Evening star., 1937-03-07


Long before he became radios t.
the stage by interrupting his own vio-:
lin solos with wisecracks His habit
was to stop dead in the middle of
serious passage and slip into the
smooth line of chatter that has
brought the radio world to his feet.
At other times he would glide easily
from classical number into a torrid
blues number, abetted by his winning
smile and eloquent eyes.
THE performance Of "The Bee" was
quite acceptable to the average
fan, to whom the whole thing was a
joke. To get the reaction of musi-
clans, however. music critic was
asked to listen to the performance,
and this Is his serious version:
Frankly disappointing to music
lovers was the rendition February %
of Schuberts violin solo, 1.-THE Bee"
the N. B. G. red network, where he is
billed as Jack Benny.
Mr. Benny, perhaps, should con-
fine his performances to gag pulling.
Already within few years of 40, he
should recognize that life for violinists
usually begins at the tender age of 6.
1.-The Bee starts off with what
should be a crystal-clear B major on
the E string, followed in rapid success
sion by sort of broken Chromatic
glisSando written by Schubert to Gre
ate the illusion of bee taking off for
fields of clover. Mr.. Benny, however,
started off with only an approximation
Of B major and dropped in desultory
fashion through a chain of notes that
more nearly resembled the greeting
that might mark the approach of
steaming kettle in crowded kennel.
Instead of using his left hand in
the generally accepted trip-hammer
style, Mr.. Benny displayed flabby
execution that indicated need of fur
ther practice-years of it. Further
more, he failed to coordinate left and
right hand technique to produce the
effect Schubert is known to have had
in mind.
mot surprising, consequently, was
his departure to a bit of Grass
Jazz when he approached the more diff
flcult passage where Schubert let his
imaginative genius run amuck in an
effort to portray musically the agita-
ton bee must feel when it finds
particular succulent flower already oc-
cupied by an inhabitant of a compet-
ing hive. Here Mr. Benny indicated a
partial understanding Of the priml-
tive emotions brought out in the jazz
type of performance, but his execution
failed even to approach the facility
that discerning critics could detect
among members of his supporting or
chestra.
"The inevitable conclusion of mu-
sicians is that Mr.. Benny might well
confine his radio appearances to the
exchange of drolleries, an art to which
he is peculiarly adapted, and which
has brought him worldwide fame"
EvEN though the turbulent flood
- waters of the Ohio and the Mis-
sissippi have subsidized. Washington's
radio oficialdom has not finished the
task which grew directly out OF the
catastrophe.
While the immediate need OF radio
communications for flood relief work
has been dispensed with, plans are
under way to set up coordinated
system which will get into action au-
tomatically in the next major flood.
AS a matter of fact, thought is being
given to a broad plan for use Of COM
munications in any national emer-
gency.
While details are lacking at this
time, it is known the F. c. c., through
its chief engineer, Comdr. T. A. M.
Craven, has taken the initiative in de-
velopment of such coordinated COM
munications system. Only recently
two Of Comdr. Craven's chief assist
ants-A. D. Ring for broadcasting
and Andrew w. Cruise for telephone
returned from To-day trip along the
Mississippi Ohio route, where they
surveyed the work done by all modes
of communication during the flood
crisis They are now drafting de-
tailed report in which they will set
forth the work done and also make
recommendations on what might have
been done had the system been ideal
DRAISE has been heaped upon radio
and communication companies
for their work during the flood. and.
80 far as known, there has been not
an iota of criticism The flood proved
the tremendous value of communica-
tions in time of such emergencies and
the thought occurred that some pre-