Live in Concert 30 May - Britten's War Requiem

[amateur51]

I really can't understand why the BBC did not televise this live, such a bad miss. The performance is already winning plaudits, for example:

http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_concert_review.php?id=10210

And now they have the cheek to add a link to thespace.org on the Radio 3 web page.

Just a guess but I suspect that the BBC might be overburdened by the forthcoming Jubbly outside broadcasts and the Olympic stuff and War Requiem was felt to be the lesser event.

We might think they're wrong but there'd be merrie H*ll to pay if they stuffed up those two major operations

[Pegleg]

Just a guess but I suspect that the BBC might be overburdened by the forthcoming Jubbly outside broadcasts and the Olympic stuff and War Requiem was felt to be the lesser event.

We might think they're wrong but there'd be merrie H*ll to pay if they stuffed up those two major operations

Point taken. But at least the broadcast achieved three things.

I have finally listened to (and now watched) the entire requiem, and for the first time in many years I reached for my copy of "Wilfred Owen: War poems and others" published by Chatto & Windus. Lastly, my thoughts turned once more to the Ibstock War Memorial that bears the name of John Henry Storer, my paternal grandmother's first husband killed in 1918. Owen's fate was sealed later that year. Along with other casualties of the 2nd Manchesters on 4th Novmember 1918 was Robert Edward Holland whose name also appears on the Ibstock War Memorial. His grave is B3 , Wilfred Owen's is A3 at the Ors Communal Cemetry.

[ardcarp]

I thought his conducting of this performance was outstanding, and he was even pleasant to watch, which isn't always the case with conductors!

He sometimes grabbed attention by making tiny movements...that makes eveyone watch. And once he did the old Hoffnung trick of shrinking behind his rostrum to get everyone really quiet!

[Petrushka]

BBC Midlands Today did a piece on the occasion in this evening's programme (doh) and the spectacle looked tremendous in the excerpts shown.

The BBC is ruled by clowns and philistines these days and I hope that the plaudits this performance has received will make them aware of the huge opportunity that was missed. There could, and I think would, have been curious viewers interested in the occasion and the ever topical nature of the work who would have been moved to investigate further.

[Mr Pee]

Just a guess but I suspect that the BBC might be overburdened by the forthcoming Jubbly outside broadcasts and the Olympic stuff and War Requiem was felt to be the lesser event.

We might think they're wrong but there'd be merrie H*ll to pay if they stuffed up those two major operations

YOU think they're wrong. Please don't presume to include us all.

Yet another example of the BBC's lack of commitment to classical music, as we've seen with Young Musician, and the Classic FM style radio 3.

[Panjandrum]

Just a guess but I suspect that the BBC might be overburdened by the forthcoming Jubbly outside broadcasts and the Olympic stuff and War Requiem was felt to be the lesser event.

We might think they're wrong but there'd be merrie H*ll to pay if they stuffed up those two major operations

Sorry to disagree with you for once Hammy.

Given that the production was filmed by Unitel Classica in co-production with ZDF/arte and NHK (see Osborn's helpful msg#6) it required absolutely zero resourcing (sic) from the BBC to put on. All they needed to do was stomp up the cash to broadcast it (which would not have broken any banks). However, the arts budget has probably been used up on that intellectually rewarding Maestro at the Opera series.

[Flay]

Sorry to disagree with you for once Hammy.

Given that the production was filmed by Unitel Classica in co-production with ZDF/arte and NHK (see Osborn's helpful msg#6) it required absolutely zero resourcing (sic) from the BBC to put on. All they needed to do was stomp up the cash to broadcast it (which would not have broken any banks). However, the arts budget has probably been used up on that intellectually rewarding Maestro at the Opera series.

Sorry, BBC4 was too busy screening repeats all evening...

[amateur51]

YOU think they're wrong. Please don't presume to include us all.

Yet another example of the BBC's lack of commitment to classical music, as we've seen with Young Musician, and the Classic FM style radio 3.

Is Mr Pee actually Jeremy Hunt?

Or at least his driver?

[amateur51]

Sorry to disagree with you for once Hammy.

Given that the production was filmed by Unitel Classica in co-production with ZDF/arte and NHK (see Osborn's helpful msg#6) it required absolutely zero resourcing (sic) from the BBC to put on. All they needed to do was stomp up the cash to broadcast it (which would not have broken any banks). However, the arts budget has probably been used up on that intellectually rewarding Maestro at the Opera series.

You've seen the budgets & the internal memoranda have you Panyan?

[Pegleg]

Whatever the whys and wherefores of the BBC decisions, what was really irksome was the fact that a link from the BBC radio 3 website to thepace.org webcast only appeared after the live broadcast was over (please correct me if I'm wrong) and then thespace.org placed a link back to the BBC R3 on its website.

Without this forum thread I wouldn't have known about the webcast at all. I'd say the BBC did know about the webcast in advance but wasn't inclined to inform it's radio listeners.

[ardcarp]

Without this forum thread I wouldn't have known about the webcast at all. I'd say the BBC did know about the webcast in advance but wasn't inclined to inform it's radio listeners.

ditto

[Mr Pee]

Sorry to disagree with you for once Hammy.

Given that the production was filmed by Unitel Classica in co-production with ZDF/arte and NHK (see Osborn's helpful msg#6) it required absolutely zero resourcing (sic) from the BBC to put on. All they needed to do was stomp up the cash to broadcast it (which would not have broken any banks). However, the arts budget has probably been used up on that intellectually rewarding Maestro at the Opera series.

Don't worry, it will probably pop up on Sky Arts 2 before long.....

[amateur51]

Don't worry, it will probably pop up on Sky Arts 2 before long.....

Only when it's on special offer at Amazon.co.uk

Or if that nice Mr Hunt donates a copy

[Mr Pee]

Only when it's on special offer at Amazon.co.uk

What, like the ongoing Mahler Symphony cycle??

(And I'm getting a bit worried about your Jeremy Hunt obsession.....James Hunt I could understand......)

[secondfiddle]

Don't worry, it will probably pop up on Sky Arts 2 before long.....

The War Requiem on the 'thespace' website is a visual treat. A fairly long wait before the performance starts but some stunning views of Coventry Cathedral and - joy of joys - no spoken introduction, no 'celebrity' waffle, no 'knowing' guests. Granted that this sort of presentation would not work for every occasion but in this case it is wonderful just to watch and wait without any chatter. The camera work during the performance is excellent, adding to the intensity of the occasion. Can't wait for the DVD.