Henry Purcell

[doversoul1]

Forget beastly or best, here’s the real thing:

Wednesday
Dido and Aeneas
Donald Macleod examines Purcell's revolutionary first opera, "Dido and Aeneas", and the influence and power it still holds over us more than three centuries on after its composition in 1689. He introduces excerpts from each of the opera's three acts, in a trio of celebrated recordings

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01r5nxb

There were also some glorious instrumental works in the programmes of on Monday and Tuesday.

P.S. I suppose these CoWs are the proof that you can’t have too much of a good thing.

[Frances_iom]

P.S. I suppose these CoWs are the proof that you can’t have too much of a good thing.

no they are proof that the expertise to deliver interesting, intelligent and accurate programmes still exists within R3 - it would appear that some at least have not succumbed to the infantalisation that has swept so much of R3

[doversoul1]

the expertise to deliver interesting, intelligent and accurate programmes still exists within R3 - it would appear that some at least have not succumbed to the infantalisation that has swept so much of R3

That’s part of the Good Thing

[eighthobstruction]

Hooray for Purcell I say....

[BBMmk2]

As it happens I have some of his Theatre Musoic on! Rather a coincedence this, as I didnt know about this at all!!

[Thropplenoggin]

This has been another riveting listen.

I thought Donald Macleod's structuring of the show was especially ingenious this week, beginning the series on Monday with Purcell's end and the Funeral March of Mary II, then spanning the centuries and tying this into Kubrick's use of the same music in A Clockwork Orange (albeit in electronic form).

I shall write to the show and tell them. This is what R3 should be about: genuinely informative and entertaining programmes with a wide choice of performances/recordings to illustrate the points being made.

[meles]

Hear hear! I have really enjoyed this week's broadcast.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Hear hear! I have really enjoyed this week's broadcast.

[doversoul1]

A Ruby amongst Red Plastic Noses

Donald Macleod and the production team must have known that no one in the management would have any idea about Purcell’s music. They put out these ‘bawdy’ titles as a red herring and presented an hour of glorious music from Purcell’s theatre works with minimum talk, right under their red noses.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01r5nxl

Three big cheers for the Composer of the Week team.

[jean]

They did start the programme with the extremely filthy Young Colin cleaving of a beam, though...

[Simon]

Three big cheers for the Composer of the Week team.

I'll join with you on that. One of the best weeks of what is in any case one of the best programmes.

[Simon]

They did start the programme with the extremely filthy Young Colin cleaving of a beam, though...

Really, Jean. You must have a very dirty mind to think ill of such a traditional gem. I thought it was about a carpenter.

[JFLL]

[COTW] ... what is in any case one of the best programmes.

And so good that it is the only programme that deserves a repeat on the same day every day.

Sorry, I just can't see why everyone, apparently without exception, thinks COTW is such a GOOD THING. The concept might be, but couldn't we just occasionally have someone different from Donald Macleod (as we used to)?

(Ducks below parapet.)

[Simon]

I can't see why Donald should be a problem for you, really, JFLL. It's not as if he's always yakking on and interrupting. He just makes a few comments, which I for one find informative and appropriate, and then lets the music play.

Still, there's room for all opinions here.

[JFLL]

I can't see why Donald should be a problem for you, really, JFLL. It's not as if he's always yakking on and interrupting. He just makes a few comments, which I for one find informative and appropriate, and then lets the music play.

Still, there's room for all opinions here.

Just makes a few comments? If only .... And I'm not sure he 'lets the music play', since we all too frequently have small chunks or movements rather than complete works. I wonder if that's why he avoids late nineteenth-century composers, too -- they tended to spread themselves. And as for all those 18th-century nonentities ...

Well, you said there was room for all opinions. I do tend to get dyspeptic over the sainted Donald ...