F—3 <

PROGRAMMES Allocation op Programme Time The following analysis of programmes for the week ended 26th February, 1950, illustrates on a percentage basis the amount of time allocated to various types of programmes : Per Cent. Serious music .. . ... .. .. 19-21 light music . . .. .. .. .. 49•14 Modern dance music .. .. 5-37 Plays, sketches, and dramatic serials .. .. 7-08 Sporting commentaries .. .. .. .. 2-04 Talks, general and educative * .. .. 3-91 News commentaries .. .... .. .. 8-37 Church and devotional .. .. .. .. 2-27 Children's sessions . . .. .. .. 2-61 This analysis would be a fair indication of the percentages for any other normal week of the year. Serious Music Interest in serious music was stimulated during the year by the concerts of the National Orchestra and associated overseas artists. Highlights of the year's activities were the broadcasts by the International Opera Company brought to New Zealand in co-operation with Messrs. J. C. Williamson, Ltd. In all there were sixty-one broadcasts of complete operas by this company and the listening public heard many favourites, among them " Manon," " La Boheme," " Madame Butterfly," " Faust," " Aida," and a number of others. The Service also presented fifty-eight recorded operas, six being works not previously featured. These included " Darien and Darienne," by Mozart, and " Tristan and Isolde," by Wagner. Recordings of the Delius opera, " Village Romeo and Juliet," featuring the New Zealand baritone Dennis Bowling, were also presented. The Service relayed public concerts by the National Orchestra, in some cases with visiting artists engaged either by the Service or touring under private management. Among these artists were Alexandr Helmann, pianist, and Leo Cherniavsky, violinist. Artists whose solo performances were relayed from the concert platform were Oscar Natzka, New Zealand bass ; Isador Goodman, Australian pianist; the American baritone, Todd Duncan ; the Australian soprano, Marjorie Lawrence, and the baritone, Peter Dawson ; and the French soprano, Ninon Vallin. A number of other overseas artists appeared in studio broadcasts, among them Vera Benenson, Peers Coetmore, Ruth Pearl, Joan Coxon, Isabel Bedlington and four visiting music examiners, Margaret Roux, Henry Wilson, Kathleen McQuitty, and Dr. Reginald Cooper. The piano quartet Musica Viva, which concluded the tour that was started last year, broadcast a number of performances. A number of outstanding 8.8.C. programmes featuring serious music were presented, more particularly the series " Ring Up the Curtain " and six programmes featuring highlights from the Third Edinburgh Music Festival. There were many relays of choral and competitions festivals, orchestral and instrumental concerts. Of particular interest were broadcasts of choral works by the choral societies in the main centres. The programme " Tribute to Chopin " issued by UNESCO was broadcast throughout New Zealand.

2