Afternoon Concert - general thread

[gurnemanz]

True, although Soundz does seem to be the BBC's default excuse for providing any old demotic nonsense during the day.....

As an observation, I am surprised how many here, presumably with substantial record collections, to say nothing of access to the invaluable treasure trove of Qobuz and Tidal et al still choose to put themselves through the torture of daytime Radio 3, but then there's nowt as queer as folk, I guess.

I have about six thousand classical CDS and subscribe to a streamer, which might be an "invaluable treasure trove" (not words I would use) but to state the obvious, Radio Three, as well as playing commercial recordings like the streamers, also broadcasts live recordings not available elsewhere, programmes about music, eg Composer of the Week, interviews with performers and enthusiasts, In Tune, Private Passions and so on.
I do not actually listen to the programmes on Radio 3 which do not appeal to me, as has been the case over the last 50 years. The torture for me is the wearisome barrage of hackneyed, over-generalised and overstated complaints that Radio Three was better in the good old days.

I assume that writing Soundz with a z is somehow intended to contribute to the point that it is actually part of some cunning BBC plan rather than just a very useful of listen to programmes one has missed.

[Ein Heldenleben]

True, although Soundz does seem to be the BBC's default excuse for providing any old demotic nonsense during the day.....

As an observation, I am surprised how many here, presumably with substantial record collections, to say nothing of access to the invaluable treasure trove of Qobuz and Tidal et al still choose to put themselves through the torture of daytime Radio 3, but then there's nowt as queer as folk, I guess.

No in my case it’s pure laziness.
And the fact that the aux input on my amp has a loose connection and the play button on the CD player is also dodgy.

[oddoneout]

No offence to me!
Just pointing out what a sorry state of affairs we have got to when even a phrase like that may well be deemed off limits these days, and you run the risk of being 'cancelled'.

Wonder how much notice is taken in Yorkshire, one of the places where I believe it originated? There is a version with two more lines to it, which I think really would be cause for raised eyebrows but they seem to have dropped out of use a long time ago.

[Bryn]

. . . I assume that writing Soundz with a z is somehow intended to contribute to the point that it is actually part of some cunning BBC plan rather than just a very useful of listen to programmes one has missed.

Not merely the convenience of listening other than via a radio at the time of broadcast but in significantly higher audio quality than either FM, DAB or Freeview.

[Pulcinella]

Wonder how much notice is taken in Yorkshire, one of the places where I believe it originated? There is a version with two more lines to it, which I think really would be cause for raised eyebrows but they seem to have dropped out of use a long time ago.

I'm intrigued (as a Lancastrian who has had to swap allegiance from a red to a white rose on moving here), but perhaps any details need to be in a PM.

[oddoneout]

As an observation, I am surprised how many here, presumably with substantial record collections, to say nothing of access to the invaluable treasure trove of Qobuz and Tidal et al still choose to put themselves through the torture of daytime Radio 3,

In my case I only have a very small collection of records and CDs, and don't have the set-up for the online alternatives, but also it is very hard to break the habit and expectations of a lifetime of listening to the radio output. Added to the latter is the stubborn part of me which says that a pubic service provider ought to do what it is supposed to do. I don't expect or demand a return to the (perceived) glory days, but neither do I think the current direction is fulfilling what I consider to be its function. Trends, gimmicks, specific audience chasing have increasingly diminished the overall quality of output; even staples such as BaL, Early Music Show, have been infected with misguided change.
The advantage of the radio for me is being able to just switch on to hear someone else's decisions and choices, which often means I listen to things I wouldn't otherwise choose, or the familiar in a different performer line-up. Afternoon Concert used to be good for that, but sadly it's another casualty, and one I'm neither prepared, nor in fact able, to work around now.
As gurnemanz says there is still much that is good, but it is spread so much more thinly I feel, and it seems that established programmes are all too often at risk from imposed and seemingly unjustified change. It shouldn't be the case (as now happens) that a single programme is highlighted as an example of R3 at its best when sometimes it has just been what would have been standard fare not so long ago.

[french frank]

I don't expect or demand a return to the (perceived) glory days, but neither do I think the current direction is fulfilling what I consider to be its function. Trends, gimmicks, specific audience chasing have increasingly diminished the overall quality of output; even staples such as BaL, Early Music Show, have been infected with misguided change.

Well put. The fact that some people currently enjoy it (or parts of it) merely illustrates the fact that whatever is served up, there will be people who like it (and think it's jolly good). It doesn't actually show that Radio 3 is still a good public service broadcaster - just that the BBC serves some audiences very well and others scarcely at all.

