BBC COVERAGE OF The Monte Carlo Rally Tele~ision and the Light Programme will be {olio wing the 'rally thrOltghollt Its 1,800 miles of thrills. Ronnie Noble and Peter Dimmoc/, (above) will head the T eievision 'S[Jorcsview' team, and Raymond Baxter (left) will compete and report in the Light Programme (see [ntge 3) Issu< dated 3 JANUARY 17 11'58 Editorial: BBC Publications 35 Macylebonc High St. Registered lit tIle G.l',O. nt 0 Newspaper JR A}IJ) li 0 TJIIWE§ London, W.l
British Broadcasting Corporntion TUB JOURNAL Copyright of nil programmes in this Broadcasting House, London OF TnE nne J \v.i issue is strictly reserved by the nBC
The first English production of Francis pOlllenc's op'era, I The Carmelites,' will be broadcast [f·om Copell't Garden on Tuesday The BBe and the (Third). Here EDWARD LOCKSPEISER draws a thumb-nail p_ortrait of Throughout the week the BBC will be following the progl'ess of the Monte Cal'lo Rally in both sOHnd and television. Raymond Baxter Poulenc: the Man and who is again taldng part as a competitor, will be I'cporting in the the Musician Light Programme, while Peter Dimmock, lcading a 'Sportsview' tcam, will be giving an average driver's impressions of the event OU have only to watch the long, doggy like face of Francis Poulenc for a moment Yor two to see in it the endearing charm WHAT'S NEW ABOUT THIS YEAR'S RALLY of his music. When you ace introduced the dis UFFICIENT unto the roads is the evil What's new about the Monte MKII (modi tant look is almost a mask. But the little eyes thereof. This may well have been the maxim fied) 1958? 50 on begin to twinkle; he has thought of the Sunder which the organisers of pre-war Well, the basic ingredients" are still there, only vecy joke you will be unable to resist, and he Monte Carlo Rallies planned their campaign more so. The main route to Monte Carlo has is rattling off one of the choicest of his marvel against the competitors. In those days, the task been shortened slightly to 1,800 miles, but the lous fund of anecdotes with the exuberance of a of getting to Monte Carlo on time, lJia all the penalties remain at ten marks per minute late schoolboy. There is no doubt about it-Poulenc, who is a sort of Fernande1 among modem stipulated controls en route, or early at each control. was sufficient to decide the Speeds aro somewhat higher: French composers, is as ebullient now, in middle age, as when he first began cocking snooks at winners. Old campaigners like e.g., Chambcry-Gap, 160 kilo the musical world forty years ago. Donald Healey (who won metres, minimum time 2 There is, of course, more to his abundant from Stavanger with an In hours 3 minutes, maximum musical personality than this. Look at his hands. victa in 1931), Tommy Wis time 2 hours 40 minutes. In You do not have great bony structures like that dom, Norman Garrad and other words, one's lowest per for nothing. Poulenc Maurice Gatsonides (who mitted average speed is 60 is known to be a most· eventually won with a Zephyr Ie.p.h. In previous years the sensitive pianist. And from Monte Carlo in 1953), lowest permi tted average speed behind the screen of will tell you astonishing stories of how they has generally been an arbitrary 50 k.p.h. (32 high spirits' and so dug for days in the snow of the Polish corridor. m.p.h.). But much more important' is what phisticated banter there This was when places like Koenigsberg, Umea happens after Monte Carlo is reached. is another personality (I'm not quite sure where that was), Berlin and \Ve shall have a six-hour rest following the altogether-the com John 0' Groats, were offered in the selection 55-hour journey; then we shall set out again 'poser of the Alass, of of starting points. on a 650-111ile circular run, based on the a series of severe reli But progress. is not to be denied, and im Alpine Trial rather than previous Montes. In gious .lylotets, and of proved roads, together with the improved this the time limits at controls will be much the • Li tanies to the performance of the modern car, have made the tighter, particularly for' Grand Touring' Class BJack Virgin: inspired actual mid-winter journey to Monte Carlo less cars like our Aston lvlartin, which I share by the composer's hazardous today. Conversely, the task of the with Jackie Reece. The route, too, through periodical visits to the organisers, in seeking