Face The Music

[oddoneout]

I recall Walton being the guest on one edition (it was, maybe still is, on YouTube) and claiming not to recognize one of his own compositions... ...I suspect as a bit of a wind-up...

Tamas Vasary didn't recognise his own recording of Liszt in a trio of "guess the soloist" in the episode shown.

[Nick Armstrong]

Also mentioned under 'Recommended TV Programmes'.
I found Robin Ray, Joseph Cooper and Joyce Grenfell to be just as irritatingly self-aware, precious and smug as I did back in 1974, and switched off after 10 minutes. The whole thing was just too genteel for words.
Call My Bluff, on the other hand, hardly seems to have dated at all, thanks in large part, I think, to Robert Robinson's refereeing skills.

Yes but…

1) some of the questions on Face the Music remain as challenging as I recall e.g. poor old Tamás (former upstairs neighbour of mine as some old forumites may recall) not recognising his own playing… and the wretched dummy keyboard which defeats me now as it did in the ‘70s …


2) the Call my Bluff repartee hasn’t aged really but one thing (on-set smoking aside - also indulged in by Robin Ray on FtM I noticed) definitely has: the patronising attitude to women guests. I’m far from being the most PC/woke/wotever person in the world but for example, even though I chuckle constantly at most of his contributions, Patrick Campbell’s introduction of ‘not only a Shakespearean actress but also a dear little thing called Francesca Annis’ made my blood boil somewhat. Actresses being ‘sweet little things’ is a constant on the programme. Some things have definitely changed for the better…

[LMcD]

Yes but…

2) the Call my Bluff repartee hasn’t aged really but one thing (on-set smoking aside - also indulged in by Robin Ray on FtM I noticed) definitely has: the patronising attitude to women guests. I’m far from being the most PC/woke/wotever person in the world but for example, even though I chuckle constantly at most of his contributions, Patrick Campbell’s introduction of ‘not only a Shakespearean actress but also a dear little thing called Francesca Annis’ made my blood boil somewhat. Actresses being ‘sweet little things’ is a constant on the programme. Some things have definitely changed for the better…

Fair comment!