The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-12-24
CHRISTMAS MUSIC TO Fill AIR
.ROmping Around.
the
Radio Dial

Time was when q concert by the
New York Philharmonic Orchestra
was held SO important to radio
that nothing short of an earth.
quake could have induced station
to interfere with the program.
Now, with only a brief word OF
explanation, an announcer throws
the switch on the Philharmonic
and proceeds to transfer the re-
mote control to other events.
The microphone no longer waits
for any man.
Comparing the program broad
cast from WRC last night with
the program Of the corresponding
evening OF last year would prove
q revelation to the listener-in who
has followed broadcasting through
It's evolution Of the past twelve
months.
Where we once had a soprano OF
perhaps little reputation, we now
have q dinner concert by a brilliant
concert orchestra. Where twelve
months ago we listened to a talk
on a possibly duh subject. we now
have Frederic William Vile,
ESGOBuAAOO nSSA pAOI0A ~
events; where the ambitious
orchestra Of 1928 sought publicity
and q name, the New York
Philharmonic Orchestra now sits
and plays to the air as well as to
an admiring audience in the con-
cert hall or the hotel lounge. And
instead Of a potpourri Of con-
traltos, baritones and violinists, we
tn hn r.
holder to a brilliant group or
artists, in an hour of music,
balanced by a connoisseur and
arranged by masters Of concert
directing.
We have come to take these
changes in a very matter
manner. Occasionally we become
verbosely enthusiastic about this or
that performer IA year ago we might
have written column about the
recital of Virginia RayE But as a
rule we hear our radio at night and
forget 1t the next morning.
The one feature, however, that
stands out clearly from this evolu-
ton Of broadcasting Is a more hon
est appreciation Of. good music by
the average American listener.
Jazz and the heart songs Of the
moment monopolized the December,
1923, programs. Without the aid OF
the Federal Trade Commission, this
trust has been broken, smashed to
q thousand bits.
The only jazz last night was sn
hour of fascinating "syncopep" 1--WE
dislike the word, but 1t is our only
hope, it seems). The heart songs
have retained only a small and ex-
elusive portion of the programs that
they once ruled.
To touch the high spots OF the
evenings program, we remember es-
pecially the selections from Handlers
Messiah" played by the Meyer Da-
Wis Willard Orchestra; the selec-
tons from ''Hansel and GreteF' and
1.-THE Yuletide Potpourri' of Charles
Benter's Navy Band; the two move
ments of the Hadley suite for vio-
loncello, by the New York Philhar-
monte; the ''Firefly" and Rose Ma.
rie'' numbers, by Virginia Ray;
Elizabeth Lennox's Rosary" and
''Oh, Dry Those Tears" the Christ
mas medley arranged by Walter b.
Rogers and played by the Bruins
wick Orchestra; and the Tupman
arrangements for revived dance
numbers, played by the Meyer Da'
Wis LIE Paradis Orchestra.
Shades Of the programs OF 1928!
And now looking to the next
twelve months, we are started off
with the announcement that fol-
lowing the lead of the Brunswick
Company, the Victor Company will
present its artists in series Of
concerts, broadcast by the Ameri-
can Telephone and Telegraph and
allied stations beginning in a few
days.
WCAP win share in broadcast
ing these events, the first of which
will bring to the microphone John
Mccormick and Lucrezia Bori.
II Santa Claus doesn't bring you
q radio after that, then register
your complaint early.