out the winner 'on the the Maritime Alps on little-known roads, can ancient Sanctuary of road,' has become more difficult. only be described as a • stinker.' Rocamadour. A lai:ge Each year since 1949, the Automobile Club In this section, the winner of the 1958 Monte FRANCIS POULENG number of Francis de Monaco and the International Sporting Club Carlo Rally will be found. The organisers have Poulenc's recent works, have endeavoured to write-in fresh variations on in fact resorted to their original motto. For .:outaioing some of his most affecting pages, the theme. This year they have made some in those parts still, sufficient unto the roads is are in fact devoutly religious. . fundamental changes in their regulations. the evil thereof. RAYMOND BAXTER Those who know Poulenc intimately, and I have had this privilege over many years, feel that the strands of this double personality-the irre ON THE ROAD WITH SPORTSVIEW'S CAR sistible bon enfant and the other-worldly monk VER since Sportsview began on BBe Tele Winter Olympic Games through fairly frightful -run through his entire work and account for' visi~n we have each year (except for 1957 conditions, and we reckon that after the shocks certain unexpected features 'in it. One is never Ewhen the event was cancelled because of we gave each other on that trip there is a remote quite SUre which of his two sides he will show petrol shortage) filmed the Monte Carlo Rally. possibility of. our arriving at Monte Carlo in next. His first opera, written more than ten years This year we have again decided that the event - one piece! agO, Was a brilliant comic farce. His second, The should be covered in Sporlsview, but this time There are eight starting points for this year's Carmelites, has a religious subject-the martyr with a difference. The Unit is to follow the prece Rally. Raymond Baxter is heading sonth from dom during the French Revolution of thirteen dent set up ,in sound radio by veteran Rallyist Glasgow, but we have decided to take the Paris nuns from a Carmelite convent. arid commentator Raymond Baxter who ",'tually itinerary. We shall set off from Paris at 4.33 competes each year in the Rally as he reports. p.m. on Wednesday, and are due to arrive at Never Forbidding Although there will, of course, be film of the 1,,\onte Carlo at 3.30 p.m. on Friday, driving It is a fact that even in his remote religiOils experts in action, the Sporisview Unit has . virtually non-stop for 48 hours. Then, after a Works, the Mass and the Penitential Motets, entered the Rally with the express and declared brief rest, we tackle the 650-mile 'round the Poulenc's music is never forbidding. His religi purpose of trying to show viewers what it is mountains' course. ous music is song-like, melodious, ecstatic. ' God like for the average driver to tackle for the first . The Roving Eye will meet the British com Protect llle from the more dreary of the Saints time what has often been described as one of petitors near Ashford in Kent en route for of history,' he wrote on the score of The Car the roughest and toughest winter car rallies in Dover, and we hope that Sportsview on Wed ~1e1ites, quoting the words of the charming and the world. Our number is 331. We shall be nesday night will include a first-hand report on Ingenuolls Saint Theresa of Lisieux. .. driving a Humber, and I shall have with me as progress from some of the drivers, together .There we have it. Even when his music deals my co-driver the Assistant Editor of Sports view, with our own first- report Of the Rally from I'llth sevece subjects it retains its child-like inno Ronnie Noble, and with us as the third crew France. We plan to send back reports of our cence and its spontaneous flow of melody. That member will be ace Sportsview cameraman, Alan progress in time for the Thursday and Friday ~obably :lCGonnts for the spectacular success of Prentice. Both he and Ronnie Noble have night editions of Tonight, and for Sports Special fi:~e Carmelites, Poulellc's latest larg~-scale work, filmed the Rally before but none of us has ever on Saturday. In next week's Sportsview we 11 SI produced at La Scala, which III less than actually competed. Ronnie and I did, however, hope to summarise the Rally with a complete Vo Years has swept Europe and America. drive to Cortina and back together for the and edited report. PETER DIMMOCK RADIO TIME:'
