Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-31

he 1or. in this case, she) is paid. The
person consulted was Waugh de Leath,
first woman ever to broadcast, who sttll
IS heard over the National Broadcast
ing Co. networks every week.
The reason for selecting her was that
she is one of the highest-priced artists
regularly heard on the air, has the rep
utation for speaking freely and frankly.
and Is certainly one person who knows
what broadcasting Is all about-f there
really is anybody who does.
Wrong Impression.
The question was put to her in this
form: Miss de Leath, 1t is the popular
belief that radio stars get thousand
dollars or more for q half hours work.
Is it true, and. If 50, how Icing has this
been going on, and how does one
She laughed as though she had been
told . particularly good joke. Then she
said, IT hate TO spoil yOar beautiful
illusions, but let me tell you.
Facing the microphone and broad
casting is the smallest part Of radio
artists lob. especially II that artist Il
in the musical end of the program
whether q vocalist or instrumentalist
A half hour on the air may require o
full week Of preparation, II the pro-
gram Is to be kept unusual and Of the
highest caliber.
"First there is the incessant search
for new material. The bulk OF this II
supplied by the music publishers, sew
eral of whom will submit q sheaf Of
their latest publications daily. These
| must be carefully culled, the selection;
which show the greatest possibilitie:
being tried out In the artists private
| studio"
Miss de Leath also makes frequent
calls on the little known music libraries
and is sometimes compelled to write hel
| own selections.
Sometimes the numbers selected may
be tuneful and have catchy lyrics. but
are written in q key too high or toe
low for the particular artist who plans
to present them.
Must Change Key.
In that case the melody and accom-
| paniment must be transposed into q
key within the artists range. It is Q
comparatively simple job when the &C
compartment u to be played by only q
piano, but when the entire orchestrs
| carries the tune as q background fol
the voice the problem Is complicated
An arranger can he hired to do this
work for about $3.50 week, but most
artists find that the only way to gel
the job done to their entire satisfaction
is to do it themselves. That Is, those
who are able to make arrangements
Miss de Leath IL one Of these.
After the numbers have been Sc
lected and transposed into the correct
key" continued Miss de Leath, "tht
broadcaster's real work begins. In or.
der to keep the voice functioning prop
AVlNV &vEveN nj kfnn
are needed every day."
This is none too pleasant for the
neighbors, and out Of sheer kindness
of heart Miss de Leath does her prac-
ticing at her farm, in Easton, Conn,
from which she commutes to the studio
twice weekly (once for her broadcast
and once for rehearsals), q mere mat.
ter Of $40 miles or so.
Rehearsals Important.
Those rehearsals," Miss de LeatE
explained. ARE also . mighty impor.
tant part of the broadcaster's life
While the artist has been practicing In
the privacy Of her home the orchestra
has been going over and over the chos-
en- numbers in its rehearsal hall. Al
last comes the day when the soloist
and the band are to try it out together
They meet in a dead studio and &c
over each number separately. and then
through the program as q whole.
1T never sounds right to the soloist
and the conductor on the flrst attempt
other trials are then made, and, final
ly, when every one Is thoroughly ex-
hausted, they decide that the program
will do. Sometimes six hours are spent
in a single final rehearsal Of . hall
hours program"
What" Miss de Leath was asked, 81,
the length Of your average workins
day? You do put In full eight hours
don't you?"
She sighed. "I wish I did" she said
More often It's IL or IA. But fgur.
ing that I don't do any work on Sun.
day. it doesn't average so much over
IL hours q day. z days q week, II you
don't figure the time spend com.
muting."
And so unimpeachable testimony has
| proved that, like the life Of the Gilbert
and Sullivan cop, the career Of q broad
caster Is not one Of unalloyed happi-
ness. As In every other line of en-.
deavor, high salaries are received only
IS the fruit Of tireless endeavor.
I