RADIO IN THE HOME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22401, 23 April 1936, Page 17

RADIO IN THE HOME

THE WEEK'S PROGRAMMES ADDRESS BY LORD GALWAY dance bands to broadcast JJY ALL-WAVE The evening session at IYA to-night will open with " Following in Father's Footsteps," a variety programme produced by Charles Brewer and recorded by the ii.B.C. At D.5 p.m., from 2YA, Sydney MacHwan (tenor) and Duncan Morrison (.pianist) will broadcast HO minutes of Scottish and Gaelic music. This is to., be followed by " Forty Jlinutes With Shakespeare on His Birthday,a specialty produced by Mr. Byron Brown and Mrs. F. C. Burgess. The Christchurch station, too, is marking the birthday of the bard, Professor James Shelley and party presenting at 8-34 two scones from " Julius Caesar." On Sunday evening all the main stations are to be " hooked up " for a Dominion-wide broadcast by the Governor-General, Viscount Galway. At 9-29 pm. the Wellington station, will put on the air, " How He Lied to Her Husband," a play by G. B. Shaw. Miss Gladys Lorimer, eminent soprano, is to broadcast from IYA on Saturday at 9.20 p.m., on Monday at 8.40 p.m., and on Wednesday at 8.23 p.m. Hei - songs on Monday evening are of thto lighter type, and will include " Lo, Hert the Gentle Lark," with flute obligato played by Victor Cater. The Monday evening programme is specially noteworthy for its inclusion of the radio play, " Centre Court." This play, written by Mr. J. A. S. Coppard,* of Auckland, is to be presented by a strong cast, including Gilbert O'Sullivan, E. V. Patterson, AY. H. Graham, Alan McElwain, Gwen Naughton and Zoe Bartlev-Baxter, who is responsible for the production. ' The subsidy granted from the Unemployment Fund for the purpose of encouraging the creation -of theatre orchestras and bands gave rise to a demand for the services of skilled musicians, wind instrumentalists being specially in' favour. .As a consequence, most oit the players of wind instruments in the IYA studio orchestra sought fresh fields, and the orchestra, perforce, became a string one. This action on the part of many is not at all hard to understand in the light of the fact that the board pays its orchestral players only 35s a week, less tax. For this sum the members of the orchestra have to spend any threo evenings of each week at the studio practising or broadcasting from 7 to 10 p.m. on each night. Such meagre remuneration is the harder to understand when one is informed that some visiting overseas artists have received £IOO weekly, excluding all travelling expenses, and especially in view of the steadily-mounting revenue of the hoard. According to the quasi-official organ of the board, the Australian Broadcasting Commission is endeavouring to complete arrangements with the Dominion for a joint booking system for the importation of eminent overseas artists. A first-class London artist usually requires a guarantee of 25 concert performances, rather many for a country ✓ with so small a population as Australia, but it is hoped to reach some working basis, whereby the New Zealand authorities would undertake the responsibility for, say, eight of the concerts, thus bringing such engagements. In making the announcement Mr. C. J. A. Moses said that some progress had- been made with the negotiations. He was hopeful that the discussions would soon reach a stage where overtures could be made to some of the musical "giants" of Europe. With the idea of replacing some of the recorded dance sessions, the New Zealand Broadcasting Board has .arranged for two dance bands to appear next month at IYA. The tentative plans are for the engagement of Laun Paddi's Dance Band and Norman Volkner's Internationals, and although no definite dates have yet been announced, it is probable that both bands will be heard on at least one