RADIO

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1930, Page 12

RADIO

REGTPTIOH GOOD LATELY. DOINGS IN RADIO WORLD. (By “8.C.L.”) ’ American stations have-been coining in. at wonderful volume lately and some good logs have been compiled by those keen enough to chase after stations. . Cricket enthusiasts have been having a royal time sitting up listening to the test match now in progress in England and being rebroadcast by the Australian stations. Wireless has again demonstrated its inestimable value to mankind as a means of rapid communication in times of stress. Had not the Tahiti been fitted with wireless it is certain that many lives would have been lost. Sveral New Plymouth listeners have reported hearing a strange transmission early in the week. Is this some irresponsible dabbler in the mysteries of radio experimenting with modulating an oscillating receiver? The operation of an unlicensed transmitter, by the way, carries heavy penalties. If the proposed Empire short-wave broadcast station in England eventuated there-should be considerable demand among listeners for short wave adapters for their present broadcast band receivers. The most eilicient and practical type to use with the present-day type of multivalve set is one which converts the set into a short wave superhetrodyne, the present R.F. stages becoming the interfrequency amplifier. Several new forms of this adaptor have proved easy for the average person to handle. When will the R.B.C. refrain from giving such depressing Sunday afternoon broadcasts. The average business man cannot listen to the week day afternoon broadcasts, and when he tunes in on Sunday afternoon he is often treated to a dirge. One does not ask for jazz or American “theme songs” but let us have something cheerful. Speaking at the Aldwych Club, an official of the American National Broadcasting Company stated that the charge for one hour of broadcasting time on stations covering the whole of U.S.A, would be £-2000, and that anything from £3OO to £l4-00 would be spent on programmes to fill that time. He said that the average cost of a programme was £•200 for each half hour and that that period would contain less than three minutes’ sales talk. Americans have the reputation of doing everything in a big way, but radio manufacturers certainly overdid it last season when they overproduced to the tune of 1,000,000 sets. In consequence many of the flourishing firms have had to rearrange their finances and others have given up the ghost. It is said that now the novelty has worn off the radio telephone service between Australia and England is not paying running and maintenance charges. Experiments are now being made with picture transmission over this channel, which should help to boost the revenue. GRAMOPHONE AND RADIO. THE NEED OF GOOD MUSIC. VALUE OF BROADCAST RECITALS. The gramophone lecture-recitals conducted by Mr. Karl Atkinson, and broadcast. from station IYA are among the most enjoyable presentations from the studio. The relationship between the gramophone and radio, and the value of both as vehicles for the expression of good music, are viewed by Mr. Atkinson as follows: — “The present transition period in music has found those in control of

musical affairs so utterly unprepared and seemingly helpless that they seek refuge in fastening the blame on to the gramophone, the radio, and that blackest of musical ‘black sheep’—the ‘talkies.’ It is as necessary as ever it was to advance with the times and cease bewailing the hardness of musical conditions, which are not past mending by any means. Might it not be that this very crisis is the turning point for music and that -the dawn of a .brighter future is breaking? I am a firm believer

in this approaching Musical Renaissance in which both gramophone and radio, and possibly the ‘talkies,’ will play im- ’ portant parts. ■ “What one writer describes as har- [ nessing those vast musical powers, the • gramophone and radio, is one of the [ most fascinating problems for consideration round about Music Week, because these two Niagaras of music flow on and are at man’s disposal to turn to the good account of any who choose to use them. “The vast "educational possibilities of the gramophone interested me about four years ago, when, with the advent of electrical recording, a great step forward was taken in the reproduction of music. The use of the electrical pickup’ for broadcasting advanced matters a stage further and, foreseeing scope for affording the listeners wholesome entertainment with a cultural flavouring, I made a suggestion with which the R.B.C. agreed. After giving broadcast reviews of the latest recordings for some months, I devised a series of about 20 self-contained lecture-recitals on definite subjects, which programme was adopted by the R.B.C. ' “On the,, experience of two years recital broadcasting work, I am. led to one conclusion —the scientific marvels which we treat as commonplaces of every-day life, when exploited in a proper manner, multiply musical interest on the part of people who eagerly absorb sidelights on not only the music itself, but also the men -who made it. This attraction to the human side is natural enough, and there is an important and ever-growing minority whose devotion to music amounts to something like a religion. It is too early to sum up, in any permanently valuable form, the effects of broadcasting upon the musical taste of the general public, but a tentative survey convinces me that intelligent musical appreciation is being widely developed, and what was once the prerogative of the city-dweller has now been, brought within the reach of thoSe living in the remotest back-blocks. “Broadcasting has had the effect of easing the brakes that unfamiliarity has hitherto put upon the wheels of musical progress. As this has, in turn, imposed a certain responsibility on those who choose the music for broadcasting programmes, I would like to say: I accept this responsibility in all seriousness. There is no lack of evidence that good music, well rendered, is more welcome than ever by the listeners, there- , fore, I look with (I hope pardonable) pride upon my small contribution in fostering and catering for this increased demand for the best. Radio and the gramophone are not ogres ready to eat musicians alive, they are, in my opinion, divinely appointed agencies for mankind’s cultural welfare." v TO-NIGHT’S PROGRAMMES j. —-—i, NEW ZEALAND STATIONS * ■

