The general strike of 1926 and the voice that reported its happenings hour by hour to the nation are recalled by the appointment of Mr. B. E. Nicolls, then a B.B.C. announcer, to the important post of administrative controller, in succession to Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Carpendale. The latter has now become deputy director general. The two, together with Sir John Reith and Mr. Cecil Graves, controller of programmes, form the cabinet in the government of Broadcasting -House. Among the more recent "finds" of the B.B.C. must certainly be counted F. A. Voight, whose regular broadcasts on foreign affairs the discriminating listener is careful never to miss. His voice and manner are so distinctive that they vibrate, as it were, in the memory long after the talk is over. He talks, moreover, very simply, and with such authority that the ordinary listener probably pays more attention to him than to other broadcasters on the European situation. "I wish I had time to describe to you," he said last week, "how powerful a religious revival is taking place in Germany under the pressure of persecution." I hope that soon he will be given the time. He described the religious crisis in Germany as "one of the central events of our day, an event that will have consequences far transcending German affairs."
Three Choirs Festival A broadcast of a gramophone record is thought by most listeners to be "ae good as the original." It is a wonder. indeed, that records have not taken the place. of living players more than they have, From an economic point of view, of course, it is well that they have not. One can hardly grudge their use in radio plays, however, where they have made possible a musical background such as only the full strength of the B.B.C. symphony orchestra could provide.
But it certainly is art innovation that at the conclusion of the account of the Eiger Celebration at Worcester on September 3, his violin concerto is to be played by means of a gramophone record. True, the record is by Yehudi Menuhin. But Worcester will be full of good fiddlers, for the Three Choirs festival will be on, and some of them may well have something to say on the subject. The celebration consists of the unveiling of a stainedglass window in Worcester Cathedral (El.. gar was born at 13roadheath, a few miles away). The artist is A. K. Nicholson, who has chosen Gerontius and his angel guardian for the subject. The Dream of Geronthis was written by Cardinal Newman when he was at the Birmingham Oratory; Elgarh setting was first played at a Birmirighath festival; the original score is in the possession of the Oratorian Fathers.
Budapest 1:Ights The account of the unveiling of the memorial Window will be given te Victor Hely-lititchinson, who is Peyton-Barber professor of music at the Birmingham
university. microphones are at the Fiv,ocir.y e moment
Forty being set up in v arious parts of Budapest to enable the variety director to carry Out his scheme of relaying the eits 's evening entertainments to English listeners. The idea on which he is devising these programmes—which we shall hear on September 24, 25, 27, and 28, at 10.10 p.m.—. is that two Englishmen are sisiting Budapest and are being "taken the round."
The city, as everyone knows, is the home of tzigone bands, and it has a notables opera. The co-ordination of so many:, broadcasting points means great skit( ink preparing scripts, fading, ana production generally. For this reason the drama direessi tor, Val Gielgud, has been co-opted inure the programmes and will be at the control, panel in London in charge of the techni-1 cal side, while Eric Maschwitz, the varietyt director, will be in Budapest looking after) the microphone end. If the experiment is a success the idea may be eetended toe other European capitals.