THE WEEK’S RADIO Galli-Curci Sings Again

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28734, 4 November 1958, Page 9

THE WEEK’S RADIO Galli-Curci Sings Again

Amelita Galli-Curci, although not one of the greatest sopranos of this century, was certainly one of the most popular and there has been no-one to equal her in her field since she retired. On Sunday night at 9 o’clock, 3ZB will present “The Art of Galli-Curci,” which includes some of her most popular records.

GalU-Curci was born at Milan in 1889. She studied piano, harmony and composition at the Milan Royal Conservatory, winning first prize in 1903. After her graduation, on the advice of Mascagni, she began to teach herself singing with the aid of gramophone records of her own voice. She made her debut in Rome in 1909 as Gilda in “Rigoletto,” a part which became one of her finest. She appeared only in Italy, Spain and South America, until 1916, when at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, she created a furore. From then her career was a succession of triumphs until about 1934, when a goitre ended her career.

Although she never equalled the brilliance of Luisa Tetrazzini or Nellie Melba, Galli-Curci could be dazzling in florid music. But her pure, limpid voice was unequalled at maintaining a floating legato line, a quality which is well shown by two of her records in this programme—“Ah. fors e lui” from “Traviata,” and “Comme autrefois” from Bizet’s “The Pearl Fishers.” Bernard Shaw once said that he had never fully appreciated the genius of a certain soprano until he heard her sing “Home, Sweet Home.’’ The same could be said of GalliCurci, and “Home, Sweet Home’’ is another of the songs she sings. Most of the recordings are acoustic, but Galli-Curci’s voice was recorded by this process equally as faithfully as by the electrical method. Atomic Energy “The Story of the Atom,” a series of talks by Sir John Cockcroft, is, according to the 8.8. C., a unique personal account of the history of atomic energy The first talk comes from 3YA at 7.15 p.m. tonight. Sir John Cockcroft was director of the Atomic Research Establishment at Harwell from 1946 to 1958, and he led the British delegation of scientists to the Atoms-For-Peace Conference in September. He traces the story from the days of Lord Rutherford to the first nuclear power station and the widespread peaceful use of radioactive materials. He refers to the future, especially the enormous potential of Zeta. Egyptian Music

Although egyptologists can read Egyptian writings on papyrus and stone, they know the actual sound of very few words. The only way of filling the gap and hearing the sounds the Egyptians heard is by means of their musical instruments, many of which exist in a good state of preservation In some cases they have been ready to play as found; others have been restored. Dr. Hans Hickmann, professor of comparative musicology at Hamburg University and author of many publications on the music of the Middle East, has illustrated his talk, “Music of the Pharaohs” (3.2 p.m., YA’s, Sunday) with a number of these instruments. One is the oldest lute in the world, which dates from about 1500 B.C. Other sounds heard are those of the gold and silver trumpets found in the tomb of Tutankhamen.

More primitive music will be heard in “Music of the American Indians,” by Professor Hugh Miller, of the University of New Mexico. In the first of two programmes (3YC, 9.30 p.m., Thursday), Professor Miller will play records of the music of the Pueblo Indians. “Ghosts” When Ibsen’s play, “Ghosts,” received its first London performance in 1891 it was greeted with a storm of hysterical abuse, and it was not until 1914 that the Lord Chamberlain allowed it to be performed in public. Nowadays, “Ghosts” is regarded as a great play and Ibsen as a great playwright. “Ghosts” is Ibsen’s most savage attack on conventional respectability. Among the actors in the 8.8. C. World Theatre performance of “Ghosts” from the YC’s at 8 p.m. on Friday are Fay Compton and Sebastian Shaw. The production is by Vai Gielgud. 12th Century Peter Dronke, the first of whose two talks, “The 12th Century in Europe,” will be heard from 3YC at 10.30 p.m. on Saturday, is a young New Zealander who has recently taken up a scholarship at Merton College, Oxford. In the talks he attempts to uncover something of the spirit of the twelfth century as it was expressed in its religious symbols, art, poetry, and philosophy and to show its affinities with pre-Christian Europe. N.Z. Composers During the next six weeks, music by New Zealand composers will be featured in the studio concerts of the National Orchestra. This week, music by Doris Sheppard, Max Saunders and Peter Crowe will be heard. Tonight from the YC’s at 8 o’clock John Hopkins will conduct Doris Sheppard's overture, “City Square,” and Max Saunders’s “Interludium for Strings.” “City Square” evokes impressions of Palmerston North —where the composer lived for a time—with trains passing through the centre of the town. Max Saunders has been for many years on the music staff of' the 8.8. C., and he has written much music for radio and television. Peter Crowe, whose “Elegy for Strings” will be played on Thursday (YC’s, 8.30 p.m.), is a keen supporter of the 12-note method of composition. He is also known as a critic and radio speaker. Each concert will also include a Sibelius symphony—No. 1 on Tuesday and No. 2 on Thursday. Other New Zealand composers whose music will be heard are Douglas Lilburn. Thomas Gray. Barry Moss. Larry Pruden, Ronald Tremain, John Ritchie, and Henry Shirley. Australians And Us J. M. Thomson's talk, "Is My Brother a Boa Constrictor” (YC’s, 7.30 p.m., tomorrow), is about relationships between New Zealand and Australia, New Zealanders’ attitudes to Australians and vice versa, and the development going on in the two countries. J. M. Thomson is a New Zealand free-lance journalist who knows both countries well. Festival Music

Three more concerts from the 1958 Edinburgh Festival may be heard this week. From the YC’s at 8.30 p.m. on Sunday there is a concert of music by Benjarabi Britten. Ernest Ansermet ducts the boys of the RdJK Danish Chapel Choir, the Covent Garden Opera Chorus and Orchestra. The soloists are Jennifer Vyvyan (soprano), Norma Proctor, the contralto, who was found by Viennese critics recently to be the equal of Kathleen Ferrier, and Peter Pears (tenor). The works are “Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia” from the opera, “Peter Grimes,” the song cycle “Les Illuminations,” and the “Spring Symphony.” Tomorrow night from the YC’s at 8.30 there is a concert of early and modern music by the Montreal Bach Choir. The third concert (YC’s, 9.56 p.m., Friday) is a recital of songs by C. P. E. Bach, Schubert, and Brahms by the Canadian soprano, Maureen Forrester. Reminiscences

Beginning at 4 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, 3YA this week begins a series of talks by speakers of more than 70 years of age, who look back on the past. The title of the series—“ Look Back With Pleasure”—indicates the thread which runs through all the talks. The series was arranged by Arnold Wall, of 3YA, who wished to record memories of the past which might otherwise have been lost. The first speaker is a 72-year-old retired carpenter, Jim Meek, of Sydenham. Czech Tenor

At 2 o’clock on Sunday the YA’s will present the first of two programmes of music from Czechoslovakia Radio. The first programme consists of music by Dvorak and Smetana, mostly well-known orchestral pieces. The rarity of the programme is the finale of Dvorak’s opera, “Russalka,” sung by the tenor, Beno Blachut. Both Dvorak’s operatic music and Beno Blachut are rarely heard outside Czechoslovakia. Blachut has been acclaimed as the finest lyricaldramatic tenor in Europe. Ghost Town

“Abandoned Settlement” (3YA, 10 o’clock tonight) is a documentary by Basil Clarke about Cross Creek on the old Rimutaka railway line, which has been deserted since the rail service over the hills ended in November, 1958.