Breakfast programme - Dog’s breakfast or eclectic mix.

[french frank]

And some people here appear to cling to the notion that R3 Breakfast was, is and ever shall be terrible in saecula saeculorum

For me, it's more the notion of Breakfast, rather than 'my notion' of anything. A programme of 150 minutes (of which 30 minutes is speech), consisting of - today - 19 pieces of music, which means an average of under 6'30", and a range of such short pieces from Wilbye to Tchaikovsky, Britten to Ibert, holds nil attraction, regardless of the presenter. And you can add to that 30 mins of speech which has listeners responding to an invitation of some kind and other assorted waffle.

The odd piece lasting 15 minutes is balanced by even shorter pieces than the average. But if this holds some sort of attraction for anyone, de gustibus …: the individual pieces were mainly inoffensive but the whole In saecula saeculorum that will always be worse than total silence for me.

[antongould]

Underthecountertenor, antongould, and maybe Old Grumpy

Oh, all right. I am sure it was said but I won’t stick to it as I can’t possibly find the exact post, and I take your point Underthecountertenor. I’ll try again.

When Classic FM is mentioned on these boards, nine out of ten, if not ten out of ten posts are criticism if not contempt. On this basis, saying that Breakfast is not as bad as the CFM counterpart is not much of a defence. How's this?

While I was deprived of listening to Through the Night on iPlayer in the morning, I turned to the radio for the first time in many years and found that Breakfast presented by Petroc Trelawny was nothing as abominable as some comments I had read here. The information about various concerts seemed very useful and it had some interesting choice of music. All the same, now that iPlayer is back, I can’t say I am tempted to stay. The programme as it is is just not my taste.

More than fair ......

[antongould]

For me, it's more the notion of Breakfast, rather than 'my notion' of anything. A programme of 150 minutes (of which 30 minutes is speech), consisting of - today - 19 pieces of music, which means an average of under 6'30", and a range of such short pieces from Wilbye to Tchaikovsky, Britten to Ibert, holds nil attraction, regardless of the presenter. And you can add to that 30 mins of speech which has listeners responding to an invitation of some kind and other assorted waffle.

The odd piece lasting 15 minutes is balanced by even shorter pieces than the average. But if this holds some sort of attraction for anyone, de gustibus …: the individual pieces were mainly inoffensive but the whole In saecula saeculorum that will always be worse than total silence for me.

Where does the figure of 30 minutes of speech come from .... ???

[french frank]

Where does the figure of 30 minutes of speech come from .... ???

The listener timing tests. It almost always totalled, give or take, 30 minutes between the pieces of music - too close for it to be a coincidence rather than actually intended.

And I remember someone saying - don't remember who: ds? - R3 being 'better than Classic FM' doesn't necessarily imply a huge compliment.

[antongould]

The listener timing tests. It almost always totalled, give or take, 30 minutes between the pieces of music - too close for it to be a coincidence rather than actually intended.

And I remember someone saying - don't remember who: ds? - R3 being 'better than Classic FM' doesn't necessarily imply a huge compliment.

But surely half of that is News and Stormy Weather .... ????

The CFM comparison only tends to be made IIRC when someone suggests CFM is better than R3 .... I don't feel anyone is looking for compliments ....

[french frank]

But surely half of that is News and Stormy Weather .... ????

I wasn't commenting on the length of the speech (on this occasion) - I meant if you have 19 pieces, they have 2 hours to be played in, not 2'30", so on average they're shorter than if you just divide the number of pieces into the length of the programme.

When On Air started in 1992, it was deliberately to anticipate the imminent arrival of CFM, so was made a bit 'lighter'. But I can still see episodes starting with Mendelssohn's Op 80 String Quartet and Janáček's 'Kreutzer Sonata' quartet, at 6am. No single movements in those days.

[ahinton]

When On Air started in 1992, it was deliberately to anticipate the imminent arrival of CFM, so was made a bit 'lighter'. But I can still see episodes starting with Mendelssohn's Op 80 String Quartet and Janáček's 'Kreutzer Sonata' quartet, at 6am. No single movements in those days.

Mon Dieu! I wouldn't like to grabbed by the scruff of the ears with Mendelsshon's finest work at that time of day!

[french frank]

Mon Dieu! I wouldn't like to grabbed by the scruff of the ears with Mendelsshon's finest work at that time of day!

Would you have been awake at that hour?

Personally, I switched the early morning programme on as soon as I woke up because it gave me half an hour to an hour to enjoy the music before I had to think about getting up - an even better time than late at night when I felt tired.

[Old Grumpy]

Never mind dog's breakfast...

... normally a weekday Breakfast regular, I was forced to change channels this morning: Two cat duets, back to back .
Turned over to CFM...

... playing Dance of the Knights!

OG

[antongould]

Never mind dog's breakfast...

... normally a weekday Breakfast regular, I was forced to change channels this morning: Two cat duets, back to back .
Turned over to CFM...

... playing Dance of the Knights!

OG

Indeed a veritable curate's egg OG ... I didn't go over to the Dark Side and when it ended with In The South it didn't seem such a bad day after all .......

[french frank]

Indeed a veritable curate's egg OG ... I didn't go over to the Dark Side and when it ended with In The South it didn't seem such a bad day after all .......

The tiresome cats apart, it does look a better selection of music than has been the case in the past. And only 18 pieces? - meglio ancora!

[antongould]

The tiresome cats apart, it does look a better selection of music than has been the case in the past. And only 18 pieces? - meglio ancora!

Yes the Tallis, Mendelssohn and Elgar - but then I requested them all, using different names .......

[cloughie]

Yes the Tallis, Mendelssohn and Elgar - but then I requested them all, using different names .......

Did any of them include Monkey or Hanger.