R3 Soundscapes from [Soundscape of a Century]

[kernelbogey]

Just listened properly to the Fifties section - my growing up era - and am slightly dissatisfied with how the music and historical sound-bites related: not a neat fit

[Ein Heldenleben]

Just listened properly to the Fifties section - my growing up era - and am slightly dissatisfied with how the music and historical sound-bites related: not a neat fit

Couldn’t agree more. It just didn’t work. It relied almost exclusively on news clips some of which weren’t that globally significant . It would have been so much more effective as a cultural history with clips from artists , philosophers , authors , R3 drama. It had the feel of those old style Radio One reviews of the year ..” 1987 : The year the Pope died and Elton released this instant classic …”

[Nick Armstrong]

Just listened properly to the Fifties section - my growing up era - and am slightly dissatisfied with how the music and historical sound-bites related: not a neat fit

I’ve listened to the first two or three - yes, connections varied between the directly relevant and the generally proximate in terms of chronology and mood… I was happy to take them as impressionistic patchworks and enjoyed them on that level (with a bit of ‘guess the piece’ thrown in for unfamiliar music).

Oh and don’t forget, it was “specially curated”…

[Nick Armstrong]

Or wait until after the broadcast, then pick and choose from BBC Sounds when, hopefully, details will have been posted.

I must say I gave up during the 80s (the “Soundscapes” that is, not generally )… Too much of the music consisted of pieces I’ve spent much of the last few decades trying to avoid (sorrowful Gorecki etc etc), and the playlists for the following programmes suggested more of the same

Some of the juxtapositions in earlier decades were interesting. Hardly life-changing stuff though.

[teamsaint]

I’ve listened to the first two or three - yes, connections varied between the directly relevant and the generally proximate in terms of chronology and mood… I was happy to take them as impressionistic patchworks and enjoyed them on that level (with a bit of ‘guess the piece’ thrown in for unfamiliar music).

Oh and don’t forget, it was “specially curated”…

Obviously the folks putting these things together see the world through an inevitably flawed lens. You know, swinging sixties, miserable 70s, whatever, encapsulated by certain sounds, apparently.
It is hard to see how it can be done well, or to anybody’s satisfaction, really.

Best not to bother but it keeps folks in work I suppose.