Evening star., 1951-04-15
News of Music
Voice of America Spreads Its Message
Through Classics and Jam Sessions Alike
By Alice Eversmon

EverSm0n
posers, recitals by native musicians,
as well as those by renowned in
strumentalists and operate sing
ers. and programs by the great
torchestras of the United States
are included in the first category.
lOne performance by the Metro
lpo1itan Opera is always part of the
shipments and some particular
event, such as the Bach Festival
lin Bethlehem or the Boston Sym
Iphony concerts at Tanglewood, is
Included.
Religious Music Included.
Excerpts from musical shows as
South PacificsY the favoritel
singers on radio programs. dance
and jazz bands. constitute the
popular list. while pleasant or
Ichestral numbers instrumental
music of the same kind. spirituals
and folk songs form the semi
classics. Every Sunday there are
religious broadcasts. with music by
such groups as the Trinity Choir
Iof, st. Paul'S Parish in New York,
the choir of East Liberty Presby-
Iterian Church in Pittsburgh, the
lSchola Cantorum of st. Thomas
lin Bloomfield, or that of the
Church of the Immaculate Con-
iception in Los Angeles. Most Of
these latter. programs have been
beamed to the Far East.
One of the most notable pro-
grams is Fun With Music" de-
signed for children all over the
world. Already 26 fifteen-minute
recordings have been sent to a
number of countries for local
broadcasts with commentaries in
the language of the country.
They follow, mostly, the style used
in the Youth Concerts with some
deviationS. For instance, there is
one program of circus music
where calliopes and bassy melodies
create the atmosphere for ele-
plants and clowns. Excerpts from
Humperdinck's "Hansel and
Gretel" are among the children's
operas given which also include
Douglas Moore's "The Emperor's
New Clothes" and George Klein
singers 'Tubby the Tuba" The
story of the instruments in the
lorchestras occupies three pro-
grams and the history of the piano
from 1706 to the present. is traced
on two. The highlights of Ameri-
can history from 1920 to 1865 are
told for the youngsters in music
and even the geography of this
country is described in this me-
ldium. High school boys and girls,
lin choruses or ensembles, partici-
pate In these programs.
The Voice uses its musical ma
lterial in two ways. Some of it is
transmitted by short-wave broad
casts as programs or as Incl
dental or atmospheric music for
some of the dramas. Others are
Iput on the records in assembled
programs which are shipped to 9OI
embassies, consulates and other
far outpostS of the State Depart
lment. The local radio stations
receive these packaged programs
and clubs or schools are permitted
to borrow them. The problem
lies in supplying the musicof most
appeal to the. different countries.
France, Italy, Spain and Latin
1Alnerica like our popular music
best, India and Indonesia favor
military bands. A special tribute
was paid to the Marine Band for
its recorded performance of the
Pakistan national anthem by its
composer. Ahmed G. Chagla. He
wrote:
This is exactly how the music
lshould be interpreted. The Ma
lrine Band performance is all the
more commendable because the
melody is foreign to Western in
strumentalists-'. Only Northern
Europe Graves the symphonic
music with soloists.
A particular effort is being made
to acquaint the world with the
serious works by American COM
posers. Most European nations
feel they can supply what music of
that nature is wanted and ask for
the lighter American kind so
popular abroad. However. there
is series called American Com
poser" where native compost
tions in orchestral, chamber music
or soloist performance, are re-
corded and sent out. More than
hundred overseas offices receive
this allotment. Commercial re-
cordings and published compost
tionS are also supplied to Infor-.
nation Centers, for study and per-
Torrance by any who desire to
have them.
! POrtableS Reach the Remote.
! Where there are no radios. the
Voice sends out jeeps. as in Alden,
Arabia. for instance, equipped with
portable sound-producing units.
There, in the public square, the
programs will be played, usually
accompanied by a documentary
motion picture film flashed on a
sheet stretched across the square.
In some cities, where the United
State has public information libra
ries. Transcribed concerts are given
to audiences.
How much of the shortwave
broadcasts reach the people has
not been estimated definitely, al
though it is known that so per
cent of all residents in Western
Germany hear them and there are
I2.5 million steady listeners in
France. Some of it gets through
the Iron Curtain, for one Soviet
magazine wrote that the Voice
lwac "cvnonvnooIIS with. 1x,iy,o opd