NEXT WEEK’S RADIO

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25483, 1 May 1948, Page 3

NEXT WEEK’S RADIO

PITY THE LITTLE CHILDREN The air will belong to the children for the next four weeks; not to our own milk-drinking, apple-eating, skipping, cheerful ones, but to the poor of the world, the spindly-legged, big-eyed ones left wandering, hungry, and cold. The United Nations appeal for children has been mentioned often from ail' stations during the last few weeks; and it will be mentioned over and over again every day during the month of May. There will be inany talks, short and very short, possibly as many as one each day from each station; there will be what are referred to as spot announcements or reminders at close intervals; and there .Will be various special programmes, notably the opening one ‘ (to be heard from all stations) originating in Dunedin to-morrow evening. The initial appeal is quite specific: one day’s earnings from each JjTew Zealander. Gifts of foe#! and clothing are not being collected for this appeal —those are welcomed month in and month out, week by week all through the year by the permanent relief organisations of the churches and by CORSO and the Red Cross. In a world-wide effort to help the wretched children of the continents. New Zealanders are being asked to give money. For once 1 hope that every radio in the country is tuned for background day and night so that the sound of the appeal will be in everyone’s ears. END OF A TOUR

Isobel Baillie’s contract with the Broadcasting Service was for three concerts a week for nine weeks. Anyone who cares to count up will discover that the figure for the nine weeks 4s nearer 40 (concerts and solo recitals) from the first on March 1 to the last (Auckland University College) on April 30. When she passed through Wellington this week Miss Baillie looked as freshly golden as ever. It had been strenuous, she said, but great fun from the warmth in Auckland to the oysters in Invercargill. She made no promises, but mentioned an invitation to come back for the Canterbury centennial celebrations in 1950. And for the benefit of Christchurch dwellers it can be reported that she exclaimed about the excellence of the Canterbury College hall and described a recital she gave there as the one she enjoyed most during the tour. Listeners who heard her singing (with the National Orchestra) of the Finzi work in the Civic Theatre last Tuesday evening may be interested to tune to 2YC next Monday evening for a recording of a prelude and fugue for striQg trio by the same composer. But it will be some time before we have the chance of listening to recordings of the Finzi cantata and various other new works sung by Miss Baillie during this tour. Miss Baillie’s first appearance on her return.to London early in June will be in a joint charity concert with Solomon. Object: the raising of funds for the United Nations Children’s Appeal. BOYD NEEL TALKS The talks recorded by Boyd Neel in Wellington during his tour with his orchestra have now found air-space from 3YA; .they will be heard on Friday evenings. Without checking on what I said about these talks when I heard them last year from 2YA, I now recommend them as the best and liveliest set I have had the pleasure to hear from any New Zealand station. Boyd Neel is a conductor about whom plenty of musical critics argue: does ne really conduct his orchestra or does his orchestra conduct him? Is he truly musical or is he merely enthusiastic? I don’t care about the arguments or the ariswers; I am prepared to shout for his orchestra, which keeps on giving great delight under his constant baton. And I am prepared to shout for him as a radio talker I should like to hear more often. OURSELVES—OR SOME OF US The women’s series from 2YA on Tuesday mornings seems to attract a number of listeners, to judge from strap-hanging comments I have heard. (Though now one can form any safe opinion on the popularity of any particular radio session without some form of listener research. I do not know.) The next talk is on women in business. It will be by Mrs Suckling, of Wellington; she happens to be a successful grandmother as well as a successful businesswoman. This series will go round the stations when it finishes at 2YA. DISCUSSIONS The Discussion Groups seem to be acquiring a new name. Wherever I go I hear them referred lo as Brains Trusters, which, I feel, puts an onus on them. Donald McCullough, longused to the gleam of Joad and company. referred to his groups as Brains Trusts and certainly encouraged them to think the best of themselves. He told me with some pride that Norman Corwin (with whom he has gone to stay in Hollywood) sent him a copy of his'latest book inscribed “To Donald McCullough, the most trusted of the brains.” When the stress is put on that aspect of the word, the members of the old discussion groups, the new brains trusts, must surely feel a strain upon them. Well, let them seek the truth brightly, undaunted by the heavy burden of their name. Next week 3YA and 4YA are both concerned with Brains, 3YA on Tuesday evening in the question “Is the New Zealand University Graduate Uneducated?” and 4YA on Friday evening with “Should New Zealand Do More to Prevent its Export of Brains?” The problems, stated like that in the printed programmes with bristling capital letters, look formidable enough. I foresee much defining of terms. 'Hie model should be 4YA’s first in its series —a excellent sparring round the of censorship. I hope, for a better rehearing, I get the chance to listen to this from 2YA in a later switch-back system. In the meantime 2YA will present the McCulloughdirected farming discussion on Monday evening and IYA has an unspecified discussion scheduled for Sunday afternoon, May 9—power permitting, I presume. —J.