Recommended Television Programmes

[Nick Armstrong]

I don't really watch tv anymore, too dumbed down, but I am enjoying listening to Bayern playing nicely gegen Barcelona.

I don’t “watch tv” any more either in the sense of sitting in front of it just watching whatever comes on at the time, in the same sense as I don’t “listen to Radio 3” any more by just having the radio on.

But in the same way as using the DAB record facility or “Sounds” allows one to be selective, find excellence and avoid the dumbed down elements, “the tv set” allows a host of excellent series, films etc to be watched with amazing resources to explore, as LMcD says. And when one compares some of the offerings from the 60s & 70s with recent series, it’s the old ones that often seem dumb. There’s some extremely high quality “tv” available now.... you just have to use the equipment in a slightly different way.

[Bryn]

I don’t “watch tv” any more either in the sense of sitting in front of it just watching whatever comes on at the time, in the same sense as I don’t “listen to Radio 3” any more by just having the radio on.

But in the same way as using the DAB record facility or “Sounds” allows one to be selective, find excellence and avoid the dumbed down elements, “the tv set” allows a host of excellent series, films etc to be watched with amazing resources to explore, as LMcD says. And when one compares some of the offerings from the 60s & 70s with recent series, it’s the old ones that often seem dumb. There’s some extremely high quality “tv” available now.... you just have to use the equipment in a slightly different way.

For BBC television programmes, the iPlayer is a very useful tool indeed. With a reasonably fast Internet connection, the video quality is very high, though the audio data are rather more restricted than on Sounds. Still more than acceptable, most of the time, though.

[Rjw]

For BBC television programmes, the iPlayer is a very useful tool indeed. With a reasonably fast Internet connection, the video quality is very high, though the audio data are rather more restricted than on Sounds. Still more than acceptable, most of the time, though.

I just seem to have got out of the habit of switching it on, but I occasionally use the i player.

[Pulcinella]

We've been very impressed by 'Mrs America' (BBC2), which ends tonight but can be seen on the iPlayer.

Finished watching this last night.
Engrossed by the gripping and realistic portrayals and horrified at the Stop ERA movement in almost equal measure.

[Dave2002]

Finished watching this last night.
Engrossed by the gripping and realistic portrayals and horrified at the Stop ERA movement in almost equal measure.

I didn't know what STOP ERA was until a few minutes ago. This article seems to give some useful details - https://www.thoughtco.com/stop-equal...%20the%201970s.

[LMcD]

IMPORTANT BBC ANNOUNCEMENT!
'Regrettably, it has not been possible to go ahead with the new series of 'Strictly'. In its place, we're pleased to bring you a low-budget drama based on recent research which claims that Henry VIII was bullied by all of his wives. "Rule of Six" will be broadcast on BBC 1 from October to December, with a 14-day gap between each episode.

[oddoneout]

IMPORTANT BBC ANNOUNCEMENT!
'Regrettably, it has not been possible to go ahead with the new series of 'Strictly'. In its place, we're pleased to bring you a low-budget drama based on recent research which claims that Henry VIII was bullied by all of his wives. "Rule of Six" will be broadcast on BBC 1 from October to December, with a 14-day gap between each episode.

Still plenty of sparkly costumes, don't know how varied the music will be...

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2020/sep/14/six-musical-six-wives-henry-viii-double-revival-west-end-salford

[Serial_Apologist]

Still plenty of sparkly costumes, don't know how varied the music will be...
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/20...st-end-salford

Maybe they'll use the music that would have been served on Strictly, in order to save money!

[Bryn]

Black Classical Music: The Forgotten History

Not as well done as it might have been but at least they opened the door.

Re Joplin's Treemonisha, I got the DG recording of the Schuller orchestration when it was first released on LP. However, I am now happy to find that Rick Benjamin's realisation of what he sees as Joplin's original scoring intentions, in a performance by some fine solo performers and The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra and Singers conducted by Benjamin, is available both in limited lossy audio on YouTube and in a choice of CD, mp3, FLAC or WAV from New World Records. The download versions are each priced at a very reasonable $9.99 (a little over £8). The YouTube option is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrldrnv7Gy8

The New World Records site is at https://www.newworldrecords.org/prod...in-treemonisha

Benjamin's extensive programme notes are very illuminating.

[Bryn]

Be warned, if downloading the zip of FLACs of Treemonisha mentioned #1389, they are on a bit of a mess as far as labelling and duplication are concerned. They are all there but those relating to CD 2 are all duplicated, with the duplicate bearing the addition of "(copy)" at the end of the file name. Just a bit confusing until you work out where they have gone wrong. Best to cut and paste the relevant files into 2 new folders: Act 1 + Act 2 (18 tracks), and Act 3 + appendices (11 Track).

[LMcD]

Be warned, if downloading the zip of FLACs of Treemonisha mentioned #1389, they are on a bit of a mess as far as labelling and duplication are concerned. They are all there but those relating to CD 2 are all duplicated, with the duplicate bearing the addition of "(copy)" at the end of the file name. Just a bit confusing until you work out where they have gone wrong. Best to cut and paste the relevant files into 2 new folders: Act 1 + Act 2 (18 tracks), and Act 3 + appendices (11 Track).

If you fancy something light-hearted, you could tune into BBC4 at 7.30 p.m. tonight for the VPO's 2020 Summer Night Concert from Schoenbrunn. Valery Gergiev conducts and Jonas Kaufmann will be singing numbers from oper(ett)as.

[Serial_Apologist]

Drama out of a Crisis@ a Celebration of Play for Today

Just now, on BBC4.

Only spotted it was on earlier this evening. Wouldn't have missed it for the world.

[LezLee]

For Ivor Cutler fans, there's a documentary by KT Tunstall tomorrow (Tues.13th) at 10.00 pm. It's on Sky Arts, now happily available on Freeview.

[Serial_Apologist]

For Ivor Cutler fans, there's a documentary by KT Tunstall tomorrow (Tues.13th) at 10.00 pm. It's on Sky Arts, now happily available on Freeview.

Thanks Lez.

[Flay]

Drama out of a Crisis@ a Celebration of Play for Today

Just now, on BBC4.

Only spotted it was on earlier this evening. Wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Thanks SA, that brought back memories. Here's the link: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000ng9w

I wish they would re-run them. I'd love to watch Shakespeare or Bust again, among others.