[78-L] Seasonal songs on radio in Great North Country...

[Ted Kneebone]

It's interesting to follow some of the discussions of how radio programs its 
music.  Here in South Dakota it would hard to define seasons.  We have had 
winter begin as early as September and last until May.  I seldom listen to 
the local stations.  We have the choice of rock and country, and one public 
radio station.

As I look outside now, I see it is snowing. If I want to hear something 
seasonal, winter or Christmas, I have a large enough collection of CDs and 
LPs that I can listen to anything.  This time of the year I listen to 
Handel's Messiah, Bach's Magnificat, Corelli's (& others') Christmas 
concertos, my favorite carols, and even a bunch of Christmas stuff from 78s. 
One of my favorites is a collection of carols on Bluebird by an unnamed 
choir.  I think there were 4 discs that I dubbed to open reel tape.  One 
disc has a crack in it so I would like to find a replacement.  I would also 
like to find the 1947 (?) Messiah by Beecham, complete with Sir Thomas' 
lecture on how to perform it. In 1958, he recorded Messiah again, and 
violated nearly all his previous advice!  I have many of the Robert Shaw and 
Trapp Family sets on CD.  And I can get pleasure out of hearing Bing Crosby 
and others of his generation.

I find little pleasure listening to radio now. To me, radio has become a 
jukebox for lovers of rock, talk, country, the cattle markets, with some 
news and weather thrown in.  If I want to re-live my youth, I can listen to 
a number of radio comedy and drama programs from the Golden Age. Lionel 
Barrymore as Scrooge is still fresh in my mind -- thru that wonderful 1939 
recording of the Campbell Playhouse!

Ted Kneebone. 1528 S. Grant St., Aberdeen, SD 57401. Phone: 605-226-3344.