River of Music: 12 hrs Non-stop Music: Sunday 30 October

[Serial_Apologist]

Far be it from me to express an opinion! My feeling was that if members of an online forum who, by definition, do have access to the online content weren't interested in accessing the content provided it made its own point.

Unless, for serious listening, rather than dividing the attention they leave the computer and go into the other room to listen.

[Tevot]

Finnish Classical for me: http://yle.fi/radio/yleklassinen/suora/

Many thanks for this link DracoM. A very pleasant discovery indeed. The connectivity is excellent which for China is saying quite something.

Best wishes,

Tevot

[DracoM]

[french frank]

Unless, for serious listening, rather than dividing the attention they leave the computer and go into the other room to listen.

Exactly so. But they still have the choice of leaving their computer and going into another room, or staying at their computer, headphones on, but not accessing the online blog/commentary &c. Either way it might show that it could be worth providing some sort of online service, while bearing in mind that only a small number of people will choose to access it. And, thinking through, that the conclusion could suggest that only a small number of people appreciate the on-air 'participative' content.

I think my summing-up was clear that the middle way had been missed: either you have ALL the irrelevant chatter, reminiscences, invitations to tweet us/text/email, reading out of same along with the announcements. Or you have neither. The "Some people are never satisfied" argument is disingenuous, or obtuse.

[oddoneout]

Either way it might show that it could be worth providing some sort of online service, while bearing in mind that only a small number of people will choose to access it. And, thinking through, that the conclusion could suggest that only a small number of people appreciate the on-air 'participative' content.

This tends to be my view, and again comes down to choice. I had no interest in the participatory content, but would have liked better factual content - a complete static playlist(rather than the rolling one) and, as previously mentioned, the reasons for the choices. Having such information prior to the broadcast would not matter to me although I suspect that some would like it, but once the river was flowing it would have been good to have it available for reference, if not for continuous following.
In terms of access or not to the online content that will always be a somewhat contentious issue and again comes down to making some sort of choice available, rather than being all or nothing one way or the other.

[doversoul1]

I suppose the interactive aspect of radio programmes is now definitely here to stay whether we/I like it or not. From this point, this programme seems to have shown the way to (almost) please everybody: chatters off air, and music and the related announcement on air*. Alas, we’ll still have not exactly satisfactory presenters on air but even so, I think it will be a great improvement if some of the regular programmes become free from presenters’ personal chatters and interactive activities

* the programme itself didn’t do this but I think it unintentionally managed to suggest it.

[vinteuil]

.

... and those of us who were listening while driving : don't recommend trying to check on-line for details while at the wheel

[oddoneout]

.... and those of us who were listening while driving : don't recommend trying to check on-line for details while at the wheel

No indeed, but it would fall into the 'well that's different' category when charged with driving without due care and attention.

[ahinton]

No indeed, but it would fall into the 'well that's different' category when charged with driving without due care and attention.

But not in the "vive la difference sense", though, surely? I can just see a police officer saying "what? you were listening to Radio 3 while driving? are you not aware that this is a capital offence in itself?" (and the driver's retort "but officer, at least I didn't end up in the river!" might cut little ice)...

[oddoneout]

But not in the "vive la difference sense", though, surely? I can just see a police officer saying "what? you were listening to Radio 3 while driving? are you not aware that this is a capital offence in itself?" (and the driver's retort "but officer, at least I didn't end up in the river!" might cut little ice)...

Oops, I was posting without due care and attention - should have cut the first bit of the quote. Never mind, the R3 scenario is amusing - if sadly a bit too near the mark as far as much of the general population is concerned? And explaining the difference between River of Music and Riverdance....

[Anastasius]

I suppose the interactive aspect of radio programmes is now definitely here to stay whether we/I like it or not. .....

It doesn't have to be. We survived for many years happily listening to Radio 3 without being exhorted to twit/txt/email what mindless wittering we think we should share with the rest of the mindlessly wittering world. All it takes is for them to stop asking for this dross. No more 'Music Box', music to floss your teeth by, birdsong, music to listen to while opening a box of cornflakes.....{insert whatever stupid and banal example you can think of here}

Then I might start listening more to Radio 3.

