Northern Lights - the Arts

[french frank]

A cross between Arts and Talking About Music, but as the literary side is prominent and less usual on R3 it's perhaps as well to mention it here.

The controller discusses it here - and given his own specialist field, it's probably safe to assume he has had a large hand in planning it.

Now where's that 'Sibelius: Every Note He Wrote' round the clock from now until Christmas season?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Now where's that 'Sibelius: Every Note He Wrote' round the clock from now until Christmas season?

I think (and hope) that the 'thons have exited stage Wright ...

[french frank]

I think (and hope) that the 'thons have exited stage Wright ...

[Lat-Literal]

A slight hint of Jonathan Meades's "The Magnetic North" but very unlikely to go as far south as Pierre Bachelet's "Les Corons".

[french frank]

Just out of interest: has anyone seen or heard any promotion/trails for this on television or radio (other than on R3)?

[Padraig]

We had our own Northern Lights concert today - I now discover that it was part of Ao3 - in Northern Ireland. Short and sweet very enjoyable to have the Ulster Orchestra visit. I thought they were good. Don't forget we have a northern poet who paid some attention to the tale of monsters in the Scandian lands, and maybe we shall hear more of that before Christmas.

[zola]

Just out of interest: has anyone seen or heard any promotion/trails for this on television or radio (other than on R3)?

Yes. Both on Radio 4 and on BBC2. The latter before FA Cup football if I recall, the former maybe after Saturday Review.

[french frank]

Yes. Both on Radio 4 and on BBC2. The latter before FA Cup football if I recall, the former maybe after Saturday Review.

Can you remember - was it for specific programmes, or just a general promo?

[zola]

Can you remember - was it for specific programmes, or just a general promo?

Just a general promo.

[french frank]

Just a general promo.

Thanks :-)

[Globaltruth]

Just out of interest: has anyone seen or heard any promotion/trails for this on television or radio (other than on R3)?

Yes, as Zola say - R4, quite a few times. Including the Today programme I think.

Oh and on r3 during FT's LJ. Which was itself part of Northern Lights....:rolleyes:

[french frank]

Yes, as Zola say - R4, quite a few times. Including the Today programme I think.

What I was really wanting to know was whether any particular programme was trailed, or whether there was just a general 'Radio 3's doing a season called Northern Lights with lots of programmes about the frozen north, Scandinavian music 'n suchlike'.

eg

Sunday Morning, 9am, 'Northern Lights: James Jolly presents music from the north, including Ture Rangstrom's 4th Symphony'
Composer of the Week, weekdays at noon and 6.30pm, is Sibelius
The Essay, 10.45pm, has five writers describing how the northern landscapes affected their work
Late Junction, 11pm, focuses on …
Sunday Feature, 6.45pm: Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough takes us behind the elegant, minimal façade, on a journey to the heart of Norse culture.


(There! Who needs on-air trails )

[bb]

What I was really wanting to know was whether any particular programme was trailed, or whether there was just a general 'Radio 3's doing a season called Northern Lights with lots of programmes about the frozen north, Scandinavian music 'n suchlike'.

No! This is all we've seen, although relatively widely on BBC television!

Northern Lights season on Radio 3 - Music, performance and drama, inspired by the world's most northerly territories

Northern Lights is very good, by the way! Congratulations to all!

[french frank]

No! This is all we've seen, although relatively widely on BBC television!

Thanks, er, bb :-)

I really don't think that's a very good way to promote it over the wider BBC, though. As trails go, it's really expecting people who don't normally listen to R3 to tune in to it anyway on the off-chance they may find a programme about 'the North' that will interest them … Doesn't it?

[bb]

… Doesn't it?

It does not, french frank. :-)

I have been discussing your argument with kleines c, who sends his regards to everyone reading 'The Radio 3 Forum' this Christmas. He argues that there is no off-chance, french frank. People who don't normally listen to Radio 3 can listen to the very best of Northern Lights online anyway, not to mention other highlights of the Northern Lights season.

The development of the highest forms of music and drama, while they have a major importance, have, as yet, only a minority audience. This was true when 'The Third Programme' was founded, and it is still true today. But because the highest forms of music and drama are so important, Radio 3 needs to be promoted over the wider BBC, and beyond. Nordic noir, even with the voice of a television Wallander, may not be enough. So let 'the North' promote itself!