The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[french frank]

I think this programme is a better vehicle for Rob the Record Collector's knowledge and enthusiasm. With any luck they'll run out of guests and concentrate on content.

1. I think my problem with that is that if I hear a work I like, I don't immediately think I've got to go out and buy the CD. Not even if it's budget price and recommended by Rob. I hear it, store away the memory and will listen out for it again.

2. Rob's only on every other week.

3. They'll never run out of guests, but they may drop the feature if people don't like it. (My guess is that the traget audience will like it)

[aeolium]

Nah, they'll shift Petroc into it soon and he'll be asking the all-night lorry drivers to text in their memories of when they first heard 'Bolero'.

While they're driving....

barber olly, Rob C is a knowledgeable presenter - that's undeniable. The big problem with the programme is the concept, that it has to revolve around 'essential classics', when those very same classics are being played time and again throughout the schedule so that anything outside that tent gets even less of a look in. And another big problem is that the classics have to be presented in a wrapper that includes guest chat, brainteasers and all the other trivial nonsense. It won't surprise me if RC comes up with some good recordings and historic performances from time to time in this programme. But I won't be hearing them because quite frankly I can't be bothered to wade through the trivia to get to them - the concept and the wrapper are too much of a negative for me.

[aeolium]

traget audience

Is that a portmanteau for 'tragic' and 'target'?

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

i just feel bereft and betrayed at the wilful extinction of a trusted companion to my hours ....

[barber olly]

While they're driving....

barber olly, Rob C is a knowledgeable presenter - that's undeniable. The big problem with the programme is the concept, that it has to revolve around 'essential classics', when those very same classics are being played time and again throughout the schedule so that anything outside that tent gets even less of a look in. And another big problem is that the classics have to be presented in a wrapper that includes guest chat, brainteasers and all the other trivial nonsense. It won't surprise me if RC comes up with some good recordings and historic performances from time to time in this programme. But I won't be hearing them because quite frankly I can't be bothered to wade through the trivia to get to them - the concept and the wrapper are too much of a negative for me.

From my comments you will gather I am not bowled over by the concept. However, the Curate's Egg bits can be pick and mixed via iplayer!

[barber olly]

1. I think my problem with that is that if I hear a work I like, I don't immediately think I've got to go out and buy the CD. Not even if it's budget price and recommended by Rob. I hear it, store away the memory and will listen out for it again.

2. Rob's only on every other week.

3. They'll never run out of guests, but they may drop the feature if people don't like it. (My guess is that the traget audience will like it)

1. I think my problem with that is that if I hear a work I like, I don't immediately think I've got to go out and buy the CD. Not even if it's budget price and recommended by Rob. I hear it, store away the memory and will listen out for it again.

WHY IS THAT A PROBLEM?

2. Rob's only on every other week.

Sarah is also a very good presenter

3. They'll never run out of guests, but they may drop the feature if people don't like it. (My guess is that the traget audience will like it)

People don't like it - but they won't drop it will they?

[Nick Armstrong]

Oh dear, the 'guest' interview with Rob was toe-curling this morning. 'Mathematics... mathematics... blah... blah...' Ending (after a piece from The Planets) with a rather desperate question from Rob along the lines of "do you think that the Planets might have inspired mathematicians and scientists to look ... beyond... ?"... which de Sautoy dealt with showing admirable sang-froid and no audible gulp by ignoring the unanswerable and telling a story about how he couldn't listen to his LP of the Planets for ages but then bought a new stylus for his record player (such old technology ho ho ho)...

It's such low rent stuff, it really is. Not quite as bad as Petroc's 'Dog's Breakfast' though, which reminds me of Alan Partridge doing the BBC Radio Norwich early morning show ("You're listening to 'This Morning's Farmer'..." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NggIQ4jRBYg )

Then Rob's prog got better when the silly guest spot finished - blessed relief thanks to the Bruggen 'Castor et Pollux' Suite by Rameau (I was cycling down the sunny Mall at the time, perfect) and then the fascinating Szell Sibelius 2 live from Japan. THAT's what the programme should be about - a familiar piece, maybe - but in an interesting performance (of which Rob must have an inexhaustible fund of knowledge).

