J_______
No. 12
NYA SVENSKA PRESSEN
Vancouver, B. C., Torsdagen den 23 mars 1950
Vol. XIII
Canadians to Meet Sweden March 29th
Important Radio Program over CBC to Feature Swedish Music and Drama
In a recent CBC Wednesday Night Program featuring New Music by Modern European Composers, Dr. Ira Dilworth summed up the aims of the Voice- of Canada, and outlined the transcription service which is being carried on by CBC International Service.
“By means of transcription,” he said, “We are able to send Canadian programs to countries abroad for broadcast over the national networks of the coun-tries to which they are sent.
“This is a two-way business. Our work brings us into contact with radio organizations in ma-ny other lands. These people, many of them animated by the same philosophy of friendliness as our own, are eager to make available for us in Canada information about their countries . . .” he said.
SWEDEN ON CBC WEDNESDAY NIGHT PROGRAM
NEXT WEEK
It is by means of this transcription service that Canadian radio listeners from coast to coast will have the opportunity of meeting the country of Sweden on the March 29th CBC Wednesday Night Program.
The program, featuring Swedish music, drama and song, will open with introductory remarks by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden as transcribed in Stockholm by the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation.
His remarks will be followed by a documentary program called “Sights and Sounds of Sweden” describing in word and music Sweden’s countryside, principal cities, her people and Industries, Included in the documentary will be a five-minute word picture of Sweden and her people by His Royal Highness Prince Wilhelm of Sweden, younger brother of the Crown Prince.
It might be mentioned here that Prince Wilhelm, after a brief career as a naval officer, entered the writing field where he has gained distinction in Sweden as novelist and play-wright. Another of his accöm-plishments has been the writing and directing of documentary films.
NEW SYMPHONY BY SWEDISH COMPOSER
The major musical work to be presented on the March 29th CBC Wednesday Night Program will be performed by the Radiotjänsts Symfoniorkester
Esse W. Ljungh
August Strindberg’® “Easter” will be produced by Swedish-born CBC producer, Esse W. Ljungh. After studying law and music at Uppsala University, with the theatre as a side in-terest, Mr. Ljungh came to Canada in 1927 where he farmed and did newspaper work on the Prairies before joining the CBC m Winnipeg in 1942. Since 1946 he has been on the proddction staff of CBC Toronto where he has been responsible for many of the Wednesday Night pro-gram’s outstanding drama pro-ductibns.
Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf who will introduce the Swedish Program to Canadian radio listeners.
under the direction of the cele-brated Swedish conductor, Tor Mann. This will be “Sinfonia del Mare”, written in one move-ment by the Swedish composer, Gösta Nystroem.
Nystroem wrote the greater part of “Sinfonia del Mare” during 1947-48 on the Island of Capri, but finished it on a small island off the Swedish west coast. The symphony does not conform to standard prin-ciples of construction. “The only indication of conservative construction,” says the composer, “is the first and the last note. Otherwise, it is simply music that has been inspired by the sea and written by the sea.”
Discussing the work still further, Nystroem accounts for its inspiration: “Pve always them in both Arctic gale and South Sea swell. For this reason the first page of the score car-ries the legend: ‘dedicated to all sailors on the seven seas’.
“The symphony has, perhaps, an unusual form,” says the composer. “It consists of one single movement and begins with one long, drawn-out note, the ‘horizon line’, which devel-ops into a slow dramatic begin-ning. This leads into a strongly loved sailors and the sea, and I’ve shared many a watch with rhythmic allegro in the middle of which is a part for soprano. The lyrics for this solo are from the sea poem by the Sw7ed-ish poetess, Ebba Lindquist, entitled “The Only One”. The allegro ebbs slowly out into a quiet repeat of the first part and the whole movement sinks back to the ‘horizon-tone’ which concludes the symphony.”
RADIO PERFORMANCE OF STRINDBERG’S “EASTER”
Immediately following the performance of “Sinfonia del Mare” there will be a brief talk by Dr. Gunnar Ollén specialist in Ifterature, and script editor of the Swedish radio drama department. Dr. Ollén, one of Sweden’s foremost Strindberg authorities, will introduce the English version of “Easter” by Äugust Strindberg, as adapted for Canadian radio by Gunnar Rugheimer, and produced by Esse W. Ljungh.
“August is so queer that he will never amount to anything.” This was the frank opinion of Mr. Strindberg, Sr., a small-time Stockholm shipping agent, whose son was to become Sweden’® most outstanding play-wright.
