Sky Arts - André Rieu fortnight

[Frances_iom]

presumeably will soon be R3 artist of the week - sounds ideal for Breakfast as matches most supermarket trash cereals - no substance + 99% sugar - would fit with RW's policy of opiate for the masses

[kernelbogey]

[...] sounds ideal for Breakfast as matches most supermarket trash cereals - no substance + 99% sugar[...]

...and of course corn-based.

[kernelbogey]

I can't read the link from the OP, as a strange severance splits the page in two....

[MrGongGong]

Oh I got the right comments, Bryn. I just thought it was strange for you to appear to influence any possible argument arising.
That ok with you MrGongGong?

I'll have a blue one please


(What on earth are you on about ? )

[Nick Armstrong]

(What on earth are you on about ? )

It's a good question. Glad I'm not the only one failing to catch Padraig's drift...

[mercia]

arise Sir Andre - the knight of the rieuful countenance

[Nick Armstrong]

arise Sir Andre - the knight of the rieuful countenance

[Padraig]

Glad I'm not the only one failing to catch Padraig's drift...

I don't like this - it's a bit like having to explain a joke - but here goes.

Firstly, it's not a joke, and it's not personal. It's a serious point about evenhandedness. Why should Bryn approve of ''the well deserved rant'' about Rieu, but advise against reading comments on the same rant. I'm probably missing something myself, drift-wise, but I can't help feeling that we're back to the type of situation, not uncommon here, that it's OK to scoff at Rieu and his show, but don't dare try to defend him. Now, some of the comments referred to DID defend him, and attacked the ranter. Which is as it should be, surely.Make up your own mind - eh?
Maybe this is not the most pressing issue of the day, but is there not a matter of principle here? Today Rieu, tomorrow you!

[Bryn]

I don't like this - it's a bit like having to explain a joke - but here goes.

Firstly, it's not a joke, and it's not personal. It's a serious point about evenhandedness. Why should Bryn approve of ''the well deserved rant'' about Rieu, but advise against reading comments on the same rant. I'm probably missing something myself, drift-wise, but I can't help feeling that we're back to the type of situation, not uncommon here, that it's OK to scoff at Rieu and his show, but don't dare try to defend him. Now, some of the comments referred to DID defend him, and attacked the ranter. Which is as it should be, surely.Make up your own mind - eh?
Maybe this is not the most pressing issue of the day, but is there not a matter of principle here? Today Rieu, tomorrow you!

You are quite right Padraig, you are missing something. I suggested the comments were best not read since I had a feeling that reading those by Rieu's fans would risk evoking apoplexy/excessive derisive laughter in those reading them.

[Padraig]

You are quite right Padraig, you are missing something. I suggested the comments were best not read since I had a feeling that reading those by Rieu's fans would risk evoking apoplexy/excessive derisive laughter in those reading them.

I rest my case Bryn.

Your 'feeling' did not apply to me.

[french frank]

I would accept the general principle behind Padraig's argument but would counter it for a rather different reason.

This is a forum devoted to Radio 3, and given that M Rieu and his music would not, under normal circumstances be given space on the station (saving only the force majeure known as The Specialist Charts) - nor yet, I think, on Sky Arts, I would not expect members here to champion his work anyway; or need to hear the arguments in order to make up their own minds whether he should be played on Radio 3.

Perhaps we are wrong?

[Bryn]

I would accept the general principle behind Padraig's argument but would counter it for a rather different reason.

This is a forum devoted to Radio 3, and given that M Rieu and his music would not, under normal circumstances be given space on the station (saving only the force majeure known as The Specialist Charts) - nor yet, I think, on Sky Arts, I would not expect members here to champion his work anyway; or need to hear the arguments in order to make up their own minds whether he should be played on Radio 3. ...

That's not actually so different a reason, Frenchie.

[french frank]

Another thought: on the Specialist Classical Chart site there's a Feedback tab. I wrote to them a year or so ago and told them that, as far as I was concerned, the entries at that time (I stress this) were predominantly 'crossover' - given the many definitions that could be applied. I meant, CDs that were in some way packaged for the general public, with a view to sales in their millions, rather than for the 'Specialist' classical market.

There was a comment under this article (sorry, Bryn - I read them ) and I really feel that when people start describing the critics of popular artists, calling them 'snobs' and saying that's that what [typo: I should say 'that's that that'] makes them stay away from classical music, my only feeling is that they are surely very wise to stay away from it.

Good grief, there are enough disparagers of classical music - boring, stuffy, elitist and so on. And on. Surely pointing out that some hugely popular artists don't cut the mustard in the world of classical music isn't too great a sin? But their armies are greater ...

[MrGongGong]

You are quite right Padraig, you are missing something.

I think, Padraig you maybe took Bryn's comment too seriously and too literally
or do you really think that by saying "Best not to read the comments below " we would really NOT read them ?
I read it more as an invitation to be amused at what people said about Rieu (which is not the same as suggesting that I want someone to go round his house with a baseball bat and break his fingers ........)

[Mr Pee]

I rather like these replies to a couple of the comments:-

"If Mr. Clarke cannot say something nice about Mr. Rieu or anyone then he should keep his ignorant mouth shut."

Methinks you don't quite understand the role of the critic.

"He probably has never picked up a violin in his life let alone play one"

I'm guessing you've never picked up an adjustable wrench and I'm also guessing you'd still recognise a poor plumber if your toilets started leaking on the floor.