The Washington times., 1928-02-02
Tuners
MAR PROGRAMS

Noise persisted i'm rather
spOtty way along the broadcast
channels last evening, some Sec
tiOns being clear and many filled
with chatter and bang. There were
also several high power stations
that were not easily tuned, while
other stations nearby came to
receivers without difficulty.
Fading was annoying, as usual,
and interference between stations
prevalent in all sections.
While to many OF US there is vet
thrill in the sudden SO S that
brings silence to receiving sets as
entertainment programs halt that
the dark silences of stormy seas
may be searched-yet there are
many persons OF more practical
mind among radio listeners. and
these made last nights cessation OF
breakfasts resemble the famous IN
ternational tests of two years ago.
Never since that period, when
tuners made the night hideous with
the noise of their tuning, has there
been such q chorus of whining and
screeching in the atmosphere as
happened during the hour the
broadcasting stations of the North
Atlantic section were off the air
last evening. It extended clear
across the Continent-or. at least as
far as tuning was possible during
the evening, and continued through
out the time the Eastern stations
were silent. Most of the programs
that could be tuned from the South
and Mid West were ruined for those
who could tuns them.
STARS PERFORM IN
LOCAL PROGRAMS
The hour of silence for WRc and
WMAL, however, served to make
the washington programs stand out
in the important way their merit
demanded. The Kilt Hour. w. B.
and A. and Pepco concerts from
WRC were unusually fine examples
OF good music, well delivered.
Perhaps the most important
feature Of the evening was the for
NAL introduction Of George Beuch.
Ter. baritone, during the Kilt pro
gram. as a staff artist and an
nouncer for WRC. Boucher is pos
| sessed of fine voice and has a
| yery keen idea of how to use it.
He will be welcomed by WRC
| listeners who will no doubt hear
| him frequently in the future. His
program mate, Stewart Ross the
concert pianist of New York, like
| wise gave an excellent account of
| himself.
The visiting pianist however, did
not give us as fine an exhibition
| of piano playing as did Kurt Het-
eel in the w. B. and A. program.
| The program Hetzel presented was
a rather Queerly arranged combina'
| ton of masterpieces, but his play.
ing of them left little to be de-
| sired. In the Pepco proceedings
| Henri Sokoloff, violinist, was the
big star, although the orchestra
/ made fine music OF all its well
selected program.
The new announcer, who called
himself DIR. Smiles" was a pleasant
addition to the toothpaste exercises
exhibiting a real personality in his
| poppy announcements. With the
4 oyersl1oe subsidy. Caroline Andrews
distinguished herself again-as did
| the bass soloist whose name escaped
US, il it was announced at all. The
| grand opera performance seemed tc
/ us to be set in unusually slow tempo
too slow to give a very good idea
of "Lohengr1n," although Astric
Fjelde, as Elsa and Hans Kramer
as the king, provided some magni
ficent singing Of their parts in the
performance.
Into the mystery of the sos
silence there crept a bit of humol
due to the elaborate preparation
made by New York city to pernni
all its citizens to hear the officia
reception Of President Cosgrave 0
the Irish Free State. The municipa