The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[french frank]

Not sure why you've put 'by Barbara Hannigan' in capitals and followed it with a 'yikes'.

Purely to indicate the (putative) strength of the (putative) response from a (putative) Radio 3 spokesperson to justify playing I Got Rhythm YET AGAIN by suggesting that that version hadn't been played before . It wasn't intended to to pass any sort of adverse judgement on the recording.

I consider Gershwin to be worthy of more esteem than he seems to be getting around these parts

I can only point out my own insistence that Gershwin is an admirable composer (emphasised twice). Merely that that hardly justifies his works being played so regularly on Radio 3. And not I Got Rhythm.

[alycidon]

I didn't notice odd puntuation, or gasps. But I think this is a variant of what I once heard described as the "BBC plonking style". The unnecessary and unnatural stresses on certain words, emphasising them for no particular reason. No ordinary flow and rhythm to the sentences. I imagine that people who listen to a lot of broadcasting get used to it.

I have just returned to ‘Breakfast’ after a fairly long absence so I don’t know who the current presenter is, but I have to say that his verbal dynamics are quite atrocious. The presentation just consists of low rumbling mumbles delivered sotto voce punctuated by sudden explosions quickly followed by the rumbling mumbles again. OK, my hearing is suspect, but I would guess even those whose hearing is spot-on might have trouble processing these announcements.

I am surprised that the producers have not put a stop to it.

[LMcD]

The current presenter (Monday to Friday) is Petroc Trelawny

[Stanfordian]

I have just returned to ‘Breakfast’ after a fairly long absence so I don’t know who the current presenter is, but I have to say that his verbal dynamics are quite atrocious. The presentation just consists of low rumbling mumbles delivered sotto voce punctuated by sudden explosions quickly followed by the rumbling mumbles again. OK, my hearing is suspect, but I would guess even those whose hearing is spot-on might have trouble processing these announcements.

I am surprised that the producers have not put a stop to it.

Compress the voices of the presenters! Or stick their heads in a brace (like that used for eye field tests) so it's facing the mike! Or change the presenters to those who can speak clearly like the late Alvar Lidell or Celia Johnson!

Do they not give sound tests for radio presenters! Why of course they don't!

[Stanfordian]

The current presenter (Monday to Friday) is Petroc Trelawny

So I'll stick my head in dustbin and bang the sides with my handy pair of baseball bats - that should ward off Squire Trelawny's dulcet ones!

[underthecountertenor]

I have just returned to ‘Breakfast’ after a fairly long absence so I don’t know who the current presenter is, but I have to say that his verbal dynamics are quite atrocious. The presentation just consists of low rumbling mumbles delivered sotto voce punctuated by sudden explosions quickly followed by the rumbling mumbles again. OK, my hearing is suspect, but I would guess even those whose hearing is spot-on might have trouble processing these announcements.

I am surprised that the producers have not put a stop to it.

At 54 years old, I wouldn’t describe my hearing as spot on, but I have no problem at all with PT’s delivery, and don’t recognise your grotesque description.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

At 54 years old, I wouldn’t describe my hearing as spot on, but I have no problem at all with PT’s delivery, and don’t recognise your grotesque description.

What did you think of my exact transcript of his garbled communication this morning?

[underthecountertenor]

What did you think of my exact transcript of his garbled communication this morning?

I thought it read like a lot of exact transcripts. It sounded ok as it happened. By no means perfect, or PT at his most fluent, but fine. The imperfection is a price I’m happy to pay for spontaneity. I’ve read a lot of exact transcripts of court proceedings in my time, and they do neither counsel nor judges any favours. MPs are lucky to have the elves at Hansard tidy their speeches up for them.

[LMcD]

At 54 years old, I wouldn’t describe my hearing as spot on, but I have no problem at all with PT’s delivery, and don’t recognise your grotesque description.

Add 20 years and it could have been me posting this message! And I can't quite see the point of reading an exact transcript of a piece of admittedly rather silly 'handover banter'......Let's hope the powers that be don't take it into their heads to replace Petroc with ...um, let's see ... TOM SERVICE?

(Perhaps we're benefiting from a clearer signal here on the Suffolk coast ....)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Spontaneity? I would call it thoughtless drivel. The likes of Richard Baker and Antony Hopkins could ad lib perfectly, without it feeling like being dragged through a quagmire.

[antongould]

IMVVHO a much better 150 minutes this morning ..... One presumes ff had a quiet word with Lord Stockton ......

[alycidon]

The current presenter (Monday to Friday) is Petroc Trelawny

Thank you. I’ve read all the following comments, but I still have to stick with my earlier criticisms. It’s not something I rejoice in doing, but compared to the likes of Alvar Liddell and Richard Baker, things have deteriorated. But in my defence I have to say that I am 75 and wear two hearing aids so things are bound to sound more peculiar than they do to all you younger folk.

[underthecountertenor]

Spontaneity? I would call it thoughtless drivel. The likes of Richard Baker and Antony Hopkins could ad lib perfectly, without it feeling like being dragged through a quagmire.

You’re clearly very worked up about the short exchange. I can’t help thinking that the time you spent painstakingly transcribing it could have been better employed, but I suppose you might find it therapeutic.
From what I remember of Richard Baker, I’d be surprised if he went off-script once in his professional life. I’d agree that Hopkins was a great speaker though. He spoke at our school once and was enthralling.

[Stanfordian]

Add 20 years and it could have been me posting this message! And I can't quite see the point of reading an exact transcript of a piece of admittedly rather silly 'handover banter'......Let's hope the powers that be don't take it into their heads to replace Petroc with ...um, let's see ... TOM SERVICE?

(Perhaps we're benefiting from a clearer signal here on the Suffolk coast ....)

Blimey! Are Petroc and Tom not the same person!

[underthecountertenor]

Blimey! Are Petroc and Tom not the same person!

No? Obviously?