August Strindberg was born in 1849. At the age of 18 years he had already completed his senior matriculation and had managed to eke out one term at the University of Uppsala. The following year, in an at-tempt to earn enough money to continue his studies at Uppsala, he worked as a public school teacher and as a private tutor. It was at this time that he telt the ambition to become an act-or and immediately made his way to the Royal Dramatic
Stort svenskt radioprogram över CBC
En händelse av största intresse, särskilt för skandinaver i Canada, är CBC:s “Wednesday Night Program”, onsdagen den 29 mars. Denna presentation, som ges på initiativ av CBC:s International Service, är icke någon flyktig smakbit av svenskt, utan en hel svensk afton med anföranden och kommentarer, en svensk symfoni, svensk sång av tre framstående körer, cch en dramatisering för radio på engelska av Strindbergs “Påsk”.
Programmet börjar, som framgår av vidstående schema, redan kl. 6.15 på aftonen och fortgår till kl. 10 med en halvtimmes avbrott för dagsnyhe-terna.
Aldrig tillförne har, oss veter-ligt ett sådant stort svenskt program presenterats över radio på denna kontinent. Detta och andra liknande företag är vackra bevis för de strävanden som göres för mellanfolklig förståelse av just International Service-avdelningen av Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Theatre in Stockholm. He was cast in a few bit parts, but failed miserably. He decided, instead, to write plays.
At the age of 21, Strindberg saw his one-act play “In Rome”
performed by the Royal Dra- pthe presentation of “The Out-
matic Theatre. A year later his play, “The Outlaw”, was presented on the same stage and brought him acclaim, as well as a purse from the then reigning
H.R.H. Prince Wilhelm
His Royal Highness Prince Wilhelm of Sweden will give a five-minute word picture of Sweden and her people during a documentary program called “Sights and Sounds of Sweden”.
Program:
6.15	— 6.30
Introduction by H. R. H. Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden as transcribed by the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation.
6.30	— 7.00
“Sjghts and Sounds of Sweden”, a documentary program giving a word and music picture of Sweden’s countryside, principal cities, people, and industries.
7	.00 — 7.30
News and Roundup.
7.30 — 8.00
Swedish songs presented by three choral groups in Sweden.
8	.00 — 8.50
“Sinfonia del Mare”, a symphony in one movement by Swedish composer Gösta Nystroem, performed by Radiotjänsts Symfoniorkester under the direction of the outstanding Swedish conductor, Tor Mann.
8.50 —9.00
An introductory talk on August Strindberg by Dr. Gunnar Ollén, one of Sweden’s prominent Strindberg authorities.
9	.00 — 10.00
August Strindberg’s “Easter”, as adapted for Canadian radio by Gunnar Rugheimer, and produced by Esse W. Ljungh.
CBC:s ledning får i första hand ges erkännande för etablerandet några år sedan av denna goodwill-organisation, som kallas International Service, och denna avdelning i sin tur för det ypperliga sätt varpå den utför sin verksamhet.
Vad det gäller den nu med så stort intresse väntade presentationen av en svensk afton får man säkerligen först och främst tacka den svenska avdelningens chef, Mr. Gunnar Rugheimer, och hans stab samt CBC:s välkände radioregissör, Esse Ljungh, f. d. redaktör för Canada Tidningen.
Säkert skola våra landsmän tvärsöver detta breda land på onsdagen den 29 mars med spänning koppla in sina apparater på CBC-nätet, och, vi är övertygade om, finna en afton av sällsynt njutning i denna goodwill-betonade hälsning från Sverige till det stora landet i väster, Canada. Litet reklam bland våra canadensiska vänner för detta program är också på sin plats.	— Red.
King of Sweden to enable him to continue his studies at Uppsala.
After this triumph Strindberg^ success waned for many years, although a year after
law”, he published the pr ose edition of what was years later to be considered his most inspired work. “Mäster Olof”, as is was called, was refused, however, by the Royal Dramatic Theatre in its original form.
Thwarted by his failure as a playwright, Strindberg accepted work in the Royal Library in Stockholm and at the same time, wrote profusely. He con-tinued working in this way for ten years. In 1883 he moved to Paris, and the following year, to Switzerland, where he was extremely productive.
Strindberg Prosecuted for “Mocking the Word of God” but acquitted.
