BBC4 - actual music!

[ardcarp]

Couldn't believe it. Some real music on the TV tonight, The Rite and Rach 3.
Interesting to read about conductor Ryan Bancroft: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Bancroft

[Dave2002]

Indeed. Not sure whether it’ll last though, but tonight’s concert was one of a series. I enjoyed it immensely.

[Nick Armstrong]

Couldn't believe it. Some real music on the TV tonight, The Rite and Rach 3

Yes, looking forward to a watch/listen.

Odd title though, “Inside Music: Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring”… which suggests one of the more garrulous BBC4/R3 ‘faces’ doing a Blue Peter job on the Rite… & no mention of the longer work…

… whereas mercifully it was a concert!

[smittims]

Television has long had a problem with classical music. I think it's their dogma that there must always be chat and camera movement, where concerts usually involve a lot of sitting still listening.

[oddoneout]

Yes, looking forward to a watch/listen.

Odd title though, “Inside Music: Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring”… which suggests one of the more garrulous BBC4/R3 ‘faces’ doing a Blue Peter job on the Rite… & no mention of the longer work…

… whereas mercifully it was a concert!

Yes, I thought it might be a hybrid of the 2 R3 programmes, "explaining/examining/experiencing" RoS. I didn't look further as it's not music I choose to listen to, and the Rach 3 wouldn't have been a draw either even if it had been on the listings I use for a first check of the day's listening/viewing, which it wasn't.
Dave, if it's a series when is the next one?

[Dave2002]

Yes, I thought it might be a hybrid of the 2 R3 programmes, "explaining/examining/experiencing" RoS. I didn't look further as it's not music I choose to listen to, and the Rach 3 wouldn't have been a draw either even if it had been on the listings I use for a first check of the day's listening/viewing, which it wasn't.
Dave, if it's a series when is the next one?

I was surprised that it was "just" a concert, with hardly any gap between the items. I agree about the Blue Peter discussion which one sometimes experiences, but I thought there could have been a little more informative discussion of the pieces without making the whole thing too long.

Re the series - taken from the details of last night's concert:

"Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring
Inside Classical
Series 1
Episode 5 of 8"

which seems to me to imply that there have already been four similar programmes, with another three to come.
However, looking back at last week's schedule, and forward through the programmes for next week doesn't give any enlightenment as to when the next one will be - or indeed when the previous ones were. Maybe the "details" themseslves are incorrect, or intended for some other purpose.

[Bryn]

I was surprised that it was "just" a concert, with hardly any gap between the items. I agree about the Blue Peter discussion which one sometimes experiences, but I thought there could have been a little more informative discussion of the pieces without making the whole thing too long.

Re the series - taken from the details of last night's concert:

"Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring
Inside Classical
Series 1
Episode 5 of 8"

which seems to me to imply that there have already been four similar programmes, with another three to come.
However, looking back at last week's schedule, and forward through the programmes for next week doesn't give any enlightenment as to when the next one will be - or indeed when the previous ones were. Maybe the "details" themseslves are incorrect, or intended for some other purpose.

The first programme in the series was broadcast on 22 May 2022. All five of those already broadcast are available but of the earlier ones, only one is concerned with 'classical' music. See https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...rds-and-voices

[EnemyoftheStoat]

The first programme in the series was broadcast on 22 May 2022. All five of those already broadcast are available but of the earlier ones, only one is concerned with 'classical' music. See https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...rds-and-voices

"Inside Classical Music" - so we get two out of five programmes that would be at home on 1Xtra or 6.

Let's hope that more are on the way with more focus on 'classical' music, and some of the less hackneyed examples. What I've seen of the latest one is far superior to the BBCSSO programmes already on iPlayer, which had very narrow camera angles that gave the impression that La Mer was scored for a chamber orchestra including (e.g.) 1.5 horns. I now just have to get my "smart" TV iPlayer to talk to my DAC/amp combo...

[Bryn]

"Inside Classical Music" - so we get two out of five programmes that would be at home on 1Xtra or 6.

Let's hope that more are on the way with more focus on 'classical' music, and some of the less hackneyed examples. What I've seen of the latest one is far superior to the BBCSSO programmes already on iPlayer, which had very narrow camera angles that gave the impression that La Mer was scored for a chamber orchestra including (e.g.) 1.5 horns. I now just have to get my "smart" TV iPlayer to talk to my DAC/amp combo...

Oops! I meant only one of the previous four, rather than only one of the five. Strange that there is no information regarding future programmes in the series.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Oops! I meant only one of the previous four, rather than only one of the five. Strange that there is no information regarding future programmes in the series.

Maybe that's our lot.

[Serial_Apologist]

Television has long had a problem with classical music. I think it's their dogma that there must always be chat and camera movement, where concerts usually involve a lot of sitting still listening.

That's also my problem with televised classical concerts: the camera co-ordination with score is remarkable and must take a great deal of rehearsing, yet one is at the same time aware that focus is always at the director's choice and may well miss out on important subsidiary ongoing detail. I may be wanting to see if the triangle player is taking up their spare time nose-picking - which indicates a n additional level of visual distraction from the actual sound of what is being played.

[Dave2002]

That's also my problem with televised classical concerts: the camera co-ordination with score is remarkable and must take a great deal of rehearsing, yet one is at the same time aware that focus is always at the director's choice and may well miss out on important subsidiary ongoing detail. I may be wanting to see if the triangle player is taking up their spare time nose-picking - which indicates an additional level of visual distraction from the actual sound of what is being played.

However you'd need a very large screen to be able to pick out nose picking, or which members of the orchestra are reading a novel or magazine, or to spot which edition of any scores are being used, or the designer labels on the conductor'(s)' jackets, etc. Until we have video with multiple views [technically possible - but more expensive] that isn't going to happen for a while.

[Dave2002]

The first programme in the series was broadcast on 22 May 2022. All five of those already broadcast are available but of the earlier ones, only one is concerned with 'classical' music. See https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...rds-and-voices

So really a largely false description of what was actually being offered, then?

[oddoneout]

However you'd need a very large screen to be able to pick out nose picking, or which members of the orchestra are reading a novel or magazine, or to spot which edition of any scores are being used, or the designer labels on the conductor'(s)' jackets, etc. Until we have video with multiple views [technically possible - but more expensive] that isn't going to happen for a while.

The modern style of aerobatic fly-past camera work often provides, in addition to nausea, more information than one would like about the condition of someone's hair, how many pimples on the neck, or how many fillings in the teeth. If detail is missed it isn't for want of trying...

[Ein Heldenleben]

That's also my problem with televised classical concerts: the camera co-ordination with score is remarkable and must take a great deal of rehearsing, yet one is at the same time aware that focus is always at the director's choice and may well miss out on important subsidiary ongoing detail. I may be wanting to see if the triangle player is taking up their spare time nose-picking - which indicates a n additional level of visual distraction from the actual sound of what is being played.

They might get one rehearsal but that would be it. Because the musicians are static and they stick to the notes it’s relatively easy to work out the shots in advance - getting them right on the night is much more difficult. Suffice to say cutting to the piccolo nose picking while the clarinet plays an exquisite solo would not generally be reckoned a triumph.