Recommended Television Programmes

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  • LMcD
    Full Member
    • Sep 2017
    • 8396

    The Lark Ascending (BBC4 /iPlayer)
    Welcome repeat of this programme from 2012, introduced by Diana Rigg, which examines the enduring popularity of RVW's 14-minute masterpiece. Contributors include Tasmin Little, and Peter Sallis, who believes that this work 'speaks for England' and expresses the wish to have a copy buried alongside him when he dies - I hope it was granted! The programme ends with a complete performance in Shirehampton Public Hall, where the work was premiered, of the original version for piano and violin.

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    • muzzer
      Full Member
      • Nov 2013
      • 1190

      The Horizon Special on the development of the vaccines was imo one of the best and most important things I’ve seen on tv for a very long time.

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      • Stanfordian
        Full Member
        • Dec 2010
        • 9308

        Originally posted by LMcD View Post
        The Lark Ascending (BBC4 /iPlayer)
        Welcome repeat of this programme from 2012, introduced by Diana Rigg, which examines the enduring popularity of RVW's 14-minute masterpiece. Contributors include Tasmin Little, and Peter Sallis, who believes that this work 'speaks for England' and expresses the wish to have a copy buried alongside him when he dies - I hope it was granted! The programme ends with a complete performance in Shirehampton Public Hall, where the work was premiered, of the original version for piano and violin.
        I was rather disappointed with the programme. To me Diana Rigg was curious choice for presenter. It's shame that Tasmin Little didn't play the 'Lark'.

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        • johncorrigan
          Full Member
          • Nov 2010
          • 10337

          We thought we'd tune into 'Together', a lockdown drama on BBC2 with Sharon Horgan and James McAvoy - I have to say that after ten minutes I was thinking that there was no way I could stick with this warring pair for an hour and a half. However it calmed down a bit and turned into a very interesting look at relationship in the time of covid. They also interspersed snippets of news from the past year in there reminding me of moments of despair and hope. Certainly more of a play than a film, I thought the performances from the two leads were great, and the hour and a half shot by.

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          • LMcD
            Full Member
            • Sep 2017
            • 8396

            Originally posted by Stanfordian View Post
            I was rather disappointed with the programme. To me Diana Rigg was curious choice for presenter. It's shame that Tasmin Little didn't play the 'Lark'.
            I think the choice of presenter was a none-too-subtle way of drawing attention to the programme, which was largely 'left to its own devices' after her brief introduction. I thought the choice of a young performer (15 years old?) to perform the work on this special occasion was intended to illustrate the work's continuing popularity. Its popularity with Classic FM's listeners - who are, I suspect, younger on average than Radio 3's - suggests that it's in no danger of falling out of favour. Tasmin's BBC Proms performance is of course available on YouTube.

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            • Serial_Apologist
              Full Member
              • Dec 2010
              • 37560

              Wednesday night's Treasures of the British Library on Sky Arts - one of an excellent series with personalities introducing texts and artifacts housed at the institution - had Nicola Benedetti being shown the original manuscripts of the violin concertos of Elgar and Beethoven, and treating us to on-site a capella performances of excerpts from each. Ms Benedetti talked about her upbringing in Scotland, and is a most charming, unassumingly well-versed personality, as well as being gorgeous!

              Comment

              • Stanfordian
                Full Member
                • Dec 2010
                • 9308

                Originally posted by LMcD View Post
                I think the choice of presenter was a none-too-subtle way of drawing attention to the programme, which was largely 'left to its own devices' after her brief introduction. I thought the choice of a young performer (15 years old?) to perform the work on this special occasion was intended to illustrate the work's continuing popularity. Its popularity with Classic FM's listeners - who are, I suspect, younger on average than Radio 3's - suggests that it's in no danger of falling out of favour. Tasmin's BBC Proms performance is of course available on YouTube.
                Hello LMcD,

                A lot of assumptions made there.

