Worse news still?

[Thropplenoggin]

I agree that it's a pity for early music lovers that Catherine Bott has left Radio 3, as a genuine expert in her field with an admirable broadcasting manner. But it's hardly surprising given her main programme's downgrading. I suppose this Classic FM wheeze also provides regular work and a certain degree of autonomy, rather than having to be involved in dross like the film music season on Radio 3.

I do wish the remaining Early Music Show presenter could tailor her delivery a bit more to an adult audience - it always feels like Listen with Mother to me. Mind you, she's hardly alone in this on Radio 3!

When I really feel like depressing myself about declining standards, I listen to Antony Hopkins discussing Beethoven's Fifth on YouTube. That's what I want from R3.

[EdgeleyRob]

We got Petroc T from CFM. They get Kate Bott from us?
Who's the winner?

And if she's gone not because of the money but because of the opportunity to do something brave was offered to her by CFM, then it says much about R3 and its 'vision'. And maybe she pitched this to RW and was turned down.

Kate with bat walketh away? And fantastic good luck to her. She will be much missed.

It is a loss for all of us. R3 has far, far too few known and experience practitioners to lead with expertise.

If it had been a football transfer we'd have got money too.

[ostuni]

I do wish the remaining Early Music Show presenter could tailor her delivery a bit more to an adult audience - it always feels like Listen with Mother to me.

Yes, that's always been my reaction to Lucie's style. Like others, I will miss Kate's intelligence and expertise - not to mention that gorgeous speaking voice.

[teamsaint]

When I really feel like depressing myself about declining standards, I listen to Antony Hopkins discussing Beethoven's Fifth on YouTube. That's what I want from R3.

have you seen the Bernstein/ Brahms 4 youtube piece?

oh here it is, to save you the clicking bother!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXo2Ab_KFsE

Brilliant !!

[Thropplenoggin]

have you seen the Bernstein/ Brahms 4 youtube piece?

oh here it is, to save you the clicking bother!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXo2Ab_KFsE

Brilliant !!

Thanks, TS. I've enjoyed all the Beethoven/Bernstein talks, but hadn't spotted this.

[Mattbod]

I prefer to think that CFM offered a professional opportunity that Catherine could not refuse. She knows that she will be presenting the programme to listeners who are not even remotely interested in reading the Oxford Companion. Catherine is a professional broadcaster and change of audience shouldn’t be a problem. What was the problem at Radio 3 was that she knew what she was presenting / having to present was not what her audience wanted. And it is simply unrealistic to expect presenters to 'fight from within'.

DracoM
I have a sinking feeling that Radio3 management may be breathing a sigh of relief. A high profile presenter like Catherine could have made things rather awkward for them.

If, of all things, Reith lectures have come to invite a celebrity who entertains the audience by cracking a joke every few minutes, what hope do we have for Radio3? (Reith lectures 2013: Grayson Perry on The General Art)

Hello Doversoul I would have to disagree with you here. In the Early Music Show Catherine was able to really elaborate on the music she presented and its history and interpretation knowing that her audience would either know what she was talking or, if they did not, would not mind hearing detailed and sometimes technical information. With Classic FM, especially with these "Ultimate Guide" programmes ( which have existed in the past), everything is dumbed down and presented in bite sized chunks. They hardly ever play complete pieces for example (gets in the way of Brunning hawking their latest compilation CD). I will be interested to see if this new show of Catherine's will have her own imprint of learnedness and wit or whether she will be forced to trot out glib and trite rubbish. I mean the first show is on period instruments so I understand. Do you really think for example that Classic FM will mention things like gut instead of metal strings, problems of tuning, temperament and such like which is so important to the historical performance of early music. People would argue that this is too highbrow but Howard Goodall managed to do this in his excellent book on music "Big Bangs". Go order yourself a copy of Classic FMs book "Ultimate Guide to Classical Music" (second hand for a few quid for gawds sake) and see what I mean. Of course i could be proved wrong of course :)

[ardcarp]

I do wish the remaining Early Music Show presenter could tailor her delivery a bit more to an adult audience - it always feels like Listen with Mother to me.

I don't find that at all, Pila. She has a lightness of touch, I agree, and she never sounds as if she is 'lecturing' for which I am grateful. I wish Lucie all the best for future EMS editions.

[Richard Tarleton]

I don't find that at all, Pila. She has a lightness of touch, I agree, and she never sounds as if she is 'lecturing' for which I am grateful. I wish Lucie all the best for future EMS editions.

Seconded. She may wear her expertise lightly, but she is formidibly qualified for her job as well as being a scholar and a versatile practising musician in her own time - it is well worth a tour of her official website if you're not familiar with her work with Burning Bush and City Waits. I have not had the good fortune to see her perform live, but have seen her on I think BBC4 performing with Burning Bush - amazing.

IMV, she's the outstanding presenter left on R3 after Catherine's departure. I shall miss their tipsy Christmas specials delivered from a wine bar somewhere near Broadcasting House.

[doversoul1]

Mattbod
I don’t know if this explains my point but here goes. A good language teacher can both inspire advanced learners and encourage beginners. Catherine, along with many other excellent presenters of Radio3, has been required to treat advanced learners as if they were all beginners and teach them basic holiday conversations.

As for Lucie’s presentation style, she may sounds Listen with Mother-ish if you expect to hear a reviewer or a critic, but on her programme, she usually tells a story, and she is always a sympathetic narrator. I suppose this can sound patronising to some listeners. Come to that, when Catherine first joined the EMS, I wasn’t too keen on her presentation because she didn’t sound as relaxed as Lucie!!

[french frank]

Reply from RW to a listener:

"[...] It is difficult for us to take these decisions but we have no choice given our substantially reduced budgets. Any change to much loved programmes such as Early Music Show, World Routes and other output will be greeted with dismay by their loyal audiences. There will always be alternative suggestions of programmes which should have been changed. I fear that this may not be the end of the changes brought about through our financial situation [...]."

[teamsaint]

Did Rog not mention that license fee income is rising?
Net license fee income up 50m in 2012/13 compared to 2011/12.

They also mad a "Group surplus" of around £300m.

Oh and R3 cost less to run than the much loved BBC news channel.


Are the BBCs costs out of control? that is the obvious conclusion , since they have rising income, wage inflation is close to zero everywhere else, and R3 programming is being cut.

PS. I wonder what "Costs incurred to generate intra group income of £160m" are?

All very odd.

[salymap]

Lucie also comes from a very impressive musical family as I remember sending music to 'Findings'. To quote Danny Kate " Got it? Good".

That must be 50 - 60 years ago,long before she was born, I would think.

Details on google,no doubt.

[ostuni]

Lucie also comes from a very impressive musical family

Well, she married into an impressive musical family...

[french frank]

Did Rog not mention that license fee income is rising?
?

All very odd.

Indeed. We're very gentlemanly. This is the same source that claimed that there was a 'requirement' which 'obliged' Radio 3 to reach to the 'widest' audience'; hence the Film Music Cornucopia.

He also said that he met FoR3 and was 'expecting 100 people to march on Broadcasting House and only two turned up'; when in fact he asked how many people were coming and was told 'two' representatives (of the old BBC forum, not FoR3 in those days) - their names supplied in advance so that their Visitor Passes could be prepared for them.

For a 'son of the manse' ... but why should clergymen's children be any more honest than anyone else?

[french frank]

The posts about music books have been transferred to a separate thread here.http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...ks-about-music