OVER THE AIR

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21354, 22 December 1934, Page 10

OVER THE AIR

[By ARIEL] . I have been gradually developing a theory that the guiding characteristics of the inhabitants of any given country may roughly be gauged by reference to their radio programmes. Without going at all deeply into this question, let me give a brief statistical summary of to-day's programmes from the YA stations. First, there are 11 weather reports from the four main stations. Two special weather reports for farmers, three special frost reports for fruit growers, one special report for mountaineers, and five weather reports for no one in particular.

Then there are 14 sports notices and summaries and results, one, talk on rockeries, one talk on home science, three devotional services, and the usual news and children's sessions. This more or less disposes of the' talk part of the programmes. Music There are no fewer than 141 separate musical bits and pieces itemised, as well as a number merely classed as "recordings." None of this music is important, although Chopin manages to squeeze in with his Fantasie Impromptu. Mother Nature is very well represented, and manages to get away with 19 descriptive tunes. Caves, camp fires, rivers, winds, valleys, forests, mills on rocks, Dutch mills, seas, roads, moonlight on the Danube, gipsy moons, moon winks, gardens, fairies, shadows, night and light. . . . When you come to think of it, it must be fairly easy to write music of this variety. Think of a tune, score it, play it over to .your best friend, ask him for a title, and then call it "Southland Moon." Animated nature is not at all badly represented. One tune concerning elephants, three about birds, one about fauns, one about bats. And Love does splendidly! Love and Spring, Love that Lasts for Evermore, Love in Clover Land, Indian Love Call, Love Locked Out, Speaking of Love, Love Everlasting, Memories of Love, and finally— I'm Going Home to My Wife. And talking about love, a few months ago an Anglo-Indian, one of those strong, silent men who keep well painted the outposts of Empire, fell in love. As he was a strong, silent man, he did not ask the girl, but instead wrote to England and asked the advice of a firm of gramophone and electric refrigerator salesmen in London. What the strong, silent man wanted was a list of gramophone records that when played would be guaranteed to melt the heart of the proud young English girl. The firm of gramophone and refrigerator salesmen rose to the unique occasion nobly. They immediately instituted a competition. The winner very appropriately lived in Byron avenue, Manor Park, London; and his list of records was as follows: Ich liebe dich (in German), Last Spring, I Love the Moon (in German), A Brown Bird Singing, Par-lez-moi d'amour, Visions in the Smoke, Love's Dream, The Old Sweet Song, Deep in My Heart, Night Brings Me You, Serenade and Ave Maria (Schubert), Salut d'amour. For You Alone, Serenade (Drigo), Serenade (Drdla), Love's Old Sweet Song, Love's Garden of Roses, La Paloma, Star of Love, I'll Follow My Secret Heart, Nevermore, The Very Thought of You, and A Place in Your Heart. The End of the Story I don't know the end of the story. The gramophone and refrigerator people sent out to the strong silent man the list of records and a packet of needles and they wished him the best of luck. Of course, had this been magazine fiction, the girl would have sent in the winning list of records, the strong silent man would have popped the question by means of RO 20191 of the Parlophone catalogue, and the story would have ended with the cinema organ playing the Wedding March and the happy couple leaving the church under crossed outposts of Empire. But alas, this is truth. I don't suppose anyone will ever know the end of the story. To return to New Zealand, and my theory that its people's characteristics may be gauged by looking at the radio programmes. What do we find?

2YA, WELLINGAON (570 Kilocycles)

First, that Saturday's programmes are distinctly light and care-free in character as compared with the rest of the week. By this it may be assumed that we are a nation that casts off the cares of the week each Saturday fairly promptly at 12 o'clock. 'Consider the many musical references to camp fires, rivers, forests, moonlight, night, and so forth; does not this fit in with the sight of long trails of motor-cars leaving the cities for the country? I think it may be said that love of the open road, of the sea, of the back country, is one striking characteristic of the New Zealander.