[french frank]

WHY IS THAT A PROBLEM?

I'm not personally keen on programmes being turned into opportunities to sell records. I dislike the Charts Show for the same reason. CD Review is fine because there is more of a critical basis - Andrew will say if he doesn't think something is any good. I only said it was a problem FOR ME. Other people may be more acquisitive

2. Rob's only on every other week.

Sarah is also a very good presenter

I was merely reminding you, as you seemed to be associating the programme only with Rob whose expertise lies in this field of recording history.

3. They'll never run out of guests, but they may drop the feature if people don't like it. (My guess is that the target audience will like it)

People don't like it - but they won't drop it will they?

Dunno

[barber olly]

I'm not personally keen on programmes being turned into opportunities to sell records. I dislike the Charts Show for the same reason. CD Review is fine because there is more of a critical basis - Andrew will say if he doesn't think something is any good. I only said it was a problem FOR ME. Other people may be more acquisitive

I am not sure which bit you were referring to, I don't think I mentioned Rob marketing records. He will dig out interesting recordings which may or may not be available, may be recent reissues, maybe not. I too hate the Breakfast Chart Shows, CFM's Wall of Fame and indeed any of these silly Awards which by BBC MM or Gramophone which is more about selling a 13th issue each year. I do respect RC and SW's knowledge if not the format of the show. You should know from previous comments on the boards that I prefer the Third Progamme to CFM2 and feel that audience figures are meaningless. At the end of the day the suits at the BBC don't really care about the 60s age-group, just trouser the license fee and say 'go and listen to your CDs, you've probably got more hours of music on your shelves than hours left to listen to them'.

[french frank]

I am not sure which bit you were referring to, I don't think I mentioned Rob marketing records.

No, I referred to Rob's CD of the Week which he referred to as being 'budget price'. It's intended that these should be recommendations and there's not a lot of point recommending CDs that aren't available. Up ahead, btw, there may be listener participation over the recommendation section ...

At the end of the day the suits at the BBC don't really care about the 60s age-group, just trouser the license fee and say 'go and listen to your CDs, you've probably got more hours of music on your shelves than hours left to listen to them'.

Well, the BBC is constantly being accused of ageism ...

[salymap]

I noticed in an early trailer that Rob said the Sibelius 2nd symphony recording was requested by a John Davis of Devon. Isn't that our old friend KCII? If so, hello there.

[barber olly]

I noticed in an early trailer that Rob said the Sibelius 2nd symphony recording was requested by a John Davis of Devon. Isn't that our old friend KCII? If so, hello there.

What a cracking performance. Sad to think that within a couple of months we had lost both Szell and Barbirolli. Interesting that Szell did not record much Sibelius, I suppose Ormandy and Bernstein did the honours for CBS in those days. The only other Szell I know of is a No4 with Cleveland which Rob broughts many years back on CD Masters. Are there any others?

[Carmen]

i just feel bereft and betrayed at the wilful extinction of a trusted companion to my hours ....

Yes, that's how I feel exactly. They've turned their backs on the natural R3 audience. It IS a betrayal, but this is what our world is like now. Notions of companionship on the radio are unknown to the besuited ones at the Beeb. Anyway, I'm well free of "Breakfast" - 3 days now without and blissfully free of withdrawal symptoms. Particularly enjoyed listening to last Sunday's "Private Passions". Still listening to cuddly Uncle Rob though - he's still a trusted companion, as is James Naughtie on "Today". How very twee, eh?

[vinteuil]

"Popular presentation is today all too often that which puts the mob in a position to talk of something without understanding it."

Aphorisms (Notebook G,#32; 1779-1783)
Georg Christoph Lichtenberg [1742-1799]

[Roehre]

What a cracking performance. Sad to think that within a couple of months we had lost both Szell and Barbirolli. Interesting that Szell did not record much Sibelius, I suppose Ormandy and Bernstein did the honours for CBS in those days. The only other Szell I know of is a No4 with Cleveland which Rob broughts many years back on CD Masters. Are there any others?

Szell with Sibelius 2 and the Concertgebouw orchestra, which I personally find superior to this Cleveland recording (was on Philips; Out of Print?).