[cloughie]

I'm intrigued (as a Lancastrian who has had to swap allegiance from a red to a white rose on moving here), but perhaps any details need to be in a PM.

There was also this Stanley Holloway monologue

https://www.lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/m/mywordyoudolookqueer.html

[JasonPalmer]

I am happy with radio 3 as is but I think like any subject matter you can become more advanced in your tastes and outgrow the target audience. Having produced a few very small arts related productions I can see how very difficult it must be for anyone producing and presenting programs on 3.

[oddoneout]

I am happy with radio 3 as is but I think like any subject matter you can become more advanced in your tastes and outgrow the target audience. Having produced a few very small arts related productions I can see how very difficult it must be for anyone producing and presenting programs on 3.

The difficulty for longstanding R3 listeners is that until relatively recently the concept of "outgrowing" the content was not an issue as it was at a level where that wouldn't happen; many of us have decades of R3(and its precursors) listening behind us, because there continued to be enough of interest. The changes that have been made in more recent years have unfortunately dropped that originally high level to a point where for many there is no longer any point in listening. The increasing level of "chat" rather than informed discussion or presentation of subject matter and individual topics, and the increasing chopping up of whole works beyond the confines of the morning schedules (as has happened with Afternoon Concert) is not what the established existing audience want, hence not listening anymore.
I am glad that you enjoy what you hear - and I imagine "them at the Beeb" would be very pleased as well, since I think you are perhaps the kind of "new listener" that their changes are aimed at. However I also think that you would have found the slightly older version of R3 just as enjoyable, since you appear open in your choice of listening and keen to find out more, so full works and the more intellectual approach to talking about music (which was the title of a programme back in the day which many of us have fond memories of) would not I think put you off?

[JasonPalmer]

I enjoyed listening around 2005 to 2008 and I can see some dumbing down in that concert performances are not simply a broadcast of a concert but have added works, essential classics is also a bit classic fmy, I hardly ever catch petroc and the breakfast show but it seems more cfm like than it used to be. I presume the new format is to attract a larger audience which helps ensure continued funding, some people somewhere are deciding what metrics to judge success by. Cfm has shown a demand for classical music exists and people could unfairly compare the two stations when they are really for different audiences. All in, I still happy with radio 3.

[french frank]

I presume the new format is to attract a larger audience which helps ensure continued funding, some people somewhere are deciding what metrics to judge success by.

Whatever the reason for the changes, they obviously aren't working in the way you say. In Q3 2022 (July-Sept) Radio 3 had a disastrously low reach, by some comparisons the lowest ever, at least the lowest for decades. The same month it was announced the controller was stepping down after 8 years. I don't think his innovations and adjustment to the target audience can be counted a success in terms of 'attracting a larger audience and ensuring continued funding'.

If you already have a loyal audience, what the point of driving them away? We've been over this many times in discussions. The main point is: should Radio 3 cater for the more esoteric tastes and 'advanced audience' and use the rest of its very extensive portfolio to cater for the broader audience with a broad remit to produce the kind of programme that Radio 3 has introduced lately? The listeners who have 'outgrown' [your word] Radio 3 and stopped listening are still licence fee payers (even me in a technical if not a literal sense).

[JasonPalmer]

Oh dear, did not know listeners falling. Perhaps the new controller will turn the ship around back to its old ways ?

[smittims]

Once again oddoneout has hit the nail on the head. What most distinguishes today's Radio Three from the Third Programme is its lack of intellectual stimulation, the sort of thing that makes one say 'I have to listen to this' rather than 'I don't mind having it on in the background'.

[hmvman]

.. I hardly ever catch petroc and the breakfast show but it seems more cfm like than it used to be.

That's an interesting observation, Jason, because I would say it's less like CFM now than it used to be - anyone remember when they had phone-ins on there? It may not be in the same league as the old 'Morning Concert' but I would say it's more listenable than 'Essential Classics' (during the week anyway, I don't listen at weekends).

The other thing that's occurred to me with this discussion is that 30 or 40 years ago there was more 'accessible' classical music to be found regularly on Radio 2 with programmes such as 'These You Have Loved', 'Your Hundred Best Tunes' and David Jacobs' Sunday morning programme - all of which I listened to when I was cutting my teeth on classical music. This left R3 to cater for the more advanced listener. Now that R2 has banished anything that isn't pop from its airwaves R3 has had to cater for a much wider range of listening taste.