Janet Baker in her own words BBC4

[Barbirollians]

Just caught the end of this - last 15 mins and it was very moving .

Had there been any trailers for it ?

[Bryn]

Just caught the end of this - last 15 mins and it was very moving .

Had there been any trailers for it ?

Not sure about on television, but there was this, http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...ts-channel-not , here.

[Pianophile]

Just caught the end of this - last 15 mins and it was very moving .

Had there been any trailers for it ?

What a wonderful film and what a wonderful woman. I thought she seemed very authentic.
IMHO she did just the right thing to take the decision to retire when she was on a high. We only ever remember her as sounding absolutely wonderful.

[LMcD]

Just caught the end of this - last 15 mins and it was very moving .

Had there been any trailers for it ?

Not that I spotted, but it was highlighted in our Saturday newspaper's TV Guide. We shall probably watch it on the iPlayer (all the good stuff last night seemed to start at 2100!)

[BBMmk2]

This was one of the most moving programmes I’ve ever seen!

[oddoneout]

Just caught the end of this - last 15 mins and it was very moving .

Had there been any trailers for it ?

Several on R3 - higher chance of hearing them if you listened to the morning schedule...which also had plugs in the form of JB recordings.
I chose to listen to the EBU concerts on R3 as they fitted better with things I needed to do, so I'll need to keep an eye out for the repeat if it happens.

[antongould]

Just caught the end of this - last 15 mins and it was very moving .

Had there been any trailers for it ?

Yes a number of trails on R3 including a live one in full praise from Skellers who had been to the preview .....

[sgjames]

A bit of a mixed bag for me - much of her singing repertoire falls outside my areas of musical interest. I did find the section where she talked about breaking down at the Barbirolli memorial concert genuine and moving. However, in contrast to some others, I found the final section where they were in the room with the carer listening to the Ruckert song horribly staged.

As an aside, I had a duplicate CD of the Mahler song cycles with Barbirolli on sale on Amazon - it sold immediately after the program finished.

[Pulcinella]

A bit of a mixed bag for me - much of her singing repertoire falls outside my areas of musical interest. I did find the section where she talked about breaking down at the Barbirolli memorial concert genuine and moving. However, in contrast to some others, I found the final section where they were in the room with the carer listening to the Ruckert song horribly staged.

As an aside, I had a duplicate CD of the Mahler song cycles with Barbirolli on sale on Amazon - it sold immediately after the program finished.

Perhaps, as the consummate actress that she was, she was able to 'turn on the tap', but for me those tears were genuine, as were mine.
It was an unbearably moving way to end the programme, and it was also good to see her being feisty in standing up to the camera direction she didn't approve of.
What I missed (though I guess I could easily find out) was what took her to London from her banking job in York.

[Mary Chambers]

.
What I missed (though I guess I could easily find out) was what took her to London from her banking job in York.

I rather think she was just offered a transfer to a London branch.

It was a riveting programme. Her recordings are wonderful, but I have to admit the only time I saw her live, in recital, I was disappointed. Not with her singing, though I was too young at the time to judge that properly, but she didn’t connect to me, or I didn’t connect to her. I was unmoved.

[Nimrod]

I've watched this on catch-up this morning. What a sensitive and moving programme about this great artist! If you missed it grab a hankie and and a cuppa and watch this wonderful woman perform in so many different roles, superbly.

[Barbirollians]

I have a BBC MM CD of a recital with Raymond Leppard that I almost wore out it was so marvellous . I think it reappeared on BBC Legends .

One of my favourite singers - I did not find that segment at all staged - it was very moving . I cannot imagine Dame Janet tolerating anything staged like that and she sharply refused to sing for Bridcut.

[Nimrod]

Well said Barbi, I think the comment about staged was ill informed

[sgjames]

It seemed to me that Bridcut set up that final scene purely to try and get an emotional response out of Baker - and of course he got one. It seemed manipulative and unnecessary - I found it uncomfortable to watch. I thought the program provided many more 'natural' insights into her character than this final scene.
It is of course a subjective viewpoint and I make it as someone who doesn't have the emotional/musical connection with Baker that some on this forum do.

[Pulcinella]

I have a BBC MM CD of a recital with Raymond Leppard that I almost wore out it was so marvellous . I think it reappeared on BBC Legends .

One of my favourite singers - I did not find that segment at all staged - it was very moving . I cannot imagine Dame Janet tolerating anything staged like that and she sharply refused to sing for Bridcut.

I'd forgotten about that.
Thanks for the reminder.