From a relay from Auckland of a Christmas carol concert, a stranger would rightly assume that a love of Christmas, with its attendant festivities, is inherent in us, from the multitude of weather reports the same stranger could guess that New Zealanders as a whole were vitally interested in agricultural and pastoral pursuits. And l finally, the stranger might note that the alternative programmes, being only given very brief mention, catered for a minority. He would notice that this minority was catholic in its tastes, but united at least in not caring for little musical snatches. In the alternative programmes for this evening there are nearly four hours of classical composers, one hour of modern British composers, an hour of musical comedy, and an hour of "talkie memories." William Pember Reeves William Pember Reeves, in his famous book "The Long White Cloud," made the following remarks about the habits of New Zealanders. "They are almost as fond of horses and athletics as their Australian cousins .... people' passionately fond of out-door exercises . . . with sun and sea as tonics. Music, reading, and flower gardening ars the three chief refining pastimes. The number and size of the musical societies are worthy of note ... . Picnics, gar-

PROGRAMMES AND COMMENT

Pember Reeves also said that there was as yet little sign oC originality and inventiveness in the New Zealander. And his remark holds good more than 30 years after. If the characteristics of a nation may be guessed from its radio programmes, we, as a nation, are prone to follow other countries' thoughts at a safe distance. So in wishing my readers a very happy Christmas, I also express the wish that the year 1935 may be the year that radio broadcasting in New Zealand takes its rightful place as one of the handmaidens of the arts.

den parties, and outings in boats are amongst the pleasanter functions... their geographical isolatiori and their constitution debar them from hvaing any foreign policy . . . Industrious, moral, strong, it is far too soon to complain of this race because it has not in half a century produced a genius from amongst its . scanty members. Its mission has not been to do that, but to lay the foundations of a true civilisation in two wild and lonely, though beautiful, islands. This has been a work calling for solid rather than brilliant qualities—for a people morally and physically sound and wholesome and gifted with grit and concentration. There is such a thing as collective ability. The men who will carve statues, paint pictures, and write books will come, no doubt, in good time." This was written in 1898, when radio was yet a dream. The time has now come to New Zealand, the time when men can flood the air of the country with the best in music, in culture and in art. As I write this, I can hear in the room next to me the faint strains of Beethoven's third piano concerto. At the present moment no doubt thousands of people in New Zealand are listening enthralled to Schnabel's masterly interpretation.

BROADCASTING TO-DAY'S PROGRAMMES 3YA, CHRISTCHURCH (720 Kilocycles) 7.0 to 8.30 a.m.: Breakfast session. 10.0: Devotional service. 10.15: Selected recordings. 12 noon: Lunch music. 2 p.m.: Selected recordings. 3.30: Sports results. 4.30: Special weather forecast for farmers and special frost forecast for South Island fruit growers. 5.0: Children's hour, conducted by Riddleman. 6.0: Dinner music. 7.0: News and reports 8.0: Chimes. 3YA Orchestra (conductor, Mr Harold Beck). 'The Gipsy Caravan" (Oschet); "Mill on the Rock" Overture (Ressiger). 8.15: Recording, George Baker (baritone), "Give Me the Rolling Sea" (May); "I Travel the Road" (Thayer). 8.21: Recording, Rudy Wiedoeft (saxophone), "La Cinquantaine" (Marie). 8.24: The Domino Duo in " Little Man, You've Had a Busy Day" (Hoffmann); "The Old Covered Bridge" (Hill). 8.32: 3YA Orchestra, "In a Toy Shop" (Engleman); (a) "The Doll in the Cradle", (b) "The Rocking Horse"; (c) "Pierette on the Swing"; (d) "The Dolls on Parade." 8.39: MiGeorge Titchener (comedian), "Where Did You Meet That Girl?" (Long). 8.45: Recording, Sydney Gustard (cinema organ). "Gipsy Moon" (Borganoff); "Narcissus" (Nevin). 8.51: Miss Eileen Johnstone (soprano), "Melody Divine" (Spencer); "Moonlight on the Danube" (Gay). 8.57: Recording. Orchestre Raymonde, "A Musical Snuff Box" (Liarow). 9.0: Weather forecast and station notices. 9.3: Talk, Dr. Wm. Bryden, "The Braemer Highland Games." 9.20: 3YA Orchestra, "Penelope's Garden" (Ancliffe); "My Isle of Golden Dreams" (Blaufuss). 9.28: The Domino Duo in "Waltzing In a Dream" (Young); "To-night is Mine" (Harling); "Beside My Caravan" (Vacer); 9.36: Recording, Will Kalinka (vibrophone and orchestra), "Little Birds' Evening Songs" (Richards); "Serenade" (Schulenburg). 9.42: Mr George Titchener (comedian), "I'm Going Back to My Wile" (Le Clerq). 9.47: 3YA Orchestra, "Sangre Torera" (Erviti). 9.51: Miss Eileen Johnstone (soprano), "Love Everlasting" (Friml); "Mexican Serenade" (Terese). 9.57: Recording, Orchestre Raymonde. "Parade of the City Guards" (Jessel). 10.0 Sports summary. 10.10 to 11.15: Dance music. Alternative programme, 3YL, 1200 kilocycles. 5 p.m.: Light musical programme. 7.0: After-dinner music. 8.0: An hour with Modern British Composers, featuring at 8.20 Henry Newbolt's "Song of the Sea," set to music by Villiers Stanford. 9.0: Miscellaneous Classical programme, featuring at 9.23 Delius's "Brigg Fair," played by the London Symphony Orchestra.

