OVER THE AERIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 186, 7 August 1936, Page 14

OVER THE AERIAL.

RADIO NOTES.

TROM FAR AND NEAR.

(By TUNE-IN.)

The Australian Broadcasting Commission is importing two genuine "worldfamous grand opera stars,' in Elizabeth Rethberg (soprano) and Ezio Pinza (baritone). They will be followed by Vladimir Horowitz, the Russian, described not long ago as "the greatest pianist —dead or alive."

Parliament on the air may be all right, but Mr. E. J. Howard. M.P., overshot the mark the other day when lie suggested that meetings of the Christchurch Tramway Board should be broadcast. "Local" local-body politics have no interest outside that city, and it appears to have been overlooked that the service is a national one.

The famous English conductor, Dr. Malcolm Sargent, made his first radio appearance in New Zealand last night, when 2YA broadcast a fine orchestral and choral recital under his able conductorship. On Tuesday next 2YA will relay from the Town Hall, Dr. Malcolm Sargent conducting the Wellington Symphony Orchestra, in "Fingal's Cave" overture and numerous other works of great composers, the solo pianist being Paul Vinagradoff.

A change in the hours of broadcasts has been made by station IZJ, owned and operated by Johns, Limited. The station now broadcasts between noon and 2 p.m. on Mondays, and from 7.30 to 0.30 p.m. on Thursdays. The change was sanctioned by the Minister of Broadcasting, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, who has now assumed, full control of broadcasting, which was so long under the jurisdiction of the Post and Telegraph Department.

Up to the present 99 per cent of news (exclusive of sports items) broadcast by radio stations in Australia and New Zealand lias been taken —"by courtesy" or without —from the new&papers. It will he interesting to follow the experiment just inaugurated by 2SM Sydney, which promises a news service, six times daily, from "every town in Australia and" overseas, by telephone, cable, beam and radio telephone, within minutes of the events themselves." If that promise is fulfilled, 2SM will have to pay tens of thousands a year for the service.

Mr. J. Shaw, the well known racing commentator who is always heard from IZM before and after every race meeting- in the Auckland province, is scheduled to make four broadcasts this month. On Friday, August 21, at 8 p.m., he will review the form of the horses taking part in the Pakuranga Hunt Club's meeting at Ellerslie on the following day, while at the same hour on Saturday he will tell listeners how their fancies ran. A week later he will cover the Auckland Trotting Club's meeting, to be held at Epsom, when listeners may depend on being kept fully advised of the latest from the trotting track.

The "Mystery Minutes" competition from IZB still continues to attract I listeners' attention. It has been changed from recorded numbers to studio items and woven round a story with the names of the items played as the missing part in the episode. A musical trip around London was an innovation in the week's programme and/rather a novel way of introducing the song numbers. The various places of interest were briefly described, and as the songs were faded in it made a very enjoyable twenty minutes session. Other places and countries could be well treated in the same manner, and even old songs and tunes, when presented in this j fashion, still make ~ood listening. I

Next Thursday, in the studio of IZM, the Bill Hindman Radio Sports Club will celebrate its first anniversary with a special programme, from 7 to 10 p.m. The first hour will be taken up by the popular sports announcer, Mr. Hindman, in his weekly talk on athletic topics, and from 8 until 10 a specially arranged musical programme will be given, a number of well known artists having offered their services. Next week also happens to be the fifth radio "birthday" of Mr. Hindman as a sports announcer, and in order to mark the completion of five years' broadcasting, he is to be presented, on Thursday night, with a roll book containing the names of over 25,000 listeners in various parts of the Dominion, as a testimonial to his efforts on their behalf.

FROM 1 Yfl NEXT WEEK. Sunday—9.o a.m., selected recordings; 11.0, relay of service from the Epsom Methodist Church; 1.0 to 2.0 p.m., dinner music; 2.0 to 4.30, selected recording's; 7.0, service relayed from St. Luke's Presbyterian Church; 8.30, concert programme, featuring Thea Philips, English lyric soprano; Eileen Boyd, contralto, and Senia ChostlakolT, Russion tenor. Monday—7.3o p.m., agricultural talk by Mr H. Woodyear-Smith, "Every-day Farm Problems"; 8.0, concert programme, featuring Vincent Ryan, comedian; Freddy Cholmondeley. English humorist, and the music lovers' competition; 10.0 to 11.0, music, mirth and melody. Tuesday—2.o p.m., educational session, relayed from the Teachers' Training College, Epsom; 8.0, concert programme, featuring senia ChostlakolT, Russian tenor; Dave Howard, English saxophonistcomedian; 9.5, talk on "World Affairs," by Mr. llstG. Beil;. 9.20 to IliO, dance music. Wednesday—l 2 noon, relay of community singing from the Town Hall; 8.0 p.m., concert in His Majesty's Theatre presented by the National Broadcasting Service in aid of the funds of the Mayor's Metropolitan Unemployment Relief Fund, featuring the following artists, Thea Philips, lyric soprano; Eileen Boyd, Australian contralto; Senia ChostlaKoff, Russian tenor; Dora Lindsay, Scottish character artist; Dave Howard, saxophonistcomedian; Freddy Cholmondeley, English humorist; Vincent Ryan, Australian comedian; Lauri Paddl and his augmented Peter Pan Dance Band; ballets by the Lawson-Powell dancers, soloist, Dorothy Judd, and a full theatre orchestra under the baton of Harold Baxter; 10.0 to 11.0, music, mirth and melody session. Thursday—l2.3o p.m., relay from St. | Matthew's Church of mid-week service; 7.30, a discussion on "Communism— Which Way?" between Sydney Scott and A. R. D. Fairburn; 8.0, Bohemian Orchestral concert, conducted by Colin Muston, L.R.A.M., with Miss Gwenda Weir, soprano, as assisting artist, to be relayed rrom the Town Hall; 9.5, talk by Isabel Cluett, "Evolution of Literature for Children"; 9.20, music by grand massed bands at the Leicester Brass Band festival, 1935, and at Crystal Palace; 10.0 to 11.0, dance music. Friday—7.3o p.m., sports talk by Gordon Ilutter; 8.0, concert programme, featuring Thea Philips, lyric soprano, and Eileen Boyd, contralto; 9.5, talk by Mr. J. W. Shaw, M.A., "Calvin and Geneva"; 9.20; recordings comprising forty minutes with Franz Schubert; 10.10 to 10.30, music, mirth and melody. Saturday—3.o p.m.. running commentary on the Rugby rootball match relayed from Eden Park; 8.0, concert programme, featuring Dora Judson, pianist; R. Suddard Foster, baritone; Helen Gray, violinist; ' Gordon Fagan, tenor; Dave lio-'ard. Dora i Lindsay; 10.10 t-> 11.15, dance ■ r. .