Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-05
Behind the Microphone
BY THE RADIO EDITOR.

raj, youthful expression of our
spirit. We call 1t rhythm or dance
music. TO 1t has come the con-
tributions of all nationalities in
our great melting pot. Each coun-
try has presented it's emotions
from different angles. From the
continent has come the pessilnism
Of Russia, the fire of the Balkans
and the beating rhythms of
Spain. From our own Negroes
has come the gayety, the humor
to balance this. AT first, in its
plain, unembelliShed form, we call
this jazz. Then Gershwin and
others took it and raised 1t to a
place with great music. 1t is no
longer jazz. 1t has become the
musical expression of a rapidly
emerging race-the Americans.
The development has not been
unlike that Of the movies. From
little slapstick comedies in which
custard-pie throwing played a
highly important part, have de-
veloped the talking picture YER
SionS OF the highest and most
subtle type of comedy. Our dance
music today Is rhythmic, melodi-
Gus, and 1t has real musical hui
NOR, but it has risen far above
the mud of Jazz.
Since, In my opinion, there is
no such thing as Jazz, the an
nouncement that the Radio Mu-
sic Co. will carry on a campaign
to lead people away from jazz TO
more refined music strikes me as
being ridiculous"
X
Radio singing and concert sing
ing are not the twins they are
supposed to be, according to
Frederick r. Huber, director of
w B AL, Baltimore's municipal
broadcaSting station. In fact, HUI
Der declares that singing for the
radio audience requires entirely
different technique from that
usually employed by singers APP
pearlng on the concert stage.
Singers before the micro
phone" he said, must seek even
ness of tone and be non-explosive
to get best results. The concert
singer, like the tennis player who
puts the force of his whole body
into his strokes, steps into his
song, becomes dramatic and puts
his entire power into his voice to
attain his climaxeS. It is lust
these things which the radio
singer must avoid.
THE bombastic tones, so desir-
able on the stage, merely blast
the mike and so prevent the very
effect which the radio singer de-
sires to give. Take Caruso, for in
stance. 1t is not generally known,
but when the great singer was to
make a record for the talking
machines, he practiced hours
daily for many days before he de-
veloped into what Is regarded as
one of the best voices ever record
ed. The technique of the radio
singer is practically identical with
that of the singer whose voice is
to be recorded. and it is safe to
say that those accustomed to
singing on the air would expert
ence little difficulty in having
their voices recorded.
However, think concert sing
ers are more likely to become
good radio singers than radio
singers are to succeed in concert
work, Just as the pianist is much
more likely to become a good or
ganiSt than the organist an eff
fectfve pianist, because the latter
must depend solely on his fingers
and on himself for his climaxes.
while the organiSt can get many
OF his dramatic effects mechani-
cally. The range of the voice Is
not so important to radio singer
as are evenneSs and delicacy Of
tone. For this reason, lyric voice
is usually very much more apt to
broadcast better than a dramatic
voice" -- ....