The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-09-07
Players
STAR IN AIR

SlAR IN ALI
Everything came 60 he who
tuned last evening with con.
siderable volume and great cIar.
1tX. All sections responded to
the diAls-even interference be-
tng less than usual, which is
remarkable. unless bFOadcasters
were more careful to keep on
GfleiF assigned frequencieS than
they have been I'm the past.
Gertrude SmaIIwood Mockbee, Lee
Cronican-both pianists-and Wee
While Robyn, tenor, shared chief
honors as entertainment providers
for the multitudes that twisted
radio dials during the last evening.
The first named appeared in the
early evening as a substitute on
the WRC program and the last two
were with the WMAL Movie Club
IN the later hours. Perhaps we
should make the group a quartet
and add Nat Shilkret OF the Ever.
eady Orchestra-which came during
the WEAF chain deliveries through
WRC.
Shilkret is one of the most YER
satile Of orchestral directors for
radio. appearing here and there and
everywhere in the various programs
under many subsidies. AS a COM
poser and arranger he shines also
although he should get someone else
to write titles for his pieces. He
gets into the star class this morn
ing, for instance, because he com.
posed and directed the playing OF q
dainty-serenade like thing Of decided
Spanish flavor which he called
Vanilla Blossoms" He might Just
as Wen have called It "Boyish Bob
so far as the title suggests any
thing Of the character Of the music
to the lay mind.
It was a lovely bit, however.
And quite In keeping with Sibe-
lius' Children At Play" which
preceded it on the program. Shil.
kret might also be said to score
through HIS rhythmic arrange
ment of a Debussy composition
which he presented as q duet for
plano and organ-and scored with
1t heavily.
PIANIST SCORES
WITH DISCRETION
Gertrude. Smallwood Mockbee
contributed her usual fine piano
playing to the program and gave
the evening a most delightful start.
Her Interpretation Of McDowell'S
To A Wild Rose" was not only
an artists recitation OF true
musical poetry, but was distinctive
for the simplicity and discretion
OF delivery, proving the pianist
to be too much Of an artist to
spoil q lovely bit Of music with
unnecessary variations Of the
theme.
Willie Robyn's voice proved it.
self to be quite as satisfactory
and direct in its appeal as It was
before he fell victim to the Capitol
Theater system Of Standardization
and colorless presentation. In the
delivery Of a number Of popular
Tong hits Robyn raised much OF
me music far above the level Of
its own banality by his vocal
charm. Lee Cronican, pianist, is
becoming more and more one OF
our favorite artists Of the black
and white keys and his playing
last evening was especially good.
The usual things produced the
usual results on the WRC program
the Eveready outfit was always
ready and the Cavalcade cavalcaded
in satisfactory form. Jessica Drag
onett was the star OF the Cavalcade
largely, we're thinking, because 1t
Is the first time we've heard her
since her singing of the part Of
Vivian in the radio serial OF q few
weeks ago. Pauline HeaIey turned
up on the WMAL program with her
voice in sling, In q manner o.
speaking, and reported leaving both
Les o'Haire and Billy Capps as
casualties Of the weekend holiday
those gentleman being too Ill to as
sist her as the program had pro-
vided. Miss Healey broke out In q
new entertainment place with q
monoIogue-in addition to singing
some Of her best songs as well as
her heavy cold would permit.
The new Stronberg- Carlson enter
prise with Rosario Bourbon direct
ing it. set sail on the WIZ chain
with an excellent program. There
was also q very good organist at
WFCL. Chicago, In the late evening
and our Shreveport friend bobbed
up with more tears to shed over the
inquities Of the Federal Radio Com
mission and a varied assortment of
fine music.
The new WEAF transmission sys-
tenn experimenting as Xxx, played
q prominent part in the very late
breakfasts and demonstrated that
even with $4,000 watts of power it
is possible to stick to required FIRE.
quences and not interfere with
nearby stations. There is q dis
tinct tendency to fade on 2Xc--
which listeners will be able to
check when orchestral tests are
made tonight and the remainder OF
the week.