The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[doversoul1]

An example this morning of what I (me personally ) find deeply cynical about this programme which is specially for 'people with little knowledge of classical music' is how little they do to increase that knowledge. Joyce di Donato sings 'Voi che sapete' from The Marriage of Figaro. Before and after the piece we're told that Joyce di Donato will be in the In Tune studio tonight ("sprinkling her stardust "). But surely, two sentences (not a lecture) of context for those who don't know the opera wouldn't have been out of place? Otherwise, we have to suppose the piece was only chosen as a trail to JdiD's appearance on BBC Radio 3's In Tune, and that as a trail to this year's BBC Proms.

Well, it does say for people with little knowledge, and that’s what it is. You don’t have to know anything very much and you can enjoy the programme (bits of music in-between nice chat) without being bothered by a lot of funny names and boring information.

A couple of weeks ago, Saturday Classics played Sances’s Stabat Mater. We were told, before the music, ‘a voice like a bell’, and the names of the piece, the composer and the performer after the music. That was it for this very rarely played work.

As you say, two sentences would have been enough to make some listeners become interested in something they hadn’t known. The presenters of Through the Night do it all the time. But clearly, that isn’t what the programmes like Breakfast and Saturday Classics are for.

But the suspicion is that they don't actually know anything.

It’s beyond suspicion. You only need to look at playlists.

[Serial_Apologist]

As you say, two sentences would have been enough to make some listeners become interested in something they hadn’t known. The presenters of Through the Night do it all the time. But clearly, that isn’t what the programmes like Breakfast and Saturday Classics are for.

It’s beyond suspicion. You only need to look at playlists.

And yet, isn't this what the BBC have constantly told us, Breakfast and Esssential Classics are for - namely to bring new audiences in for classical music?

[doversoul1]

And yet, isn't this what the BBC have constantly told us, Breakfast and Esssential Classics are for - namely to bring new audiences in for classical music?

…to bring new audience to Radio3 (by enticing people to the few specially devised programmes) seems to be all they care.

I know that there are still some / many (I hope) dedicated people at R3 but they are almost odd ones out these days.

[french frank]

And yet, isn't this what the BBC have constantly told us, Breakfast and Esssential Classics are for - namely to bring new audiences in for classical music?

The Trust review which gave R3 licence to target this audience said:

"We believe there is some potential to extend the core audience to those who might appreciate the station’s distinctive and challenging offer..." What distinctive and challenging offer would that be? The daily brainteaser?

and

"We recognise that the nature of Radio 3’s output – so long as it remains true to its core values – means that there is a natural limit to its overall audience size. The station’s distinctiveness and exploration of a wide range of challenging music [Billy Mayerl, anyone?], which we applaud, inevitably means there will be a limit to its overall appeal. Radio 3’s key measures of success remain how well it delivers high-quality music and arts, as well as protecting the important cultural role it plays in the UK arts environment."

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

exploration of a wide range of challenging music [Billy Mayerl, anyone?]

Have you tried playing it??!! This is the problem with weasel words like "challenging" and "wide range" (and, indeed, "exploration") - anyone can squeeze any meaning out of it they like.

[french frank]

Have you tried playing it??!! This is the problem with weasel words like "challenging" and "wide range" (and, indeed, "exploration") - anyone can squeeze any meaning out of it they like.

Couldn't play it to save my life - but I read it to mean 'challenging for the listener'

[Stan Drews]

Hiya french frank,

It's Just another example of the BBC's obsession with celebrities at the expense of informing the listener. How long will it be before Aled Jones and Alan Titchmarsh are presenting on Radio 3?

Emm... "The Choir", anyone?

[antongould]

One Mr. G. Jackson made it to the much loved list of Best of British this morning.....

[Suffolkcoastal]

There is no way that his music would ever make it on any 'Much Loved' list I could come up with, maybe though on a Much Disliked list. Perhaps Breakfast should start that!

[Black Swan]

There is no way that his music would ever make it on any 'Much Loved' list I could come up with, maybe though on a Much Disliked list. Perhaps Breakfast should start that!

I agree with Suffolkcoastal. I am keen for a Much Disliked List....

[Don Petter]

There is no way that his music would ever make it on any 'Much Loved' list I could come up with, maybe though on a Much Disliked list. Perhaps Breakfast should start that!

But he was a much loved actor.

('Stradivarius was a lousy painter and Rembrandt made rotten violins': T Cooper)

[antongould]

But he was a much loved actor.

('Stradivarius was a lousy painter and Rembrandt wrote terrible music': T Cooper)

......indeed and the piece they played made the grind for a marginally honest crust all the more pleasurable. I enjoyed it.

[mercia]

no shortage of people queueing up to tell us what piece of music "changed their life". Despite loving music I wouldn't say that any music has changed my life in the way that, say, getting married or moving house or contracting a serious illness could be said to be life-changing events. I haven't heard every contribution but I expect a lot of them have been variations of "a piece that I first heard as a child and sparked my interest in/love of music".

[cloughie]

no shortage of people queueing up to tell us what piece of music "changed their life". Despite loving music I wouldn't say that any music has changed my life in the way that, say, getting married or moving house or contracting a serious illness could be said to be life-changing events. I haven't heard every contribution but I expect a lot of them have been variations of "a piece that I first heard as a child and sparked my interest in/love of music".

Quite so, mercs - music that wows but hardly immediately life-changing!

[french frank]

no shortage of people queueing up to tell us what piece of music "changed their life". Despite loving music I wouldn't say that any music has changed my life in the way that, say, getting married or moving house or contracting a serious illness could be said to be life-changing events. I haven't heard every contribution but I expect a lot of them have been variations of "a piece that I first heard as a child and sparked my interest in/love of music".

That's the deal for getting your request played, isn't it? Life-changing? Perhaps in the sense that before I heard it I hadn't heard it, and after I heard it I had. So that's a change

I don't even think I would say that any piece of music 'blew my mind' (but I'm not quite sure what it means). Sometimes I've found a piece of music riveting my attention so that I listen with great concentration. So I could say 'music that riveted my attention', if that's any good ...