Evening star., 1935-02-17

The transition, however, has not
been confined to musical. apprecia-
ton. Amazing as this factor has
been from the standpoint of educa-
tional. cultural and social develop
ment, the radio reaction has brought
about what might be characterized
as fashions in music" What the
maestros have discerned Is that music
now is demanded in cycles that
change perhaps as often as the styles
in milady's gowns. A group OF
waltzes, then perhaps those having
the honey sentiment, or possibly
cowboy airs, and afterward batch
of comedy songs, follow in success
sion. This changing tempo can be
gauged by the radio, for it is the
ether. and not the music hall, that
governs the trends in music now.
Cycles Traced.
These musical cycles in the popu-
lar field are clearly apparent. For
example, Immediately after the Last
Roundup" took the country by
storm land it penetrated the Old
World as WELD, there came Wagon
Wheels" a composition following the
same theme, and several other lesser
successes. Then there was Lazy
Bones" great success. Promptly
followed such melodies as the "LouiSi-
ana Hay Ride" Lying in the Hay"
etc. Little Man, You've Had Busy
Day." In the romantic or honey
strain, had as contemporaneous num-
bers Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and
"I'll String Along With You" Noel
Coward's tremendous hit, "Conver-
sation Piece" brought out such sue
cesses as THE Very Thought of You"
and "The Isle of Capri" in waltz
time.
In more recent months the song
Of the comedy type has come into
its own, having won such widespread
applause from the radio audience that
composers have been working over
time producing new ones or resur-
recting old tunes of the hoop and
hustle age. Lets All Sing Like the
Brides Sing" seemed to start this
song fad. But its success was eclipSed
by "The Man on the Flying Trapeze"
"a number written go years ago.
Then came such numbers as "Annie's
Cousin Fannie" and "A Thousand
Times No." barking back to the gay
nineties.
Some in England.
In the popular field another mo-
mentous outcropping of the radio
revolution" has been the swelling
demand for old popular songs, num-
bers which the listeners associate with
their own lives and memories Of years
ago. That is the reason for the
large number of "aIl request" pro-
grams Of the reminiscence type. Ac-
cording to Henry Hall, eminent Brit
ish maestro and musical director Of
the British Broadcasting Corp, the
most popular request numbers in Eng
land are almost parallel to the "All-
American" request list. These in
clude Everything Is Peaches Down
in Georgia" "Coal-Black Nanny"
"Yes, We Have No Bananas" "Horsey,
Keep Your Tail Up" Tea for Two"
"Valencia," "Charmaine," Miss An
nabelle Lee" Sonny Boy" Wedding
of the Painted Doll" "I'm Dancing
With Tears in My Eyes" 1.-THE Stein
Song" "The Kings Horses" and
Goodnight, Sweetheart"
On the other side of the "radio
revolution" has been the plant that
radio devours too much music: that
the supply of the song writers can
not meet the demand. The advice
given by Roy S. Durstine, an i'm
portant advertising agency man, to
improve radio is: Keep popular
songs from committing suicide by re-
stricting them from being played
every night in the week on every
station, If not on every program"
Would Please Public.
On the subject of classical music,
this authority suggests: Let famous
conductors realize that they are best
developing taste for good music by
arranging their programs to interest
q cropping public rather than to i'm
press other conductors or to satisfy
themselves"
The classical counterpart of the
popular music fad also is quite evi-
dent as an outgrowth of the radio
revolution" 1t has taken a different
twist, however. for cultural music
does not run in cycles or styles. It
has been reflected in the enormous
increase in the amount of fine music
performed over the air-operas, SYM
phonies, chamber music, arias, con-
tatas and the like. At the outset of
radio, the great conductors looked
disdainfully upon this raucous, squeal-
ing contraption which they said be-
longed to the obnoxious Tin Pan"
school. They were convinced that it
was suited only for jazz, hill-billy,
nanny and similar phases of de
graded melody" which they had long
since consigned to the limbo Of mis-
carriages in music.
Artists Finally Are Won.
But the miracle happened. By diilt
OF advances in radio technique, the
squeals and howls we're chased from
the ether. Practically the entire
musical range now can be reproduced
over the modern receiving set with a
degree Of perfection approaching the
rendition in the concert hall. One
by one these aloof, determined artists
have capitulated to radio. On the air
regularly these days are the HeifetzeS,
Stokowskis and Damrosches. Also the
Ponselles, Chaliapins, Martinellis and
McCormacks. Even Metropolitan OPP
era, a former anti-radio die-hard, has
fallen into line. And now there isn't
any complaint about prostitution of
their art" because of artificial re-
production"
ALI this development. 1t is now con-
tended, has stimulated the desire Of
the public to learn music and to play
instruments, which is diametrically
opposite to the cry made in radios
early days that it was diScouraging
individual study Of music in the
home. Seen as the next step in the
"radio revolution" Is the introduction
Of visual radio" or television, when
s,aa,sicaI Instruction farohahlv will be