It was about this time that Strindberg wrote a collection of short stories dealing exclusively with marital problems, under the title of “Marriage”. Because it “mocked the word of God”, the publishers of the book were prosecuted. This necessitated Strindberg’® return to Sweden for trial. Run down physically by overwork, distracted by debt, and at the same time, afraid of prison, Strindberg ar-rived in Sweden and was greet-
ed by great and friendly demonstrations on the part of university students. He stood for trial and was acquitted. But his physical and mental balance were impaired by the excite-ment.
After several trips abroad, Strindberg finally returned for good to Swedén in 1896. He died in 1912.
“Easter”, written in 1901, is the first Strindberg work to be performed by Canadian radio. It i§ probably the first to be performed by radio in North America, as well, though one Strindberg play has already been presented by American television.
Gunnar Rugheimer, producer of Swedish language programs for the CBC International Service, and who is responsible for the English radio adaptation of “Easter”, has this to say about the play: “In his dramatic fan-tasy, Strindberg propounds the ideal that people should con-quer their pride and suspicion, and their theory that the world is evil ... a philosophy which he, himself, found it most dif-ficult to achieve. The fragile poetry which Strindberg has woven around the wonderful character of Eleanor is so strong however, that it seems to con-ceal all the sentimental and falsely naive traits that actually exist in the play.
“Strindberg’s deep personal impressions,” says Rugheimer, “have contributed to the profile of Eleanor. One of his sisters become mentally ill and her ill-ness touched Strindberg im-mensely. He, himself, had also ventured down that road of the shadow that transverses the mind. Eleanor’® illness is not painted brutally, but with a soft, spirituaj^Yadiance . . . the most poetic expression Strind-berg’s religion ever achieved.’
SINGING BY THREE OUTSTANDING CHOIRS
Following the 7 o’clock News and News-roundup there will be a half-hour program o-f Swedish song presented by three of Sweden’s foremost choral groups.
The Radiotjänst Choir will present six Swedish folktunes by August Söderman, a Swedish composer who is renowned for his writing of national music.
The Orphei drängar, a choral group founded in 1853 at Uppsala, and composed of specially selected university singers, will also be heard in this program. This choir has toured Europé several times and has been re-ceived enthusiastically.
The KFUM (Swedish YMCA Choir) w’ill present “Uti vår
Gösta Nystroem
Swedish composer Gösta Nystroem dedicates his symphony in one movement “to all sailors on the seven seas”. Sinfonia del Mare, the major musical work to be performed on March 29 Wednesday Night Program, is described by the composer as “simply music that has been inspired by the sea and written by the sea”.
hage” (“In Our Meadcw Blue-berries Grow”), an old folktune in the 17th century on the Island of Gotland, and “Sveriges flagga” (Sweden’s Flag”), composed by Hugo Alfvén, the present permanent conductor of the Orphei drängar choir.
August Strindberg
August Strindberg whose “Easter” will be performed on the March 29 Wednesday Night Program is Sweden’s most outstanding playwright. His influ-ence may be clearly discerned in contemporary world drama.
Gunnar Rugheimer
The Canadian radio adaptation of Strindberg’® “Easter” has been written by Gunnar Rugheimer, senior producer of Swedish programs for the CBC International Service. A native of Stockholm, Mr. Rugheimer worked for the Swedish Radio before coming to Canada in 1946.
Johnson Line
Svenskt tidningspapper, granit, glas, tenn, bananer, kaffe och annat styckegods fyllde lastrummet ombord på Johnson Linjens M/S Bio Bio, när det anlände till Los Angeles, måndagen den 13 mars. “Bio Bio” går sedan till San Francisco Bay fredagen den 17 mars. I San Francisco kommer hon att lossa tidningspapper, kaffe och styckegods.
På sin resa från Europa hade det vackra svenska motorfartyget alla passagerarplatser upptagna.
Från San Francisco fortsätter “Bio Bio” norrut till Vancouver, B. C., där det anländer den 23 mars, varefter återfärden sker samma dag till Antwerpen, London och Skandinaviska hamnar. Returlasten kommer att bestå av en stor mängd konserverad och torkad frukt, färska äpplen och styckegods.
MOBERG SKRIVER:
På knappa 100 år har våra landsmän brutit och odlat mera jord i USA än vi lyckats med här hemma från vikingatiden och fram till i dag. En fjärdedel av vår stam lever, och verkar i USA. Låt os® säga, att 2.5 milj, svenskar och svenskättlingar sätter ständiga spår i det amerikanska samhällsbyg-gandet. Jag får högfärden i kroppen, så snart jag tänker på det. — Vilhelm Moberg.