and the casting of Florence Nightingale strikes me as a good piece of work. She conveys by her voice all one has ever read of a noble woman. George Edwards’s voice is so much like Inspector Scott’s in this play that I continually expect him to say, "All right men, take her away!" The play will satisfy me as long as it lasts. Instalments are too short.

UPLIFT IN MUSIC FROM 3ZB

Commercial stations have drawn to themselves a reputation for catering exclusively for the middlebrow. True, they don’t go in for much uplift in the-way of music.

and that may be all to the good, as musical culture can be absorbed in quantity from YA

aerials, However, 3ZB presented the other night a charming recorded feature, in the shape of a "Hiawatha" session, dealing first with the "wedding feast," with the "famine" to follow. ColeridgeTaylor’s delightful music, to Longfellow’s poem, made a brilliant continuity feature, admirably arranged. In fact, it was the best thing of its kind heard from this station for many a day.

Promotion Is Soon Due ! STATION 4ZB’s latest innovation "Slaps and Claps," conducted by Lionel Sceats, gives listeners a ‘chance to say what they think of the station. Mostly there are "claps," but sometimes "slaps" like this: "Your session ‘Slaps and Claps’ is quite the most interesting on the air. ‘You will oe pleased to know that I have pasted your photo in my "Famous and Infamous People’ album. You are next to a murderer who strangled two women and shot three men. However, your position there is only temporary, and | may decide to like you and shift you beside Bing Crosby."