lIigltliglIts oi die '\'c.'G.'I!. THE WAY OF LIFE AT l\. GLAN(;]K Since l~st October the regular Sunday Et·ening Service at 7.45 (HOllie) has been lJl replaced by a religious progralllme. This article takes stach of the experiment T w~s obvious before The Way of Life scries . 'The Drama and the Faith,' 'Under the PllIYs anti Fea~III'es ever started that to stop broadcasting a regu Hammer,' and • The Life and Work of I lar Evening Service would disappoint many Jeremiah.' Rachmaninov: a radio portrait, followed by his Pinna Concerto No.2 (Sill/day, Home) listeners, especially those who could not get out, Comments have been very varied: • a pleasant and had come to lopk on the Sunday Evening change from the usual Sunday-evening service,' I Corruption in the Palace of Justice J by Ugo Betti (SlInday and Friday, Third) Service as their chance to share in Christian (bits and pieces, but all going nowhere,' worship. As we were putting in its place a series I absolutely splendid,' , too much acting,' f a poor 'Hedda Gabler' by Ibsen (Monday, HOllie) of programmes which would vary greatly in substitute for an evening service,' 'the real way Our Day and Age: 'The Wizard Pranger' (Tlles content and treatment, it seemed possible that to bring the Christian religion to" the people.' day, Light) by the beginning of 1958 our But the comments which most 'Close Relations' by Roger MacDougall (1' hllrsda)" old audience would have left strongly condemned a broad- HOllie) and no new one arrived. I;;I:::~!'!~~~~· cast showed beyond doubt that 'A Time of the Serpent' by Bruce Stewart (Salill' However, we had good the writers had been made to day, Home)' reasons for going ahead. First, think, even if only to disagree. those who wished to hear a So clearly a great part of our church service could listen in obiect has been achieved. In ~llIsie the morning at 9.45. (Inci- the last two months there has Rossini's Petite l\tesse SolenncIlc: . soloists, BBC dentally, the number of ~~To,~ been increasing evidence that Chorus and Symphony Orchestra, conducted by listeners in the morning these those who seriously want to Sir Malcolm Sargent (Sill/day, HOllie) last three months has con understand Christianity are 'I Puritani ': opera by Bellini (SlInda)" Third) siderably increased.) And listening. second, there are many others, Tlte lVay of Life will con • The Carmelites J: opera by Poulenc, with libretto· people who are not ready to worship and would tinue until the end of June, when evening by ncrnanos, from Covent Garden (Tuesday, Third). Introductory talk (Monday, Thi"d) not feel easy about ioining in saying a creed, but services will be resumed for the summer. Our who want to think about Christianity and unuer subiect this week and next is • \"Vhy Don't the A tribute to Eric Coates (Tllesday, Light) stand it; and also people who are already con Churches Unite?' In these programmes Tony BBC Symphony Concert, from the Royal Festival vinced Christians bnt want to appreciate its Gibson presents to leaders of the Christian Hall Wednesday implications. Churches questions which young people have Since October 6 we have broadcast seasonal asked, and compares the answers. programmes, such as • The Crown of the Year' The programmes in Lent, including Easter Ligh~ EIl~eJ'~ahlinell' at harvest time, 'Break forth into Singing' for Day, will be concerned with the' I am' sayings the Feast of St. Cecilia, and' Noel' on Decem of Christ in St. John's Gospel, such as • I am Follow the Stars (SlInday, Light) ber 22; controversial programmes, such as the Light of the world.'~ In varying ways they Desert Island Discs: Max Jaffa (Monday, HOllie) • Christianity and \"Var,' 'Christian Forwn'; will attempt to show the Biblical background to Hancock's Half-Hour (Tllesday, Light) • The Truth of the Bible,' and • How Real is these sayings, and set the claims of Christ in Take It From Here (Wednesday, Light; Friday" Christmas? '; and informative programmes, like relation to our society. J. A. FISHER Home) Australia Sings: an informal prelude to Australia Day (Wednesday, HOllie) World Premiere: First nights at The Lyric, Ham- 'Corruption in the Palace of Justice' mersmith (Thursday, Home) Sunday and Friday, Third What Do You Know? (Thllrsday; Light) rr'H0UGH Betti's plays have always com Shakespeare sees the tragic