[doversoul1]

It doesn't have to be. We survived for many years happily listening to Radio 3 without being exhorted to twit/txt/email what mindless wittering we think we should share with the rest of the mindlessly wittering world. All it takes is for them to stop asking for this dross. No more 'Music Box', music to floss your teeth by, birdsong, music to listen to while opening a box of cornflakes.....{insert whatever stupid and banal example you can think of here}

Then I might start listening more to Radio 3.

Was it Britten who objected his music being broadcast on the radio because he thought people would not listen with enough attention, or something to the effect? This was, I suppose when people had survived without such thing as classical music concerts on the radio for all their lives.

I think it (interactive etc.) is here to stay. It is the flow of the river and as such, there is no point in trying to stop it. I prefer to think (after all that fuss I kicked up….) that this River was a summary of the first stage of a new era for radio broadcast and from now on, the new element will be used in more constructive ways.

The music selection on Breakfast or Essential classic may not be terribly exciting for most members on this Forum but I think they offer the listeners who are not so thoroughly informed a lot to discover. As has been pointed out many times on the forum, the problem of Breakfast is its format rather than the music selection. Let’s hope that this Rive has washed off if not all but some of the water that was stagnant for too long.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It doesn't have to be. We survived for many years happily listening to Radio 3 without being exhorted to twit/txt/email what mindless wittering we think we should share with the rest of the mindlessly wittering world. All it takes is for them to stop asking for this dross. No more 'Music Box', music to floss your teeth by, birdsong, music to listen to while opening a box of cornflakes.....{insert whatever stupid and banal example you can think of here}

Then I might start listening more to Radio 3.

Indeed. And I expect very few of today's listeners switch on in the hope of hearing of how Samantha Poppleton-Wilson first heard Rachmaninov's Vocalise as she iced the cake on the day before her sister-in-law's wedding.

[kernelbogey]

...I think it (interactive etc.) is here to stay. It is the flow of the river and as such, there is no point in trying to stop it. I prefer to think (after all that fuss I kicked up….) that this River was a summary of the first stage of a new era for radio broadcast and from now on, the new element will be used in more constructive ways.

The music selection on Breakfast or Essential classic may not be terribly exciting for most members on this Forum but I think they offer the listeners who are not so thoroughly informed a lot to discover. As has been pointed out many times on the forum, the problem of Breakfast is its format rather than the music selection. Let’s hope that this Rive has washed off if not all but some of the water that was stagnant for too long.

I agree that the interactive style is with us to stay: it is now widespread in the former print-only media. There, dipping in to posted comments from readers, I am invariably cast down by the low level dialogue. And after all, this forum is simply another version of the way that the idea of 'community' has spread via electronic means to encompass groups who exchange views essentially anonymously. For some, the chatter which Alpie decries in his 418 is what they want with their Strauss or whatever over the cornflakes.

As I have said before, this is a different 'market' from more dedicated enthusiasts for 'classical aka serious' music, and perhaps an afternoon speech-free programme of music, with playlist and commentary online is an experiment the BBC could undertake.

[doversoul1]

I agree that the interactive style is with us to stay: it is now widespread in the former print-only media. There, dipping in to posted comments from readers, I am invariably cast down by the low level dialogue. And after all, this forum is simply another version of the way that the idea of 'community' has spread via electronic means to encompass groups who exchange views essentially anonymously. For some, the chatter which Alpie decries in his 418 is what they want with their Strauss or whatever over the cornflakes.

As I have said before, this is a different 'market' from more dedicated enthusiasts for 'classical aka serious' music, and perhaps an afternoon speech-free programme of music, with playlist and commentary online is an experiment the BBC could undertake.

I dearly wish all that interactive **** could be buried deep in the bottom of the river but that isn’t realistic. My point is that it is time Radio3 gave serious thoughts as to how best the station can incorporate this element so that it will help to encourage those who live with the technology to listen to the station, and at the same time, keeping the integrity of the station's high culture status. The River could be seen as a wake-up call (I won’t say ‘if only’ for now).