New season on Radio 3 to include two new classical music programmes

[Guest]

Looks like quite a few changes are being introduced from 12 September.

Russ

(apologies if this has already been flagged up)

[french frank]

We've known about 'Essential Classics ('no difficult things to put off the R4 Today listeners, please') and Rob was my favourite - in the betting sense - to be a host, since clearly Breakfast was going to be shortened. The 9am start will compete with Classic FM's 9am start (changed last year) with John Suchet, and will keenly compete for the same audience. "The extended length of this programme will allow for longer pieces of repertoire to be played and will include, for example, a performance of the complete Building A Library recommendation." Like Classical Collection now, then?

Petroc moves to a (slightly) earlier but shortened Breakfast with SMP (and Suzy Klein is 'promoted' (?) to In Tune).

Sorry, jazzers, 'Jazz Library moves to 12midnight' so FoR3's view that the jazz listeners were not well served was ignored (apologies, we should have kept our mouths shut: I promise we won't try to push jazz on R3 again ).

Sunday morning unites Rob with James Jolly, of the much venerated 'Gramophone' magazine.

[aeolium]

"The extended length of this programme will allow for longer pieces of repertoire to be played..."

Longer than what - the ones on Breakfast?

Classical Collection has already been featuring an 'artist of the week' for some time now, so it looks as though that is simply being formalised in the new programme. And perhaps an element of Private Passions in the inclusion of a guest (though not sure if s/he will be choosing works).

It doesn't look too great, but we'll see what the first few weeks of programmes come up with.

[french frank]

And don't forget that the stated brief of this programme is to keep the Breakfast listeners staying with Radio 3 and attracting the Radio 4 listeners over to Radio 3 at 9am when the Today programme finishes ...

Now that Rob is back in the later morning slot people will be able to compare it with CD Masters.

[Chris Newman]

It looks like a possible promotion for Rob and a demotion for Petroc.

of the much venerated 'Gramophone' magazine.

I love the irony, ff.

[DracoM]

Yes, ff, was that an intended wry statement about Gramophone mag?? Erm...........venerated by whom??

[french frank]

James Jolly was on record as thinking the Radio 3 strategy was a good thing and landed a job with the station. Simon ("I love Radio 3") Heffer got a series on The Essay. Good job I don't have any broadcasting ambitions

[french frank]

Erm...........venerated by whom??

James Jolly? Or maybe not

[mercia]

not sure I like the sound of

each day Essential Classics welcomes a guest to the studio to discuss their musical tastes

more talk, less music

[french frank]

not sure I like the sound of

each day Essential Classics welcomes a guest to the studio to discuss their musical tastes

more talk, less music

And 'Saturday Classics' at 3pm-5pm is going to be 'a range of presenters, including many well-known figures from the musical world' telling us what they like. Private Passsions without Michael Berkeley?

[aeolium]

I'd rather have 'inessential classics'. We get 'essential classics' aka the usual suspects over and over throughout the year. It'd be good to have a programme that went off the beaten path and explored material we don't often get to hear.

[Richard Tarleton]

not sure I like the sound of

each day Essential Classics welcomes a guest to the studio to discuss their musical tastes

more talk, less music

Like all those comedians we had on Breakfast. Why comedians?

[Suffolkcoastal]

Like all those comedians we had on Breakfast. Why comedians?

Because large sections of R3 are now becoming a joke

[Richard Tarleton]

James Jolly

Since he's becoming even more of a fixture, apparently, is it unkind to point out a mannerism (as opposed to disability) which is a serious problem in a radio presenter, and which I'm sure he could sort out with some suitable breathing exercises? I'm referring to his sharp, sucking, loud intakes of breath when talking. When the voice is all we've got to go on, things like that can grate on the nerves.

[Anna]

"Essential Classics" reminds me of those budget brands in Supermarkets, even Waitrose now do a "Essential" range, cheap contents with naff labels.