Radio revue (Dec 1929-Mar 1930)

36 RADIO REVU E With the symphony laid aside, Stokowski's forces attacked one of the greatest works of Richard Wagner, the Overture, Bacchanale and the colorful Venuberg music from "Tannhauser." Here, as the conductor explained to use, were mysticism, religious sentiment, revelry and orgy, with a concluding episode of love and beauty. More appropriate, to the day and to the City of Philadelphia, was the Song of the Pilgrims, with which the overture opens, but alas ! the blight of the New York night club soon falls upon the calm tranquillity. Sinful excitement follows and the doings of the gilded palaces of the Venusberg are exposed in musical whoopee, but finally the artificial clamor dies down and — just as if the announcer had said "We now return you to Philadelphia"— the quiet Song of the Pilgrims resumes command. Patient Rehearsal Evident In the performance of this work, evidence of patient rehearsal and absolute control was plentiful. The contrasting themes of the swirling violins and obstinately insistent brasses and wood-winds were so articulated as to carry perfectly over the radio. Unlike the Mozartian offering, it would be difficult to quarrel with any particular choir of instruments. The balance was notably good. We understand that actual tones of the orchestra were gathered in a concentrating or focussing microphone. Familiar with the performances of the Philadelphians one missed the "eye-and-ear" effect, the presence of Stokowski himself, his ability to "lift" his orchestra and his audience alike, the highly-drilled musicians and the huge, quiet audience. We believe that a slight readjustment of the seating of the orchestra for radio broadcasting is al that is now required for perfect reception. In concluding Mr. Stokowski announced a Stravinsky number for, November 3, "Sacre du Printemps," and asked his audience to be prepared to listen sometimes to the things of our day. On this date, he said an allRussian program would be presented, and he solicited suggestions as to the character and presentation of programs. One promise he made we hope he will hold to steadfastly. "We are not going to play popular music. We are going to play the greatest music — the best or nothing !" Despite the howls of controversial clamor that this statement may arouse among the well-known masses, we are in sympathy with Mr. Stokowski's frame of mind A Portion of the Famous PJiiladclphia Orchestra Second Broadcast Better The second broadcast of the Philadelphia Orchestra, under the direction of Leopold Stokowski, confirmed the earlier impression that music lovers have been denied this pleasure too long. Here was better broadcasting, as far as this listener's particular set was concerned, and adequate explanations of the program, given at first-hand by the conductor himself. The first item was Borodine's Polovetsian Dances from the opera, "Prince Igor," a work completed after the composer's death by Rimsky-Korsakoff and Glazounov. A skilled exposition was given by the Philadelphians of this wild, onrushing music, with its marked Oriental and Russian rhythms. The ballet music was worked up to a great climax after a metriculous survey of all its changing forms. Second on the program was the modernist Stravinsky's "Sacre du Printemps." M r . Stokowski prefaced this composition by an eloquent plea that the listener should strive to follow "this beautiful music" and to honestly endeavor to understand it. A musical pagan riot followed, wherein the flute, English horn, trumpets and drums strove for first place in the battle. It was a glorious orgy of sound, this consecration of Spring, depicting the worship of the forces of Nature by primitive man. This writer tried faithfully to follow the music and to understand it, in strict obedience to Mr. Stokowski's admonition, all the way from the adoration of the earth, through the harbingers of Spring, the dances of the adolescents, the round dances of Spring, the games of the rival towns, the procession of the sage, pagan night, mystical circles of the maidens, to the ritual of the sacrifice, the evocation of the ancestors and the final sacrifice. From a program note by the distinguished commentator, Lawrence Gilman, I quote : Lawrence Gilman's Comment "Now the elected victim, who has thus far remained motionless throughout these activities, begins her sacrifice, for the final act of propitiation has been demanded, and she must dance herself to death. The music expresses the mystical rapture of this invocation of vernal fertility in rhythms of paroxysmal frenzy. There is nothing in music quite like this frenetic close of Le Sacre du Prin(Continued on page 47)