7.0 to 8.30 a.m.: Breakfast session. 10.0: Chimes. Selected recordings. 10.30: Devotional service. 11.15: Talk prepared by the Home Science Extension Service of Otago University. 12 noon: Lunch music. 2 p.m.: Light musical programme. 3.0 and 4.0: Sports results. 3.30 and 4.30: Special weather forecast for farmers and special frost forecast for South Island fruit growers. 5.0: Children's hour, conducted by Uncle Jasper. 6.0: Dinner music. 7.0: News and reports. 8.0: Chimes. 2YA Concert Orchestra (conductor, Mr Leon de Mauny). March. "Through Night to Light" (Lankieu). 8.8: "Music Round the Camp Fire," featuring "Buffalo Gal," "Wabash Blues," etc. 8.22: Xylophone solo with orchestra, Mr S. Bernard, "Medley" (arr. Bernard). 8.27: Richard Tauber (tenor) in a recital of four songs from the talking picture "Blossom Time"; "Thine is My Heart" with orchestral accompaniment) (Schubert); "Serenade" (with orchestral accompaniment) (Schubert); "Once. There Lived a Lady Fair" (Clutsam) with orchestra, conducted by Idris Lewis); "Love Lost for. Evermore" (Clutsam) with organ ana Choir of St. Joseph's Retreat, London. Conductor, Idris Lewis). 8.39: Trombone solo, Mr R. Owers, with orchestra, "The Joy Wheel" (Sutton). 8.45: Wilkie Bard (English comedian), singing a medley of his own songs. 8.53: 2YA Concert Orchestra, descriptive piece, "A Birthday Greeting": (1) The Greetof the Birds; (2) The Greeting of the Bells; (3) Parental Devotion; (4) The Joyous Chimes (Ketelbey). 9.0: Weather report and station notices. 9.4 Modern recorded dance programme. 10.0: Sporting summary and special weather forecast for mount- ! aineers. 10.10: Continuation of dance I programme Alternative programme, ' 2YC, 840 kilocycles. 5 p.m.: Light musical programme. 7.0: After-dinner music. 8.0: Culled from the Classics," featuring at 8.1 Cherubini's Overture. "Anacreon." 8.40: Variety and vaudeville. DAVENTRY, ENGLAND G.S.D., 25.53; G. 5.8.; 31.55. Green- ■ wich mean time. 8.30 a.m.: Big Ben. Revue—"Haircut? Shave? Shampoo?" 9.15 a.m.:"Memories of an East End Detective," Ex-Detective Sergeant B. Leeson. 9.30 a.m.: Reginald King and his Orchestra. 10.15 a.m.: The News.

