THE BROADCASTING BOARD

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20956, 9 September 1933, Page 19

THE BROADCASTING BOARD

TO THE RDITOB OF TJTB PHB9B. Sir,—l was very pleased to see in to-day'B paper a letter by "Tristan" supporting "Ariel." I agree with everything he says and think it is high time the Broadcasting Board gave some consideration to those listeners who want classical music. The Sunday afternoon programmes are looked forward to by all the members of my family. The fine recorded talks are an added joy we all appreciate. It seems a pity that we cannot have a classical half hour from each station every night, following on at different times. Surely everyone would be satisfied then and one could tune m to the type of music one desired. There are so many wonderful records that one could revel in. All Beethoven's symphonies are recorded by the finest orchestras in the world. U listeners were given the opportunity of hearing them I am sure they would soon grow to love them. String quartettes are seldom given to us and there are literally dozens of them to choose from. , A . , , r I hope that others who think as I do will take the opportunity of Joining in this correspondence.—Yours, etc., LIVING IN HOPES. September 7, 1933. TO TH(6 EDITOR Of Tin? WUSHS, Sir,—There is certainly neecl for those interested in the broadcasting of better music to back up "Ariel" in his criticism, lest it be thought that he is lighting a lone battle, David against Goliath—though I am not sure whether the giant should be the Broadcasting Board or the noisy section of the public that immediately raises a howl at the mention of classical music on the air. This latter group is like the theatrical pit or gallery, ready to "boo" on the least provocation; whereas the lovers of the "classical" (the board calls by that divine name everything that is not jazs, comedy, or dialect, and has even included in the "classical" hour a jazz, version of Liszt's Liebestraum!) —those who prefer music of some intellectual appeal are like the stalls and circle, inclined to be too "genteel" to protest vocally. But it is time some of us raised a rebellious voice, and make the board realise that we do represent a considerable section of the listening public, and as such are as much entitled to special service as the sporting, the love-sick, the light-minded, or any other section. What your correspondent "Tristan" said of the programmes coincides in general with the opinion and experience of nearly every person who has any pretence to education or culture beyond the primary school standard, and of very many of those who have

not more than a primary education in music. To say so is not necessarily to cast aspersions on those who lor any reason prefer the lighter, less intellectual, type of entertainment. It is simply to assert that there is another group which is not receiving fair treatment from the board. My impression is that what is wrong is not the policy of the board, so much as its methods. It. must not be forgotten that, the board has seized nearly every recent opportunity to broadcast a performance of the great artists who have visited us, for which .service it deserves our thanks. Those broadcasts were uniformly popular—singers, actors, grand opera, instrumentalists. What was the secret of their success? I suggest that it lay in the fact that there was a continuously high standard sustained for a specified period—a whole night, or part of a night. Those who did not want to listen switched on to another station, because they bad not to endure what they dislikc-d in order not to miss what they did like. For those who listened, there was no clashing of musical colours. The board, in an honest cfTort to •••oncoct programmes en that each would find something to his taste, has in effect pleased nobody. Those who have no present desire to raise their cultural standards have been disgusted bv the inclusion of "too much highbrow stuff"; while the educated—l use the word in the wider sense that knows no social distinctions —after enjoying a few minutes with a great artist, suddenly find themselves plunged into the banalities of the night-club or the tap-room. That is bad programme psychology. The same people might enjoy night-club, tap-room, and grand opera, but they certainly are unlikely to mix them. I have a personal bone to pick with the board. For some reason it panders atrociously to the racing fraternity more than to any other section. It will ruthlessly interrupt the "classical hour' (if it does not completely cancel it on race days) to give painfully reiterated details of the last or next race; in no other sport-broadcast is there such "damnable iteration" of cietail, as though the patrons of: the turf were so mentally deficient that one telling was insufficient. If a holiday comes along, away goes the classical hour—perhaps the only time the men interestsd have opportunity to hear a consistently high-grade programme. I was glad to read "Tristan's" appreciation of the 3ZC classical Sunday nights—they are a boon, and I for one was particularly grateful for the whole of "To.sca." With the sets of magnificent records available the national stations should be able to familiarise the public with the great operas and educate its ear. It need not antagonise those who prefer the "homely" programme in doing so; it is more likely to do so by including in popular programmes mere excerpts in foreign tongues, which are gratifying only to those who know the context. The board is being attacked from all sides, by the less as well as the better educated. Not all the criticism is captious. Surely it has had time to adapt the experience of the British Broadcasting Corporation and Australian Broadcasting Corporation to New Zealand conditions. At present it teems to be merely opportunist. "Ariel" has at least given it practical suggestions to try out.—Yours, etc., NEAR HIGHBROW. September 8, 1933. TO THE EUITOH OF THE PRESS. I Sir, —I have been reading with much interest the letters appearing jn "The Press" regarding broadcasting. Some of the items, such as saxophone solos and such-like moaning instruments, should, in my opinion, be barred. How anyone can enjoy these is a mystery. One night recently the 3YA orchestra took up about half the evening's programme, but I have not noticed any complaints about it in your paper. I can only suppose that Christchurch people listen in to Wellington or Australian programmes. I wonder why the Broadcasting Board arranges such a dull programme for Sunday afternoons. I would love to hear some of the great masters' works on the piano, such as Beethoven's sonatas. —Yours, etc., MUSIC LOVER. September 8, 1933.