                Comment

                • mikealdren
                  Full Member
                  • Nov 2010
                  • 1195

                  Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post
                  Wednesday night's Treasures of the British Library on Sky Arts - one of an excellent series with personalities introducing texts and artifacts housed at the institution - had Nicola Benedetti being shown the original manuscripts of the violin concertos of Elgar and Beethoven, and treating us to on-site a capella performances of excerpts from each. Ms Benedetti talked about her upbringing in Scotland, and is a most charming, unassumingly well-versed personality, as well as being gorgeous!
                  I'll have to watch that although the original Beethoven manuscript is in the Austrian National Library and was the subject of an episode of 'Tales from the Stave' with excellent clips from an unattributed performer. The British Library copy was reputedly made under Beethoven's supervision for English publication by Clementi.

                  Comment

                  • ardcarp
                    Late member
                    • Nov 2010
                    • 11102

                    Originally posted by LMcD View Post
                    I think the choice of presenter was a none-too-subtle way of drawing attention to the programme, which was largely 'left to its own devices' after her brief introduction. I thought the choice of a young performer (15 years old?) to perform the work on this special occasion was intended to illustrate the work's continuing popularity. Its popularity with Classic FM's listeners - who are, I suspect, younger on average than Radio 3's - suggests that it's in no danger of falling out of favour. Tasmin's BBC Proms performance is of course available on YouTube.
                    I dimly remember commenting on the programme first time around. The presentation didn't bother me, and the bulk of the programme was a complete performance. Young player astonishingly good, with much subtle nuance. The piece loses something without its orchestral timbres, but I dare say money and space had something to do with that. Did I comment on the piano last time? More mellow than a modern Steinway and not 'concert' size. Maybe it was more in keeping with what RVW may have heard.

                    I notice nobody mentioned Nigel Kennedy. He does quite a good Lark too, IMHO.

                    Comment

                    • LMcD
                      Full Member
                      • Sep 2017
                      • 8396

                      Originally posted by ardcarp View Post
                      I dimly remember commenting on the programme first time around. The presentation didn't bother me, and the bulk of the programme was a complete performance. Young player astonishingly good, with much subtle nuance. The piece loses something without its orchestral timbres, but I dare say money and space had something to do with that. Did I comment on the piano last time? More mellow than a modern Steinway and not 'concert' size. Maybe it was more in keeping with what RVW may have heard.

                      I notice nobody mentioned Nigel Kennedy. He does quite a good Lark too, IMHO.
                      Never mind - Michael Kennedy made a brief appearance, and I'm sure he's up with the larks.

                      Comment

                      • Serial_Apologist
                        Full Member
                        • Dec 2010
                        • 37560

                        On Sky Arts: Discovering - very good series on British film directors, every Thursday night at 7 pm.

                        Tonight: Richard Attenborough

                        Same channel, tonight: The South Bank Show- features on singer Arlo Parks and playwrite Sam Bailey - 9 pm

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                        • LMcD
                          Full Member
                          • Sep 2017
                          • 8396

                          Barry Humphries on The Music Banned By Hitler (banned as it was regarded as a prime example of 'entartete Kunst'). (Sky Arts).

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                          • DracoM
                            Host
                            • Mar 2007
                            • 12955

                            BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner explores what it is like to become disabled.


                            Brilliant autobioig insight into Frank Gardener - BBC's Security corr, Middle East expert etc.

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                            • LMcD
                              Full Member
                              • Sep 2017
                              • 8396

                              I don't know whether people read Hemingway these days, and it will be interesting to see whether Ken Burns's series (BBC 4 and iPlayer) will spark any renewal of interest in his work. I thought Episode 1 beautifully paced and fascinatingly informative. It's straight chronology of an old-fashioned kind - no fancy camerawork, jump cuts or other devices that mar some documentaries, and all the better for that!

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                              • Historian
                                Full Member
                                • Aug 2012
                                • 639

                                Originally posted by LMcD View Post
                                I don't know whether people read Hemingway these days...
                                Sorry if this is off-topic, but recently finished 'The sun also rises'. Sure I am not the only one still reading Hemingway. Don't watch much television nowadays as I find reading more rewarding. Thank you for the tip: I may make an exception in this case.

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