NBC Transmitter (Jan-Nov 1942)

NAY 1942 3 MEN IN THE MOOD # Archipelagos and arpeggios. Bataan and batons. Mandalay and mandolins. The combinations may seem odd, but they’re not unusual at all around NBC’s Music Department in Radio City where Manager Thomas H. Belviso and his large staff of arrangers, composers, librarians and program and copyright experts hold forth in their daily task of guiding and guarding every note that enters a network microphone. Regardless of the nature of a program, if music is used in any manner, every bar must clear the copyright vault as cleanly as a vaulter must clear the bar. Of all the notes in the musical scale, only one of them— “do”— gets double billing. It pops up first and last. But, despite its prominence, it isn’t considered more important in Belviso’s sanctum than a long list of “don’ts.” That’s because music building on air shows calls for caution as well as creation. Performing rights must be scanned as carefully as arrangements are scored. Every combination of notes from the latest Shostakovitch symphony to the sound effect of a musical automobile horn must clear through the Music Department before being scheduled. But, Belviso and his staff are not only concerned with the strictly musical programs. Even on news, drama, talks and variety shows, music is literally in the air. There’s background music, theme music, mood music and “bridge” music, the latter being short musical scores which link the changes of sequence or program action so that listeners can follow the plot transition. When a parade passes a mike, the blare of the trumpets and the beat of the drums yield a much-desired radio effect. But you can bet your bonnet that before the drum major’s stick is twirled in the air, his repertoire has been checked and approved by the NBC music staff. And at a college game, when the band adds a nostalgic glow to the play-by-play broadcast, you can chance your chapeau that the selections entering the NBC mike have already cleared Belviso’s department. There are over 1,000,000 selections in the NBC music library. It is the largest working collection in the world, serving multiple assignments for all branches of NBC: the Red Network, television, international-shortwave and radio recording. In addition, there are countless queries from agencies, clients and affiliated .stations. Many original compositions are born in this department. Several script shows— “Joe and Mabel” and “Abie’s Irish Rose,” for example, utilize custom tailored scores. There’s a big demand for special scores on such semi-news programs as “The Army Hour.” This series, incidentally, calls for a mile-a-minute pace in the music department. On the first show, for example, the music lads cooperating with Jack Joy, the conductor assigned to the series by the Government, got their outline on Wednesday. By toiling ’round the chronometer, they had the score ready for a piano rehearsal on Friday, and an orchestra tryout Saturday, the day before the full-hour show went on the air. The men must work against time and, unlike the composers of legend and lore, they can’t wait for moods or Muse. Their task must be done on time, and they are trained to do it well. Belviso reveals that the complexion of radio music follows the trend of world events. In his quest for authentic foreign songs, Belviso and his staff check consuls and embassies. And even then they are not content with a single opinion. Recommendations are always rechecked. This extra note of care is essential because one country may have more than one national anthem-each representing a political faction. It would be tactless, for example, for NBC to use a rebel song that had been misrepresented as a foreign national hymn. Hence, the Music Division of NBC is a blend of creative, legal and diplomatic functions. And in all problems, the netw ork music workers let their conscience he their Cuido ! Thomas Belviso, who supervises the multiple activities of this important program division, made his bow as a violin student at the age of seven in his home town of New Haven, Connecticut. Four vears later, he played w ith the New Haven String Orchestra and, at thirteen, with the New Haven Symphony. At fourteen, he went “commercial” and conducted his own orchestra at the Hofbrau in the same city. During his school years, Belviso did a brisk business in conducting and furnishing orchestras for special engagements in many cities. These years were crowded with experiences and anecdotes. One night, for example, while playing in a Norfolk, Virginia, hotel, several guests asked the young conductor to play special numbers. One would ask for “Long, Long Trail”: another would request “Sweet Adeline.” And on and on the evening went with Belviso trying to please everyone. All went well until he filled a request for “Marching Through Georgia.” Belviso forgot its significance below the Mason-Dixon line. Result: Crockery to the tune of .$300 was shattered in the direction of the handstand! Bet ween 1921 and 19.30, he was musical director for 100 Raramounl-Publix theatres in New England. During this period, he made musical settings for literally thousands of feature films. He joined NBC in 1930, as a j)rogram builder and music director. In 1937, he was named to his present post of Manager of the Music Division where he is assisted by a large staff of specialists of long standing. Ernest La Prade, composer and author, is director of musical research. Vi illiam Paisley, manager of the Gargantuan music library; Harry ightman, supervisor of library service; Richard Bannier, supervisor of music rights, and Tom Bennett and Ernie \^atson, staff composers.