THEIncorporatingVOX, THE 'RADIO CRITIC and BROADCAST REVI EW

London Office 10a Soho Square london W.1

Edited by

COMPTON MACKENZIE and CHRISTOPHER STONE

Telephone Gerrard 2136, 2137

Telegrams Parmaxto, Rath, london

Vol. XIII

FEBRUARY 1936

No. 153

EDITORIAL

THE competition for the best essay on first hearing

! a famous musical work produced a very high level of entries, and! I have had immense difficulty in making up my mind to which essay I should award the prize of the Schubert Quintet. At last I managed to reduce the candidates to five. These were: Mr. Harry M. L. Brook, 16, 'fithebarn Road, Great

" Please find enclosed effort, which, though i t may be a humble one, is straight from the heart."

And bere is his brief essay: " Some nine years ago my father bought me a wireless set, complete with headphones, and this wireless set alTorded me the experience I am about to relate. The set was by no means in t.he class Super and required

Crosby, Liverpool 23 (Swan of Tuonela); Mr. A. Creasey, 34, Penhale Road, Portsmouth (Eroica Funeral March) ; Mr. Michael G. Wilson, The Old House, Town Street,Chapel Allerton, Leeds (Brahms's B flat Piano Concerto); Mr. Alfred R. Taylor, 57, Cheam Common Road, Worcester Park, Surrey (Schubert's B flat Trio); and Mr. \iV. H. Merifield, 37, Princess Street, Brimington, Chesterfield (Dvorak's New World Symphony).

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. -_____________________... manipulating, and even careful tuning and

THE ROYAL RECORD

A Message to the Empire (Broadcast on Christmas Day, 19:3;:5) , H.M. King George V. H.M.V. RCS. 2811 ' (12in., 38.).

This is the final record that crowns the service of the gramophone and the microphone to the personality of the first King in history who was able to use them for speaking to his subjects. To the miracle of the means was added the outstanding felicity of the voice which spoke through thema felicity of tone and expression, of phrasing and humanity that is enshrined for all t ime as the supreme example of the wisdom and steadfastness and loving kindness of King George the Fifth.

then results were by no means grandiose. It was in November, a bad night, I was all alone bv the fireside and feeling in a melancholy mood; I switched on my set and, turning the tuning knob idly, chanced to hear an announcement - A Symphony Concert. I had never been brought up to a high musical standard and consequently I knew nothing about symphonies

I f I finally award the prize to Mr. Merifield, he and the other competitors will appreciate that I have done so not because his is the best effort of musical criticism, but because i t relates in the simplest lan guage conceivable the kind of experience that must be happening all over the country to men in Mr. Merifield's position.

Here is his letter: " I have been a reader of your magazine since the week following Mr. Stone's first broadcast. I am by trade a colliery fitter, wage £2 10s. per week, and if I am to obtain major works such as you offer i t means fifteen weeks' careful saving after my wife has done with the wage.

beyond the meaning of the word and how to speH i t . But i t is related that curiosity killed the cat, and the same bug killed me.

"The programme consisted of the 'Rosamunde' Overture and Symphony No.5 in E minor by Dvorak. The Overture was sufficient to whet my appetite and I hung on. My first impression was of such magnitude that I have since held for the' New World' Symphony a place in my heart that can never be taken by any other. Its lovely melodies, i ts ever-changing rhythm, i ts deep feeling, and i ts absolute sincerity, put music of the best kind (b:) which I mean the Classics) on a pedestal and has made i t a dominating and brightening influence in a dull life.

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