SUNDAY 3YA, CHRISTCHURCH 9 a.m.: Selected recordings. 11.0: Relay of morning service from the Salvation Army Citadel. Speaker, Major Tong. 1 p.m.: Dinner music. 2.0: Selected recordings. 3.0: Fritz Kreisler and the State Opera Orchestra, "Concerto in E Minor" (Mendelssohn). Selected recordings. 5.30: Children's song service by the children of the Presbyterian Sunday schools. 6.15: Selected recordings. 6.30: Relay of evening service from St. Peter's Presbyterian Church. Preacher, Rev. A. McNeur. Organist, Mrs Sutherland. Choirmaster, Mr E. Voyce. 8.15: Selected recordings. 8.30: Recordings, The 8.8.C. Wireless Symphony Orchestra. "The Christmas Overture" (Coleridge-Taylor). 8.40: Norman Allin (bass). "Nazareth" (Gounod) (with 8.8.C. Choir); "Invictus" (Huhn) (with piano); "The Palms" (with chorus) (Faure). 8.51: Recording, J. H. Squire Celeste Octet, "Anno Domini" (arr. Willoughby). 9.0: Weather forecast and station notices. 9.3: Relay of concert programme from station 4YA, Dunedin. The Orchestra, Suite, "Christmas Tree" (RebikofT). 9.10: Recording, John Barrymore (Shakespearean recital), "Hamlet's Soliloquy: Now I am Alone" (Shakespeare). 9.14: Miss Ruth Perry (mezzo-soprano), with orchestral accompaniment, "To Music." "Death and the Maiden" (Schubert); "Still as the Night" (Bohm); "There's a Land" (Allitsen). 9.26: The Orchestra, "Spiritual" (Cameron-White); "Chanson de Nuit" (Elgar); "Noel a Vollendam" (Razigiede). 9.36: Recording, The 8.8.C. Choir, "The People that Walked in Darkness"; "For Unto Us a Child is Born" (Handel). 9.44: Recording, Alexander Brailowsky (piano), Valse Impromptu in A Flat Major (Liszt); "Marche Mililaire" (Schubert). 9.52: The Orchestra, "Musical Gems from Tschaikowsky" (arr. Schmidt). Alternative programme, 3YL, 1200 kilocycles. 6 p.m.: Musical programme. 8.0: Programme of Gems from Operas. 9.0: An hour of Band Music, interspersed with spoken and instrumental interludes. 2YA, WELLINGTON 9 a.m.: Chimes. Selected recordings. 11.0: Relay of service from the Vivian street Baptist Church. Preacher: Rev. L. J. Boulton Smith. Organist and Choirmaster: Mr Chas. Collins. 1 p.m.; ; Dinner music: 2.0: Presentation of re- | corded version of Handel's Immortal Oratorio. "The Messiah." Soloists: Soprano: Dora Labette; Contralto: Muriel ! Brunskill; Tenor: Hubert Eisdell; Baritone: Harold Williams; Chorus: 8.8.C. Choir; with full orchestra and organ. Conductor, Sir Thomas Beecham. Recorded in the Central Hall, Westminster. Sir Thomas Beecham and orchestra, "Overture." Hubert Eisdell (tenor) with orchestra, "Comfort Ye, My People." Hubert Eisdell (tenor) with orchestra, "Every Valley Shall Be Exalted"; "And the Glory of the Lord." Harold Williams (baritone) with orchestra. Recit., "Thus Saith the Lord"; Aria, "But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming.". 8.8.C. Choir, with orchestra and organ, "And He Shall Purify." Muriel Brunskill (contralto) with 8.8.C. choir and orchestra, Recit., "Behold! A Virgin Shall Conceive"; Ar*p, "O Thou That Tellesl." Harold Williams (baritone), Recit., "For Behold Darkness"; Aria, "The People That Walked in Darkness." Sir Thomas Beecham and the 8.8.C. Choir, with orchestra and organ, "For Unto Us a Child is Born." Dora Labette (soprano) and the 8.8.C. Choir, with orchestra and organ, Recit., "There Were Shepherds"; "And Lo! The Angel Said"; "And the Angel Said"; "And Suddenly." Chorus, "Glory to God." Dora Labette (soprano) with orchestra, "Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion." Muriel Brunskill (contralto) with orchestra, Recit., "Then Shall the Eyes"; Aria, "He Shall Feed His Flock." Dora Labette (soprano) with orchestra, "Come Unto Him." The 8.8.C. Choir, with orchestra and organ, "His Yoke is Easy"; "Behold, the Lamb of God." Muriel Brunskill (contralto) with orchestra. "He Was Despised and Rejected." 