Sacred River: Six hours of continuous sacred music Sunday 26 November

[Constantbee]

I'll give it a listen, but I don't think I'll last long. Does anybody remember the Birdsong channel on DAB radio when it first started? How about 6 hours of uninterrupted woodland nesting birds? Waders? Seagulls? The more I think about it the more Radio 3 is beginning to look a station in trouble. I hope I'm wrong but this looks like a cheap filler for a Sunday morning. Or have they all gone to The Ashes or something?

[jean]

The trailer just now suggests Allegri Misery as well.

It started with a bit of plainsong - Veni Creator Spiritus, was it? That can't be bad.

[doversoul1]

What is Radio 3's Sacred River?
On Sunday 26 November, from 9am-3pm, we explore the sacred and spirituality in music with a six-hour long, uninterrupted stream of music.
Touching on the spiritual side of life which so many encounter through music, no matter what their beliefs, Sacred River explores the influence of different faiths and traditions on Western music.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2w00xHtLX1dNchqgt2CTDxy/what-is-radio-3s-sacred-river

I don’t see how we or anyone can explore a subject matter without use of language. And who is ‘we’?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I don’t see how we or anyone can explore a subject matter without use of language.

Oooh - I think one can, dovers; listening to a series of pieces with the intention of paying attention to a specific aspect that they share (such as composers' different approaches to "the sacred and spirituality") is exploring, I'd say. (Similarly, if a selection of paintings and sculptures all responding to ideas of, say, "Autumn" were exhibited in a gallery, then it would be an exploration to view the exhibit, even without a verbal "guide".)

And who is ‘we’?

Don't ask me - whoever that is!

[doversoul1]

Oooh - I think one can, dovers; listening to a series of pieces with the intention of paying attention to a specific aspect that they share (such as composers' different approaches to "the sacred and spirituality") is exploring, I'd say. (Similarly, if a selection of paintings and sculptures all responding to ideas of, say, "Autumn" were exhibited in a gallery, then it would be an exploration to view the exhibit, even without a verbal "guide".)


Don't ask me - whoever that is!

Ah… One may be able to but can we? On this occasion, it seems that this is where ‘our’ exploration is carried out.

Show us how Sacred River flows through your day
Whether you're listening on radio, online or on the move, we want to hear from you.

Send us your photos, comments and questions – we'll respond to as many as possible and re-post the best messages on the Sacred River live blog.

[DracoM]

What is Radio 3's Sacred River?
On Sunday 26 November, from 9am-3pm, we explore the sacred and spirituality in music with a six-hour long, uninterrupted stream of music.
Touching on the spiritual side of life which so many encounter through music, no matter what their beliefs, Sacred River explores the influence of different faiths and traditions on Western music.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2w00xHtLX1dNchqgt2CTDxy/what-is-radio-3s-sacred-river

I don’t see how we or anyone can explore a subject matter without use of language. And who is ‘we’?

Yes, yes, yes!

This is the River Styx for R3.

A truly horrible own goal. They are trying to prove there is no need for it. Concoct a whole series of 'mix tapes' then get a computer / robot to play them over and over, mix them. jumble them around and you have a radio station, don't you? Well......actually......no.


BBC making savings?

[MrGongGong]

When I saw the headline I thought it might be a rebroadcast of Feldman's SQ2, though the actual performance only lasted around five and a half hours.

If only

[MrGongGong]

I don’t see how we or anyone can explore a subject matter without use of language. And who is ‘we’?

I'm too busy (making drone music and playing Christmas carols with the village band) to listen

But, it's very easy to explore music without the use of language
unless, of course, you believe that there can't be any meaning without language which I don't

Is there not much to explore with sound alone ?

[oddoneout]

I'm too busy (making drone music and playing Christmas carols with the village band) to listen

But, it's very easy to explore music without the use of language
unless, of course, you believe that there can't be any meaning without language which I don't Is there not much to explore with sound alone ?

There is, but also there are times when language, whether spoken or written, can add to the sound alone through greater understanding of such things as historical context and composing conventions, adding other layers to the initial 'gut' reaction to the sounds heard. Sometimes it's useful to have that input before listening, other times it can wait until later. A recent example for me is learning, courtesy of Lucy Worsley's recent opera programmes, about the significance of Nabucco to the Italians, which has made me rather more tolerant of having to bash through the slaves' chorus yet again for a concert.

[oddoneout]

making drone music

Below 400 feet and away from any airfields I hope! Although on second thoughts perhaps music could be part of a warning system....

[french frank]

It does depend on the interpretation of 'we', doesn't it? Can there be any 'community' exploration without any words at all?

As for "A truly horrible own goal", I suppose that depends on whether there is a sizeable constituency which appreciates this 'River Styx' or 'wallpaper': if so, it boils down (as it does so often) to a matter of taste, how people listen, what they want from their radio/music listening.

But I would tend to side with dover in thinking there can be no 'serious' exploration without words; just as there is no 'serious' exploration in having listeners chiming in to suggest 'if you like that, why not listen to this'.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The inane and anonymous idiot who posts headlines on the Radio 3 Facebook page is at it again.

There seems to be very little sacred music being played.

[mercia]

.. just looking at the playlist. So the last movement of Mozart's Jupiter is spiritual, but not the rest of it ? Not sure I follow the logic there.

If The Lark Ascending doesn't put in an appearance I'll eat my hat.

[Bryn]

Just after 9:30, all channels having been lost by my car radio as I tried to switch from Radio 4 to Radio 4 Extra, and having scanned multiplexes for the BBC stations again, as I climbed from Radio 1, through 2 to 3, I was delighted to hear the unmistakable sound world of Iannis Xenakis. This was followed by some chaotic Rebellious noise. I decided this river was worth at least dipping one's toes in once or twice, and maybe even worth getting via the iPlayer, later.

[oddoneout]

There seems to be very little sacred music being played.

I think that's where the Sacred River title falls down since it's at odds with the supposed premise of the exercise(as I understand it) which has to do with not just conventional 'sacred' music but music which speaks to the spiritual within us, however you choose to define spiritual - hence the inclusion at the moment of the VW Fantasia.
Heavily weighted to white anglo saxon so far - why does buddhism have to be filtered through John Tavener? The time lag for both the scrolling 'playing now' and the playlist is very frustrating for something like this and I can see no excuse for it since this is a prepared programme with everything already set up and presumably running without human input more or less.