Tuesday evening, between 9.20 and 11 P-m----next month. It is also probable that on certain other programmes one ot the bands'will be heard at each special dance session. Listeners will applaud this action on the part of the board, especially if the arrangement of the whole dance sessions is left in the hands of the band leaders, who are "well acquainted with, the peculiar likes of dancers. Shakespearean plays have proved excellent broadcast fare, according to the 8.8.C., which declares "Shakespeare did not write for a few intelligent highbrows, and experience has shown that he did not write plays for a limited fashionable audience." The 8.8.C. found, however, that the average listener derived small pleasure from plays requiring over 90 minutes for their presentation, and, accordingly, shortened the scrips. This so-called mutilation aroused intense controversy, the objectors ignoring the difference between a three or four-hour purely broadcast presentation, and a complete stage presentation. They overlooked, too, that most stage versions of Shakespeare are shortened and compressed/ The 8.8.C. has announced a continuance of its policy of abridgment of long plays, and it should now be possible for the New Zealand Broadcasting Board to acquire from the 8.8.C. Shakespearean and other plays already adapted for broadcasting. FROM IYA To-day.—S p.m., 8.8.C. recorded programme, "Following in Father's Footsteps"; 9-5, talk, Professor Algie, "St. George, Patron Saint of England"; 9.20, programme of recorded band music, with vocal interlude by Bam Duncan, Irish tenor; 10 to 11, dance music. To-morrow: 8 p.m.. String Orchestra, Tschaikowsky's "Suite Serenade"; 8.32, Tschaikowsky's Concerto in D, for violin and orchestra; 0.5, talk. Miss Agnes Stops, _ Gardens Versus Fortifications"; 9.20, ischaikowgky's Symphony No. 6 in E minor; 10.12 to 11.12, music and melody. Saturdays 11 a.m., commemorative Anzac Day service delayed from Town Hall; 3 p.m., ceremonial parade relayed from the Cenotaph; 8 p.m., Keverie,".;a quiet hour of fancy and reflection in poetry and mußic arranged by Gordon Ireland, and narrated by Zoe Bartita n* ter ' Norton Hammond and Gilbert U Sullivan; 9.5, programme of music appropriate to Anzac Day, featuring GlaHys Lorimer, who will sing at 9.20 p.m. "Carceleras," "Dos Cantares Populareß," "La Partida," "Estrellita," "Clavelitos"; 9.42, Elgar's "The Kingdom" Prelude; 9.53, recording, "Calm Sea and Prosperous Voy®£e"; lo to 11, favourites old and new. Sunday; 11 a.m., morning service from EpMethodist Church; 7 p.m., relay from Baptist Tabernacle; 8.30. excerpts from "Die Walkure"; 9.3, address by the Governorgeneral, Viscount Galway; 9.13, recorded Presentation of "Cavalleria Rusticana." Monday; S p.m., "Centre Court," an original radio-play by J. A. S. Coppard, presented by Zoe Bartley-Baxter and Company; 8.40, Gladyg Lorimer (noprano), "Lo Here the Gentle Lark," "I Heard a Piper a Piping,' Will o' AVisp," "A Pastoral" and "Spring propped a Song";'9.s. wrestling relay; 10 JO 11. music and melody. Tuesday: 8 p.m.. Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's *-;hoir. "Down in Yon Summer. Vale." " O. j*o. John" and "Macushla"; 8.10, Eb and Zeb; 8.19. "Easy Chair Melodies of Bygone v , ; 8.32, Jnpanese Houseboy episode; 8.45, choir, "Who Rides for the Kins.' Neighbour Sly' 'and "Who Did Swallow Jonah" 8.55. "There Was a Crooked Man" and the "Soldier's Farewell"; 9.5, talk, . A. R, d Fairburn, "Auckland in New Zealand Literature"; 9.20 to 11 P.m., dance Diusic. Wednesday: 8 p.m. Studio' String Orchestra: 8.23. Gladys Lorimer, "Du Bist Wie Eire Blunie," "Die Forelle," "Liebesbotschaft." "Slandchen"; 9.5, talk, Cap{a'n A. C.- Clayton. "Colours and Battle honours"; 9.30. organ recording, "Netherland"; 9.33. Richard Crooks (tenor): 10 to «» music _iind melody.