Listen In!

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 115, 18 May 1933, Page 10

Listen In!

NOTES AND PROGRAMMES Ti

(By

“Detector.”)

Present Day Requirements. The modern radio receiver operates with an ample margin of power, and as a result the old idea of experimental juggling with the aerial has to a great extent been abandoned by the average listener. Present-day valves and components make a far greater use of the energy collected by the aerial, and although on battery sets height is often of great importance, on the modern set it is really quite unnecessary for the owner who merely aspires to New Zealand and Australian stations to erect an aerial reminiscent of an oldtime Marconi station. Nevertheless, sensible positioning is of importance, and it must be remembered that although one given factor will not probably be of great importance, a combination of differing factors may prevent satisfactory reception. Important points to remember in the erection of an aerial arc, height, length, nearness of electrical interference, type of wire used, direction of aerial, adequate insulation, and proximity of trees and bushes. But when an aerial is erected which is as high and as long as reasonably useful, and is as far away from electrical interference as is possible, and any overhanging branches of trees have been cleared—and reception is still not satisfactory; what then? Well; a few feet lower or higher do not as a rule make much difference, bo it is not at all a bad plan to stop worrying about the aerial. But a good earth is of paramount importance. And some of the chemical earths which are now on the market appear to bo in every way as satisfactory as the most complicated systems of multiple pipes, and plates, and all the other gadgets which have been used by enthusiasts, and so simple and comparatively inexpensive, that they are well worth trying if reception seems a little hazy or blurred. Service! Make use of our Radio Repair Service. Radio is our speciality, therefore bring your repairs to the firm who •pecialise in this work. All and any classes of seta repaired. Valves may Le the cause of poor reception, so bring them in, and we will test them, free.— D. A. Morrison and Co., Avenue.* Business is Business. The gramophone recording companies have by now grasped the essential difference between “what the public wants” and “what the public will stand.” These companies know that the public wants dance music. Very well, then, the public shall have dance music. And what a lot of dance records must be sold when you come to consider the matter. Each month, the English recording companies put 100 new dance records (which means two hundred titles) on the market. Add to these the dance records which tire issued by the Continental and the American companies, and you may have some idea of the tremendous amount of dance music there is to choose from. If you are at all interested in figures, it may be perhaps of use to know that the track of the average lOin. dance record is roughly 100 yards in length; so that the track of 100 records extends more than eleven miles. It seems that eleven miles of music each month should suffice for the average lover of dance music. And while we are on the subject of figures it is really an extraordinary fact that more than 4,000,000 pressings of records by Gracie Fields have been sold. Working this out—very roughly—this means that supposing 2YA set itself out on the unenviable task of playing through every one of these records it would finish its task about the year 1973. And supposing these discs were placed one on top of the other they would reach to well above the height of Mount Everest. In fact, when one considers these figures, one is inclined to imagine that the influence of the radio on record sales is not quite as disastrous as it has been made out to be. And it also seems that the pernicious effect of radio on record sales is admirably coun-ter-balanced by the influence of Grade Fields on the sale of gramophone records. Incidentally, the luncheon that was given at the Trocadero Restaurant in Shaftsbury Avenue, in honour of this four millionth pressing, must have been great fun. The tables were monster gramophone discs. The menu consisted of broth, fish and chips, hot-pot, apple pudding, tea, and ale. Among those present were the Mayor of Rochdale, Grade’s old schoolmaster, and Grade’s old clog-builder; and the waitresses wore shawls and clogs. The fact is ,of course, that Grade Fields is well deserving of the great name she has secured as an actress and a comedienne. Hear her the next time she is announced on the radio, and even if you dislike her voice and her material, I think you will admit that there is a reason for her immense popularity. What is the secret of her art? Grade Fields possesses the attributes of every great comedian from Buster Keaton to Charlie Chaplin, from Harry Lauder to Will Fyfe. Trembling always near caricature is pathos, extreme sorrow, and great joy are never far apart, behind the laughter lie the tears. Add to these attributes that intangible something called personality, and there you have the answer. Not a very satisfactory answer, I am afraid, but listen to one of Grade Field’s records, and you will realise why four million of them have been sold. As I have said, the gramophone companies give us Grade Fields because wo like Gracie Fields. They give us Peter Dawson (more than 1,000,000 of his records) because we like Peter Dawson). But they also give us 15 Beethoven quartets, nine Beethoven symphonies, enough chamber music to satisfy the average grainophile for a lifetime, and in addition wo have more than 200 albums of complete works from which to choose. Now this is an astonishing thing. Gracie Fields can sell 4,000,00(1 records. 1 suppose Stravinsky would be overjoyed if 4000 records of his works were, sold. Now how is it that the gramophone companies do not stick to people like Gracie Fields instead of giving us Stravinsky and other unpopular mu-