IYA Auckland—3.o, afternoon session, selected studio items, including literary selection, by the announcer; 5.0, children’s session; 6.0, dinner session, Columbia hour; orchestral, Menorah Symphony Orchestra; piano, Ignaz Friedman; orchestral, New York Symphony Orchestra; 6.30, band, 8.8. C. Wireless Military Band; violin, Yelly L Aranyi; orchestral, Orchestra de .la Soeiete des Concerts du Conservatoire, Paris; band, 8.8. C. Wireless Military Band; piano, Ingaz Friedman; orchestral, Berlin State Orchestra; 7.0, news and market reports; talk,_ Mr. J. F. Montague, “Maori Pronunciation and Place °Names”; 8.0, chimes; overture, IYA Orchestral Octet, under direction of Mr. Eric Waters; contralto, Mrs. L. M. Keven; orchestral, IYA .Orchestral Octet; baritone, Mr. John Bree; orchestral, IYA Orchestral Octet; 8.31,-mez-zo-soprano, Madame Mary Towsey; orchestral, IYA Orchestral Octet; contralto, Mrs. L. M. Keven; orchestral, IYA. Orchestral Octet; evening weather forecast and announcements; vocal duet, Madame Mary Towsey and Mr. John Bree; 9.0, orchestral, - IYA Orchestral Octet; baritone, Mr. John Bree; orchestral. IYA Orchestral Octet; mezzo-so-prano, Madame Mary Towsey; orchestral, IYA Orchestral Octet; lecturerecital, Mr. Karl Atkinson, “The Musical Renaissance”; 10.0, God Save the King

2YA Wellington.—3.o, chimes; selected studio items; 3.30 and 4.30, spoils results to hand; 5.0, children’s session; 6.0, dinner music session, “Parlophone hour; waltz, Edith Lorand Orchestra; trio, Dajos Bela Trio; ’cello, Giegor Piatigorsky; 6.30, Edith Lorand Orchestra; waltzes, Royal Music Makeis; suite, Paris Comique Orchestra; 7.0, news session, market reports and sports results; lecturette, Mr. Barry Coney, ‘‘The Foundation of Good Voice Production”; 8.0, chimes. Note —During the course of this programme there will be a relay of a sound film feature from the Majestic Theatre; overture, 2YA , Orchestrina (Conductor Signor A. P. £ruda); soprano, Mdlle. A. Pola Schea; piano, Miss Gladys ’ Morgan; baritone, Mr. Ernest Short; operatic Selectron, 2YA Orchestrina; humour, Mr. Cedric Gardiner; violin, Peter Bornstein; contralto, Miss Ngaire Coster; tenor, Mr. Harry Dunn; selection, 2YA Orchestrina; weather report and announcements;' soprano, Mdlle. A. Pola Schea; vocal with orchestra, Zonophone Light Opera Company; selection, 2YA Orchestrina; baritone. Mr. Ernest Short; humour, Mr. C-.-’l’-’c ’CapTner’; Band of

H.M. Coldstream Guardi; contralto, Ali<?<3 Ngaire Coster; tenor, Mr. Harry Dunn; concert valse, 2YA Orchestrina; God Save the King. 3YA Christchurch. —3.0, afternoon session, gramophone recital; 4.25, sports results; .0, children’s hour; G.O, dinner session, Parlophone hour; instrumental, Orchestra of the Opera Comique, Paris; waltz, Edith Lorand Orchestra; 6.30, waltz, Dajos Bela Orchestra; instrumental, Dajos Bela Orchestra; waltz, Edith Lorand Orchestra; waltz, Qtieenie and David Kaili; valse intermezzo, Edith

Lorand Orchestra; selection, H.M. Irish Guards; 7.0, news session; 8.0, chimes. Music week, Christchurch musical festival—Relay of musical programme from the Civic Theatre; instrumental l duet, piano and violin, Miss Aileen Warren (piano) and Professor Zimmerman (violin); soprano, Madame Gower Burns; pianoforte solo, Mr. Alfred Bunz; vocal trios, Misses Sylvia Angus (sopra.no), Delcia Phillpot (mezzo-so-prano), Kathleen Bond (contralto), (a) “Song of the Morning” (Mona Burney); weather forecast and station notices. From the studio: Instrumental, Studio Instrumental Octet; organ solo, Dr. C. Edgar Ford (examiner, Trinity College, London); soprano, Madame Gower Burns; songs at the piano, Miss Millicent Jennings; grand fantasia, Derry’s Military Baud; dance programme, Colombia; 11.0, God Save the King. 4YA Dunedin.—3.o, chimes, selected gramophone items; 4125, sporting results; 5.0, chimes, children’s hour; 6.0, dinner music, “Columbia” hour; J. H. Squire’s Celeste Octet; suite Plaza Theatre Orchestra; Madrid Symphony Orchestra; Venetian Players String Quintet; pianoforte, Ignaz Friedman; Basle Symphony Orchestra; 7.0, news session; 8.0, chimes; overture, State Opera Orchestra, Berlin; soprano, Miss Mae Matheson; instrumental, 4YA Trio; recital, Miss N. Warren; presentation of song cycle by Harmonists' Quartet; soprano. Miss Mae Matheson; contralto,-Miss M. S. Green; tenor,‘Mr. H. A, Johnston; baritone, Mr. 8. Falconer; 9.0, weather report; ’ orchestral, New Light Symphony Orchestra; baritone, Mr. S. Falconer; instrumental trio; recital, Miss M. S. Green; ’cello and piano, Messrs. P. J, Palmer and Max Schcrek; tenor, Mr. H. A. Johnston; male quartet, Masters Lough and Hallett, Messrs. Dixon and Hastwell; instrumental, 4YA. Trio; orchestral, Boston Symphony Orchestra; 10.0, God Save the King.