personality as a (Sawrday, Light) Saturday Skime Club ..l ~anded critical respect in Italy, Corrup- noble and capacious soul who is overwhelmed International Accordion Festival: CKcerpt from a lion ill Iile Palace of Juslice, written in by events that uncover in him an invincible and concert (Saturday, Light) 1944 and first performed in Rome in 1949, is, unsuspected weakness. Ibsen's tragic characters I believe, the only one of his serious works to are generally people who have been steadily and have attained much popular snccess there. That contentedly off the rails for most of their adult Tull.. it should be successful is understandable; more lives. Betti's characters are like Ibsen's to the even than The Qlleen and Ihe Rebels, it has an ~"tent that they have already lived through a Coast and Country: The Dover Road (S.mday, Home) irresistible narrative excitement, in this case g00d deal of life and been misshapen by it. The almost that of a detective-story. In the chief law difference between Betti and Ibsen is that Betti People Today: People in Coffee Houses (Monday, courts of an unnamed capital city a great scandal always at some point confronts his damned H~~ . is threatening. It is suspected that souls with a vision-sometimes, as in Frankly Speaking: Lady Violet Bonham Carter, Lndvi-Pol, a powerful financial Cormplion, in the form of an inno D.n.E. (Tuesday, Home) adventurer of a kind known and cent younger character--of what life Fifty~One Society: Guest, Viscount Hailsham, Q.c. respected in most countries, has at was like before damnation set in. (Wednesday, Hom.) least one of the principal judges in It is with this painful new insight l\1cdicval Disputation on the thesis: f The marriage his pay. The scandal breaks: that his characters then have to deal: ' contract is indissoluble' (Thursday, Thi,:d) Ludvi-Pol is discovered murdered a choice between good and evil is Matters of Moment: discussion (Thursday, flome) in a room in the palace of justice once more offered them. Sometimes itself. The action of the play con they choose badly; sometimes well. cenlS the subsequent investigation. But whatever their choice (and in This, however, is merely the sur either case there will be nothing that SI'Oft'~ face of the work. A little way below can easily be called a happy ending) BO'ing: Johnny Kidd (Aberdeen) v. Arty Magill it is the religious symbolism that is we have the feeling of a completed (Belfast) (Monday, Light) always there in Betti's serious plays. action, and, with it, that sense of The Monte Carlo Rally: But the sonrce of his power does triumph and exultation in onr Preview (Tuesday, Light) not lie in his Christianity. It lies in selves which should always accom Reports (If! edn"day-Saturday, Light) his searching analysis of what con .. pany-but rarely does-the close of P.A. Cup: a Fourth Round tie (Saturday, Light) stitutes Iragedy in human behaviour. UGO BETTI a tragic drama. HENRY REED 1(JMU01 ), 17, 1958 v RADIO TIMES 27 1rhird Programme -~------~ 464)11. (M 7I 1,500 Ill. (200 Ilc/s) 247 Ill. (I,2H ~c/s) VHF: Wrotbom 89.1 Me/s 5.0 Hurry Andrews, Erncst hfi~ton Stephen ~IlIrrRY, DonlllfJ PJcl1sencc 5.0 HOLIDAY HOUR ~.o Dich nentley, Jimmy Ec.JWflrtls 9.0 FOLLOW IHid PerlitR Neilson in A winter programme looking llnd JUlIe 'Vhitfielt.l THE STARS back to last summel' and forward in 'CORRUPTION IN THE ~adio's to next-lnemories of sunlit days TAKE IT IiROM HERE shining hour PALACE O}O' JUSTICE' and leisme hours to corne of entel'tainmemt with Sec foot o/IJllge This luce!: ]IOU hear abortt: introduced by 'YOURS Eatun (Palilll Nci/SOIl brol1dcaJlJ by pcrllliuiQn A visit to Ilfl'llcombe from Stephe.n Tony Fo)'ne nnd Dadd E,·tllHI [l The Keynotes Q/101l11 CIC/lll'/JIJ) Gl'(>llfell; holiday in a horse-drawn with lun "\dlncc To he "clIcatell 011 Friday at 8.20 eru'avall In Eirc 'with Leslie Dniken; nnc Revue Or('he~trll and nil oV(,I'Jand joul'lley to Russia (Leadel', Antony Gilllert) This week's stars iHclwle: DUI1INfl TIm TNTr.ltVAf. (5,45-6.65 npp.): hy ~obcrt Reid LIL~t mm'f'lllHlt uf SymphollY No. 6 Conductor, Hurry RabinowHz Nigel Patrick, Miriam Karlin Introduced by F'l'anklIn ElIgelmallJl Script by ~{::{~:~il·(~~.cg!~rl~~ ~KII~~~ct}:s~~.~~~~ Producr 464 JlI. (647 "e/s) 194 m.(1,546he/s) VHF , Wrothnm 91.3 ]\fel s Light Programme I,SUO Ill, (200 IIels) 247 m. (1,214 I