sicians at times? Here Is the answer: During the recent economic crisis, every company in England and America that has catered exclusively for the lighter gramophonic tastes of its customers has failed to survive the economic blight. And yet those companies who give us (in addition, of course, to light music) what might bo described as serious music, have flourished. It is strange, but it is true. So business is business. The gramophone companies have considered it worth their while to help the public in its appreciation of better music. I wonder whether the New Zealand Broadcasting Board will follow a similar policy. If it does follow this policy, it has an excellent chance of surviving, even of flourishing mightily, as has the British Broadcasting Company. TO-DAY’S PROGRAMMES Following are the programmes of Australian and New Zealand stations echeduled for to-day. In the case of Australian stations Australian time is given in each instance, which is hours behind that of New Zealand:— IYA, AUCKLAND. (820 Kilocycles). 5.0: Children’s hour. 6.0: Dinner music. 7.0: News and reports. 7.30: W.E.A. Session: R. A. K. Mason. 8.0: Bayreuth Festival Orchestra and Valkyries. 8.9: Baritone, Norman Day. 8.12: Novelty Instrumental Barry Ingall’s Hawaiians. 8.17: Tenor, Ernest McKinley. 8.23: Humour, J. B. Finlayson. 8.28: Midnight Revellers. 8.34: Duet, Madame Cora Melvin and Norman Day. 8.41: Pietro. 8.47: Novelty Instrumental, Barry Ingall’s Hawaiians. 8.52: The Revellers. 9.0: Weather report and notices. 9.2: Talk, James Wylie, “The Power of Persuasion.” 9.22: Rlbert Sandler and Orchestra. 9.25: Baritone, Norman Day. 9.32: Violin, Jacques Thibatki. 9.36: Novelty Instrumental, Barry Ingall’s Hawaiians. 9.41: Humour, J. B. Finlayson. 9.47: Debroy ( Somers' Band. 9.50: Soprano, Madame Cora. 9.54: Massed Military Band. 10.0; Close 2 YA, WELLINGTON. • (720 Kilocycles). 10.0 a.m.: Selected recordings. 10.30, Devotional service. 12.0, Lunch music. 2.0. Selected recordings. 3.30 and 4.30: Sports results. 5.0: Children’s Hour. 6.0: Dinner Music. 7.0: News and reports (2YC‘, 1010 Kilocycles, after-dinner music). 7.30: W.E.A. session, F. L. Combs, M.A., “Glimpses of the Eighteen Forties in New Zealand—The Maori and the Strong Arm of the Law.” 8.0: Relay from the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall of concert by the Wellington Male Voice Choir. Conductor, John Bishop. 10.20 (approx.): Close down. 3YA. CHRISTCHURCH. (980 Kilocycleh). 5.0: Children’s hour. 6.0: Dinner music. 7.0: News and reports. Concert programme of recordings: Ist part, claseic and semiclassic; 2nd part, light and popular. 8.0: ' Sir Henry J. Wood conducting New Queen’s Hall Orchestra. 8.26: Tenor, Bjorn Talen. 8.30: Piano, Ania Dorfmann. 8.34: Soprano, Lina Pagliughi and members of La Scala Orchestra, Milan. 8.42: Shakespearean Scene, Sybil Thorndike and Lewis Casson. 8.46: Berlin State Opera House Orchestra. 9.1: Weather forecast and notices. 9.’3: Talk, Patrick L. C. Bell-Syer. 9.18: Edith Lorand Orchestra. 9.22: Baritone, John Morel. 9.25: Organ, Paul Mania. 9.29: Tenor, Richard Tauber, with orchestra. 9.32: Piano, Patricia Rossborough. 9.35: Duet, soprano and tenbr, Dora Labette and Hubert Eisdell. 9.39: Grand Massed Bands. 9.42: Debroy Somers Band with Norman Allin and chorus. 9.50: Light Opera Company. 9.54: Queenie Leonard and Edward Cooper. 9.57; Nat Finston and his Paramount Orchestra. 10.1: Close clown. 4YA. DUNEDIN. (650 Kilocycles). •5.0: Children’s hour. 6.0: Dinner music. 7.0: News and reports. 8.0: Concert by Signor Giovanni Stella and Associated Artiste. Recording, Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra. 8.9: Soprano, Clare Dillon. 8.17: Trio (instrumental), Anna Briasco, J. W. Stewart, and Martinelli Regiardo. 8.23: Tenor, Giovanni Stella. 8.31: Flute, David Whisker. 8.36: Chorus, The Stella Musicale. 8.40: Recording, Band of H.M. Grenadier Guards. 8.44: Mezzo-Soprano, Vanda Duncan. 8.60: Trio (instrumental), Anna Briasco, J. W. Stewart and Martinelli Regiardo. 8.54: Baritone, Thomas Kennedy. 9.0: Weather report and notices. 9.2: Talk, E. M. Joachim, “Flying from Bagdad to Teheran.” 9-15: Recording, J. H. Squire Celeste Octet. 9.19: Chorus, The Stella Musicale. 9.23: Flute. David Whisker. 9.27: Tenor, Giovanni Stella. 9.30: Dance music. 4QG, BRISBANE. (760 Kilocycles). 6 p.m.t Music; shipping news. etc. 6.15: Children’s session. 6.45: Music and weather reports. 7.0: Studio music. 7.23: News service. 7.45: General sporting information. 8.0: Studio programme. 10.30: Dance music. 11.0: Close down. 2BL, SYDNEY. (353 Metres). 6.15: Dance music. 7.5: Country session. 7.20: Recorded music. 8.0: Studio concert programme. 2FC, SYDNEY. (451 Metres.) 5.45 p.m.: Children’s session. 6.45: Recorded music session. 7.20: Sporting and news. 8.0: Studio concert programme.