The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-04-19
NEWORCHEsTRA.
PLEASES

There was little program susie
nance for the dial twister in the
atmosphere last eyening-the wave
length seemed dead except for the
high power stations here and
there likewise now and then. Be-
cause sometimes one could get
'eTil and sometimes they we're
Silent. There wasn't so much noise
or fading and not enough signals
were heard to make interference
factor Of any consequence. The
air just seemed iInpenetrabIe.
But for the Daughters Of the
American Revolution and their
hustle and chatter as WMAL re.
Elected 1t in loud speakers. and the
usual Monday evening program
headed by. the very unusual Ber-
nard Levitow Orchestra Of the Hotel
Commodore from WIZ and WRC,
last evening offered very few items
for the memory book Of radio
events.
The broadcast Of any session of
a Continental Congress of the d.
A. r.. is an interesting event to
loud speaker addicts because there
isn't any other, audience in the
world in which each member there
of is so glad to see each other
member or in which each has 50
says it so distinctly no matter
what might be happening in pro-
gram way on the stage. The mi
crophone, being only a mechanical
instrument that reports everything
that is going on regardless of
whether it is on the program or
not, is made to sizzle with the
buzz and clatter of the daughters.
Ordinary, run o. the mike static,
has no chance on such an occasion.
And last nights affair was just
like that.
The coming of the Levitow Or
chestra to the WRC program we're
sure many radiotics are hoping will
be e. regular event in the future.
Last night the orchestra filled in
the half hour before Roxy's per-
Torrance began and played a pro-
gram of as fine music as we've
heard this season-play it in a
way Leyitow alone seems to know
how with the limited Instruments
ton of a hotel ensemble. He man
ages to get full value from every
instrument at his disposal-and to
extract new and unique effects
from some of them. The orchestra
plays a program almost every
night in the week for VIZ. in
case dial twisters care to follow
up last evenings introduction.
VOCAL OVERTURE
ROXY FEATURE
Again the Roxy program started
out on original lines by providing
the familiar 'Tannelauser" over
ture as vocal symphony-with the
orchestra, of course, but with the
human voice used as an orchestral
instrument in a most effective way.
The Roxy chorus is a finely trained
organization and fits in well with
the Roxy Orchestra. The combina-
ton Of the two in brilliant numbers
hitherto known only through in
strumental production is not only
novel-but a most effective and dar-
ing bit of musical direction that
opeHS new avenues OF beauty IN
familiar harmonic haunts.
Another effective feature of the
Roxy program was the development
of the cabaret effect in presenting
a number of the important features,
its only disadvantage being that
WRC listeners were not able to hear
the Identification Of the performers
which was given after the Wash
ington broadcast had been switched
to WEAF.
The Harvesters, Gypsies and Grand
Opera programs followed the early
features to WRC in regular order,
with little to distinguish them save
the very fine singing OF Devora
Nadworney contralto, during the
Sodero production Of the Tales of
Hoffman" The Swanee syncopators
syncopated the final hour with more
or less satisfaction. There was little
else to entertain-so far as my re-
ceiving was concerned, as the air
seemed to be dead. The voice of
Erva Giles was heard during the
light opera hour from Was were
the Record Boys earlier in the WIZ
program. There was also fair con-
cert at WPG which Norman Broken
shire introduced.