Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-02
THELISTENERS'
FORUM
Defends Canned Music.

Radio Editor: Apropos Of your note
In The Star Of January 26 relative to
the use OF photograph records as radio
material, will you permit me to offer
a few personal observations?
Having spent the past 20 years as q
professional musician, my attitude to-
ward the music of the radio Is often
too critical to enable me to enjoy every
thing that comes over the air labeled
music. 1t seems to me that many stu
dos send out their impressions of an
orchestra with total disregard for the
relative proximity of the instruments
to the mike" AS q result of this in
difference one does not hear q we'll
balanced tonal picture, but q one-col-
ored, monotonous dissertation from
whatever instrument that happens to
be closest to the microphone. This
does not necessarily indicate an inferior
orchestra, gladly admit, for in listen
ing to the same orchestra from one OF
the better records played over the radio
each instrument Is brought into its
proper relief. One gets the idea of a
harmonious whole and not a fiat-col-
ored caricature. Obviously in making
records regard Is given relative frequen-
cieS and instruments are placed ac-
cordingly. I much prefer the resonant
boom" OF q bass on record to the
dead bump" Of the same bass from
the studio.
Perhaps these remarks may sound
arti1cial, may cause the comment that
all who listen are not acouSticians.
should like to say to this that America
Is musical. The radio has done more
In flve years to make America musical
than any pre-radio agency could have
done In a dozen generations. No longer
can musician say, Il will play any
old way and no one will know the diff
ference" America is entitled to the
finesse of a Rembrandt portrait and
not the whitewash covering which is
sprayed on barn as q veneer.
From another angle, many Of the
lesser stations cannot give the public
what we call the better class of music,
either because of financial conditions
or the fact that that talent does not
abound In the region they serve. Many.
people who criticize records over the
radio are content to listen to the ca
cophonous mechanics ACCOMPANYING a
motion picture without comparing the
audible value Of such mechanical audi
ton with the box ONCE price of admiS-
sion. There Is . tendency to feel that
one is cheated when one listens to a
record because in mechanical repro
duction one is deprived of the person.
atty which emanates from the studio
presence.
The superiority Of the personal euua-
ton Is not denied but the point WiSl,
to bring out is this: would much
rather listen to well balanced orches-
ira from good record than an indif-
ferent orchestral arrangement from the
studio. l prefer to attend the playing
OF . good record than the grating at
temptS Of few village "cut-ups" to be
funny. do not condone the total use
OF records, nor do I believe the Radio,
Commission should allow 1t, but I do
believe there are many things comine
over the radio that are decidedly infe-
rior to good records. Mu-
sician.
Where Is the Fish Station?
Radio Editor: Last Sunday morning
about o'clock I tuned In a station
that was broadcasting on a wave of
approximately 395 meters and about
$50 kilocycles. There was two hours
difference in time, as he said it was /
o'clock when 1t was 8 o'clock our time.
The station was broadcastinR the
weather report and announced It would
broadcast to the fishermen later In the
morning. The announcement was pc
culiar in that there were long pauses
between his sentences. A trumpet
would sound after each selection.
This Is the second time l have had
this station. The first time it was
broadcasting the quantities Of fiSh on
hand at different points. Can you help
me locate this station--Robert otter
back.
The radio department is sorry, Mr..
Otterback, that 1t cannot help you.
Perhaps some Of the ok" hunters can
Let's wait and see.