8.8.C. Choir, with orchestra and organ, "Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs"; "And With His Stripes We Are Healed." 8.8.C. Choir, with orchestra and organ, "All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray." Hubert Eisdell (tenor and the 8.8.C. Choir, with orchestra and organ, Recit., "All They That See Him"; Chorus, "He Trusted in God." Hubert Eisdell (tenor) with orchestra, Recit., "Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart"; Aria, "Behold, and See" Recit., "He Was Cut Off" Aria, "But Thou Didst." 8.8.C. Choir, with orchestra and organ, "Lift Up Your Heads." Dora Labette (soprano) with orchestra, "How Beautiful are the Feet." Harold Williams and the 8.8.C. Choir, with orchestra and organ, Aria, "Why Do the Nation?" Chorus, "Let Us Break Their Bonds." Hubert Eisdell (tenor)-with orchestra, He That Dwelleth in Heaven," Aria, "Thou Shalt Break Them." The 8.8.C. Choir, with orchestra and organ,, "Hallelujah" Chorus. Dora Labette (soprano) with orchestra, "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth." Quartette: Dora Labette, Nellie Walker, Hubert Eisdell and Harold Williams, and 8.8.C. Choir, "Since By Man" Chorus, "By Man Come Also"; "For as in Adam"; Chorus, "Even so in Christ." Harold Williams (baritone) with orchestra, Recit., "Behold, I Tell You a Mystery"; Aria, "The Trumpet Shall Sound." 8.8.C. Choir, with orchestra and organ, "Worthy is the Lamb." "Amen" Chorus. 6.0: Children's song service, conducted by Uncle William, assisted by the children from the Salvation Army. 7.0: Relay of evening service from St. Paul's ProCathedral, Mulgrave street. Preacher: Canon Percival James. Organist and Choirmaster: Mr Robert Parker, C.M.G. 8.15 (approx.): Selected recordings. 8.30: The Berlin State Opera Orchestra (conductor. Alos Melichar), "Triumphal" March (Verdi). 8.34: Beniamino Gigli (tenor) with orchestra, "Like a Dream" Flotow); "Oh, Paradise" (Meyerbeer); "Your Tiny Hand is Frozen" (Puccini). 8.46: The Berlin State Opera Orchestra (conductor, Alois Melichar), "Intermezzo" ("Cavalleria Rusticana") (Mascagni). 8.50: Madame Goossens-Viceroy, famous Belgian operatic soprano, "Addio Di Mimi" (Puccini); Aria, "Ritorna Vincitor" (Verdi). 9.0: Weather report and station notices, special Wellington weather forecast. 9.2: Opera Comique Orchestra (conductor, G. Cloez). "Air De Danse" (Debussy). 9.6: Mr Raymond Beatty (basso-cantate), "Now Your Days of Philandering are Over" (Mozart); "Silent Worship" (Handel); "Pretty Lady" (Mozart). 9.16: Members of La Scala Orchestra, Milan (conductor, Antonio Guarmeri). "Dance of the Water Sprites" (Catalani). 9.24: Madame Goossens-Viceroy, "The Lorelei" (Liszt); "Jewel Song" (Gounod). 9.34: Alfred Cortot and Pablo Casals (piano and 'cello). Seven Variations on an Air from "The Magic Flute" (Mozart). 9.46: Mr Raymond Beatty, "Ombra Mai Fu" (Handel); "II Lacerato Spirite" (Verdi). 9.56: Sir Hamilton Harty, conducting the Halle Orchestra, "Cossack Dance" (Tschaikowsky). 10.0: Special weather forecast for Wellington. Alternative programme, 2YC. 840 kilocycles. 6.0 to 8.0 p.m.: Selected recordings. 8.0: Four Great Pianists: Arthur Rubenstein, Vladimer Horowitz, Ethel Leginska, and Benno Moisewich. 9.0: An hour's entertainment by English bands.