Afternoon Concert - general thread

[oddoneout]

One of the old FoR3 principles, swept aside by the BBC/R3, was that R3 should focus on what the service was designed to do, what part it was intended to play within the extensive BBC radio portfolio; NOT what does a broad middle-of-the-road-sort-of-classical audience want to hear that will reach a wide audience. In other words should the focus be on dedicated content or audience preference?

Well it's neither now. Dedicated content died some time ago to a large extent, and audience preference is whatever management says the audience should or does prefer, as far as I can see.

[Serial_Apologist]

One of the old FoR3 principles, swept aside by the BBC/R3, was that R3 should focus on what the service was designed to do, what part it was intended to play within the extensive BBC radio portfolio; NOT what does a broad middle-of-the-road-sort-of-classical audience want to hear that will reach a wide audience. In other words should the focus be on dedicated content or audience preference?

And those old principles, whether intended for or to produce a cultural elite or not, had ramifications larger than considerations of individual taste. Criticisms of Radio 3 as she is as against what she once was, is a point worth adding I believe. By placing their stress on how Radio 3 no longer caters for my tastes, some previous posts in this discussion are in danger of pandering to populism, setting the individual up against wider socio-cultural considerations addressed by broadcasting in general. Radio 3 becomes a target for de-funding based on "straw man" arguments, masked in rhetoric about dwindling demographics, choice, and catering for changing tastes. I think of us as beneficiaries - equipped to recognise falling professional standards, having benefitted from how Radio 3 once in the main answered to those selfsame old principles - not elitists.

[cloughie]

What? Not even Joan Armatrading's Symphony (I kid you not) which is to be aired in Radio3 in Concert next Tuesday?

Well maybe I’m open to persuasion!

[Pulcinella]

Well maybe I’m open to persuasion!

Didn't Jane Austen write that, not Joan Armatrading?

[cloughie]

Well it's neither now. Dedicated content died some time ago to a large extent, and audience preference is whatever management says the audience should or does prefer, as far as I can see.

I now have a well-exercised upper hand for the off switch and loads of music to listen to in my collection!

[cloughie]

Didn't Jane Austen write that, not Joan Armatrading?

Yes but I have my pride and I try not to prejudge things!

[Pulcinella]

Yes but I have my pride and I try not to prejudge things!

[french frank]

And those old principles, whether intended for or to produce a cultural elite or not, had ramifications larger than considerations of individual taste. Criticisms of Radio 3 as she is as against what she once was, is a point worth adding I believe. By placing their stress on how Radio 3 no longer caters for my tastes, some previous posts in this discussion are in danger of pandering to populism, setting the individual up against wider socio-cultural considerations addressed by broadcasting in general. Radio 3 becomes a target for de-funding based on "straw man" arguments, masked in rhetoric about dwindling demographics, choice, and catering for changing tastes. I think of us as beneficiaries - equipped to recognise falling professional standards, having benefitted from how Radio 3 once in the main to those selfsame old principles - not elitists.

I wish I'd written that … There could be a fascinating debate on what those 'bedrock' cultural principles are. Do they still exist? Have they simply 'changed'? Or are they continually evolving and is it just that the evolution has speeded up and become more obvious? Is one factor that there has been an explosion in new genres each attracting its own audience (or fanbase ) while the number of outlets hasn't kept up with the increase? Can there be, musically, too much of everything? Waffle, waffle, waffle ..

[cloughie]

I wish I'd written that … There could be a fascinating debate on what those 'bedrock' cultural principles are. Do they still exist? Have they simply 'changed'? Or are they continually evolving and is it just that the evolution has speeded up and become more obvious? Is one factor that there has been an explosion in new genres each attracting its own audience (or fanbase ) while the number of outlets hasn't kept up with the increase? Can there be, musically, too much of everything? Waffle, waffle, waffle ..

Yes and not enough of just a bit!

[LMcD]

Yes and not enough of just a bit!

Moderato in all things!

[Pulcinella]

Looks like bleeding chunks are now endemic.
BBC MM, which prided itself on providing full works, has an advert (trail?) for next month's cover CD:

Mozart, Brahms & Schubert
Symphonic selections

Performances from over the years by The Scottish Chamber Orchestra

(Maybe we'll get a whole short early Mozart symphony though?)

[oddoneout]

I see that today's "Music Played" listing has put the 3pm big piece in its expected place today. Last week they put it at the start of the listing every day so that it looked as if it had been played well before 3 pm. A combination of the usual incomplete prior indication of what the content will be, coupled with unfamiliarity of the piece in question, meant that on 2 days it took me a while to work out what I was actually listening to - was it the advertised 3pm slot or something else and if so, what? I don't have the info scrolling on the radio so depend on the online listing which I make a rough note of in the morning. Even if I have the PC on at the time that's not a lot of help if the info is lacking...
I emailed twice to ask why, but as per usual no response, not even an auto reply telling me they are too busy to take any notice. Checking back through other emails sent since 2019, I see that I had auto-replies to the 2 in 2019, and no response of any kind to the 7 subsequent ones, even when it has been a question rather than comment or complaint.

[JasonPalmer]

Very enjoyable concert today, alas i miss the post 3pm play as collecting son from school today. Who listens to radio 3 ? Not people at work, that is for sure. Perhaps mainly retired music fans from the audiences at live concerts i have attended.

[AuntDaisy]

Very enjoyable concert today, alas i miss the post 3pm play as collecting son from school today. Who listens to radio 3 ? Not people at work, that is for sure. Perhaps mainly retired music fans from the audiences at live concerts i have attended.

I listen to R3 at work - but rarely live. Most of the Afternoon concerts are too fragmentary for me.

[Russ]

I'm listening to the Afternoon Concert at the moment. It's very varied, and some of it is interesting. There is a slight snag. What is being performed seems to bear no relation to what is being listed.
(https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001svr7)

Or is what is listed only a selection of what is broadcast?