The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[mercia]

if 'serious' music deserves/demands our 100% complete and full attention, then the period of the day 6:30-9:00am is far from ideal to meet that demand, aren't most people at that time of day doing other things? and the longer the piece the more this full attention is demanded (does that follow?). I wonder if we've already had a thread which asks people if they set aside a certain time of day when they can give music their full attention, or are we happy to listen at any time, whilst doing other things. Would Bach be horrified to know that people are (for example) cleaning their teeth or feeding the cat whilst listening to one of his sacred cantatas ?

[Paul Sherratt]

>>cleaning their teeth or feeding the cat

Glad you kept that list quite short, mercia.

[french frank]

if 'serious' music deserves/demands our 100% complete and full attention, then the period of the day 6:30-9:00am is far from ideal to meet that demand, aren't most people at that time of day doing other things? and the longer the piece the more this full attention is demanded (does that follow?). I wonder if we've already had a thread which asks people if they set aside a certain time of day when they can give music their full attention, or are we happy to listen at any time, whilst doing other things. Would Bach be horrified to know that people are cleaning their teeth or feeding the cat whilst listening to one of his sacred cantatas ?

I will copy this to a new thread because I think it can usefully be discussed (on the lines of what we are and are not saying...). Please leave the topic to be discussed on Talking About Music: How much attention?

[Nick Armstrong]

(perhaps related to Paddy O'Ramo)

Seamus O'Ramo is on Radio 4 in an hour or so contributing to a discussion about .... hands http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03nrlyj


[Edited the bit that has been copied elsewhere because ...] - ff

[Was about to delete that bit mesself.... but thanks !] C

[You have to be quick or the whole discussion starts up again - <sigh> - ff ]

[Crowcatcher]

Have just tried to listen to "The Choir" which I quite enjoyed under SM-P's immediate predecessors, Greg Beardsell and Mary King, BUT I've just turned off because S M-P just couldn't resist reading out a 'tweet' Oh dear, Oh dear!!!! thought she might improve with her move to highrer places.

[subcontrabass]

Have just tried to listen to "The Choir" which I quite enjoyed under SM-P's immediate predecessors, Greg Beardsell and Mary King, BUT I've just turned off because S M-P just couldn't resist reading out a 'tweet' Oh dear, Oh dear!!!! thought she might improve with her move to highrer places.

Looks like yet another programme has gone down the "presenter led" plughole.

[seabright]

I'm willing to bet that if we were to flood their polls with works by Lutyens, Maxwell Davies, Birtwistle, Barrett, Finnissy and Ferneyhough, they wouldn't get included for broadcast.

... to say nothing of Havergal Brian. Anyone for the 'Gothic' Symphony at 5 past 7 ? ...

[Serial_Apologist]

... to say nothing of Havergal Brian. Anyone for the 'Gothic' Symphony at 5 past 7 ? ...

Many years ago (he wrote wearily), soon after Havergal Brian's death iirc, the BBC intended broadcasting all his symphonies, or stated as such. I don't think that ever transpired, but a few that did get broadcast did whet my appetite for more. My father recorded them - along with "The Tigers", with a great talk from Calum McDonald on the opera, and I'm willing to bet if more people heard them there'd be a clamour.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Looks like yet another programme has gone down the "presenter led" plughole.

Sometimes I think they just like hearing their own names. Whatever happened to good old-fashioned modesty?

[Anna]

I'm willing to bet that if we were to flood their polls with works by Lutyens, Maxwell Davies, Birtwistle, Barrett, Finnissy and Ferneyhough, they wouldn't get included for broadcast.

I realise your point has already been replied to by BoD, but it's precisely because we get the same old Buckaroo, etc., that we are switching off (not that they seem to care) A bit of Lutyens etc., would make us forgive the juvenile tweeting nonsense I think. Perhaps we should all make an effort to be interactive and request something - with a suitably mawkish reason for the request - like Aunt Edie has just died and it reminds us of when she set fire to the breakfast kippers?
(Actually, I haven't heard Breakfast since before the Christmas break, I just turn on R4 now)

[Nick Armstrong]

Looks like yet another programme has gone down the "presenter led" plughole.

I'm going to smuggle in a comment, off topic as far as the thread title is concerned (as I think Ms Derham only 'does' afternoons), but germane to scb's point. It also may offend the 'don't slag off individuals' approach - if so, I'm happy for it to be deleted (may do so myself in a while, once it's off my chest ) but it's got my blood a-boil.

I find it impossible to take Ms Derham's announcements seriously now. It always sounds as if she's working off some text by a producer who knows something about the subject, and adds her own little random emphases and embellishments ("Joseph - he of Technicolor Dreamcoat fame"...), plus as discussed elsewhere, absurdly o.t.t. foreign-style pronunciations.

It adds up to a risible mix which trivialises everything she says, and robs any actual substance of authority....

Coupled with that is the dread of the next alteration of her tone into that trademark 'aural simper' she has perfected....

[alycidon]

Sometimes I think they just like hearing their own names. Whatever happened to good old-fashioned modesty?

Of course they do, EA, and how they love the sound of their own voices. This becomes more apparent by the day.

[Anna]

Coupled with that is the dread of the next alteration of her tone into that trademark 'aural simper' she has perfected....

OMG, what a perfect description - aural simper! Also hated (cannot remember who does it) the throaty chuckle as if to convey 'gosh, I'm being rather intime with you, but only you, my bessy friend'
Where is the handy vomit emoticon?

[muzzer]

Look, I think we all just need to admit that we're quite touchyfeely enough for R3 these days and move on. Stiff upper lip, and all that.... ;)

[Frances_iom]

OMG, what a perfect description - aural simper! Also hated (cannot remember who does it) the throaty chuckle as if to convey 'gosh, I'm being rather intime with you, but only you, my bessy friend'
Where is the handy vomit emoticon?

She is the ideal RW dj - she has got rid of many of the unwanted type of listener - however why she is tolerated by the 'new' wanted audience defeats me - however I switch off whenever she is on and have done so now for many months.