The Washington times., 1927-12-10
BARITONE STAR
SCORES ON AIR

Fair reception from al SEQ.
lions Of tire continent Is the
radio receivers report for last
evening. One or two broadcast.
ing stations In the Midwest ap-
peared to be suffering from local
troubles, but stations in the same
locality tuned with good volume
and clear programs. Interference
and fading were about ~ usual.
Even though John Charles
Thomas, baritone soloist for the
Jordan exercises from WMAL, and
his program mate, Eric Zardo,
pianist. were easily the most salts
factory OF loud speaker deliveries
last evening-ons needed at least
three receiving sets and half 4
dozen busy hands TO keep in touch
with all that was going on in the
ether. And then would have missed
much because of lack of more than
one mind to absorb it all! There
have been few nights with more
things happening at the same time
that one felt one must hear.
That il one OF the things about
radio entertainment that is dis.
turbing. While much music is
heard again and again and many
entertainers appear week after
week, each program, after all, is
given but once. Unlike the theater
or opera or motion pictures one
cannot see one show one night and
another the next. Last evening
the o. Henry story broadcast and
a very good Royal program were
going on at the same time. Rosario
Bourdon's public utility orchestra
was playing an especially interest
ing program and when John Charles
was baritoning the ex.Radio Cavai-
caders were doing their new stunt
OF being chewing gum subsidies!
To hear one we were forced to miss
the other.
PRESENTS MUSICAL
CHARACTER SKETCHES
The Thomas program was possibly
the most interesting of the evening
for the reason that the star had
just made big hit in grand opera
In Washington and further than
that. presented very complete and
most varied recital that was a series
Of musical character sketches.
Thomas voice never seems to tire or
lose one bit of its quality, no matter
what gamut of character inter-
probation its possessor uses 1t for.
He has remarkable command of
every part of 1t. and makes it sing
right to the hearts Of his listeners.
no matter how light or tragic or
pleading the purport of the song.
Eric Zardo, accompanist for the
star was likewise a most skillful
pianist.
Fanny Brice. with the soap subsidy
from the WEAF chain through
WRC, also furnished her audiences
with as fine bit of character in
depreciation through song as they've
ever heard her do. Miss Brice is
yet to learn nicrophone enunciatfon,
however, as the important words
that accompanied her music were
sometimes blurred and made unin.
telligible in the transmitter.
Both the Palmolive and the WriE-
ley subsidies made very good in
their second programs. as they did
in the first, with swift moving
radio vaudeville. At times it was
bit too swift and there is vet too
much in both programs. But both
were produced in an expert manner.
The Rosario Bourbon orchestra
played program Of high musical
value in a rather curious way
giving the most exquisite interpre-
tation of some Of its numbers and
badly mangling others. For in
stance nothing could be finer than
the manner in which IL ,oraSay+ad
Svensen's very beautiful arrange
ment Of Norwegian folk song and
vet nothing could have been worse
or unworthy of such great musi-
clan as Bourbon as his interpreta-
ton OF the second movement Of
Tschaikowsky's Sixth Symphony.