SWING BROADCASTS

Southland Times, Issue 24593, 15 November 1941, Page 3

SWING BROADCASTS

Sir—Twenty million Americans cannot be wrong, and that is the n «mber of followers swing has in the United States today, including that ing musical critic, Constant Lambe , who in his book “Music Ho declares that swing is an essential part of modern education and that no young son can hope to obtain the broad perspective necessary to take his place in our fast-moving world unless he has the opportunity of listening to, an studying, this new art. So I appeal to citizens: What chance have our o\\n children of obtaining this broader education if our radio station confines itself to the dull and uninteresting music rendered so consistently by brass bands?

Why is it that out of 320-hours of broadcasting a month real allotted only a miserable 2a minutes. It would seem from this that Inveicaigill is not a progressive centre or, worse still, that it is too bigoted to appreciate that the new generation requires modern music. I do not appeal foi a big" ger commercial programme of the class of music rendered by Vera Lynn and George Forinby, but for more of the class rendered by Duke Ellington, about whom that famous Viennese violinist, Fritz Kreisler, said; I hke swing; this music has its place in the musical world—a place which all but the old and bigoted will allot. Would it be straining the progressive spirit, of the community to allot this real music one per cent, of the monthly programme? It doesn’t seem wrong oi unfair that swing, with its multitude of supporters, should be given. a fair share of the programme, but it does seem foolish and unfair that this music should be all but squeezed out. In conclusion I would like to express my appreciation of the fine effort that Frank Beadle is making in rendering his one and only real swing programme of the month. JUNIOR DE JOINT. COUNTRY POSTMASTERS Sir,—l noticed an article in your paper about the many and varied tasks which fall to the country postmaster. It brought home to me a keener appreciation of just what a job of service is rendered by country postmasters and just how creditable is their cheerful, courteous and obliging attention to our many and varied requirements. And so I take my hat off to country postmasters, in particular, and to the one who gives service to us. THORNBURY.