The news pages are not currently being updated as Friends of Radio 3 is no longer active as a campaigning group.
BBC Radio 3
“In these days of ‘managerialism' and relentless commercial competition – not to mention the BBC’s own controversial attempts to compete with its commercial rivals – Radio 3 will continue to be at risk.” (Humphrey Carpenter, The Envy of the World)
From the time that the BBC Third Programme was first conceived – immediately after the war – as a cultural network for classical and other musics, for the spoken arts and for discussion on topics of cultural significance, there have been people needed, and ready, to defend its quality, range and scope from inimical cultural agendas.
The Third's successor, Radio 3, has also had to face threats to its intellectual integrity: FoR3 is no more than the latest (and longest-surviving) listener group established to defend this valuable BBC service.
May 19, 2017: Two steps forward, one step back
A poor RAJAR result for Quarter 1, but two very comfortable quarters last year mean that the yearly average for 2016/17 stands up well. More here …
June 15, 2017: Review: On This day
This year's annual BBC Music Day was not as awful as in past years. Radio 3 was allowed to do its own thing and offered six short dramatic monologues illustrating life-changing moments in the lives of six very different individuals, each one built round a piece of classical music. No compromising of Radio 3's unique purpose. More here …
Radio 3 listings: Andrew Slater's listings website has direct links to the iPlayer which function once the programme has been broadcast. There are also downloadable pdfs (in 6pt, 3 cols per page, and 8pt, 2 cols per page, depending how many pages you prefer). The listings will be automatically updated on Friday evenings and the website will gradually displace the old Mediafire archive.
Now iPlaying: Berlioz's Damnation of Faust
Kazuki Yamada celebrates 50 years of the CBSO Chorus with Berlioz's opera The Damnation of Faust. The soloists include Pene Pati, Grace Durham, Nahuel di Piero and Jonathan Lemalu.
Available until 21st May.
Now iPlaying: Henry V
A new production of Shakespeare's hugely popular history play.
As King Henry's ambitions lead him to invade France, he finds himself facing daunting challenges, battling to win not only the throne but the hearts and minds of his followers. Henry soon discovers, for all his fine words, that an imperfect world can call for imperfect actions.
Available until 20th April 2029.
Now iPlaying: Jazz Record Requests
Alyn Shipton presents jazz records of all styles including a centenary tribute to the California-based saxophonist and bandleader Teddy Edwards and a birthday celebration for British tenor player Alan Skidmore.
Available until 21st May.
Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Radio 3 Forum:
Hot topic, BaL 13.04.24 - Brahms: Symphony 3
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