Tearjerker, Downtown Symphony, Piano Flow, Happy Harmonies and other Saturday padding

[jayne lee wilson]

Well I was responding to #22 but as I said above: perhaps with a more recondite choice of (allegedly) smooth and soothing repertoire....imagine Josquin segueing into Kancheli..... Gesualdo into Morton Feldman...

I can only emphasise again that the great attraction to such themed, low-presenter-input programming for me is the spontaneity of it - not knowing what's to come...I guess the way I used to listen Pop Radio back in the day. Isn't this what the Radio 3 teatime Mixtape does?

I've always been fascinated by familiarity, expectation, and their effect on musical response. When that Saint-Saens adagio comes on, or that Brahms one, I'm surprised how very moving they can be, precisely because I don't expect them...
It feels like a very different musical pleasure from hearing each in its symphonic context, but a no less "valid" or personally important one...

So a similar programme to Myleene Klass, but with far less familiar rep, could be very rewarding indeed.... it won't be just the onions that bring on the tears..... The Cats might have to be even more patient, though....

[french frank]

Mmm

Mmm. I suppose the notion of what constitutes 'entertainment' differs from person to person. A succession of pieces in different styles of music with minimal context and background information would - to me - be the lowest kind of 'entertainment'. Similar to what Radio 1 would be to a 'pop' fan. Also for me, it would go without saying that works should seldom be less than 30 minutes long if each was going to be followed by 'something completely different'.

But I became resigned, years ago, to the fact that Radio 3 was not going to offer me what I wanted. Not a tragedy, though I listen to a lot less music than I used to twenty-odd years ago. No accounting for tastes, especially mine!

[teamsaint]

R3 is in an unusual position with a remit that goes beyond pure listening numbers. But it seems to me that it has a real identity crisis, founded in a failure to deal with the world of musical abundance that we inhabit.
Not so long ago, there was little choice. You put up with what was next on the playlist , or went off to do your own thing. But now ,additionally you can hear an almost endless supply of other peoples( algorithm’s) idea of what you might like, which is a hugely successful formula, and superficially seductive.
It seems to me that a combination of high quality curation and presentation is the only way to offer an alternative to the algorithm. Neither is probably enough on its own, because we need the trusted guide more than ever, the person who can try to and actually anticipate the the thing that we didn’t expect to hear , but are pleased that we did, in some way or other.

[cloughie]

I think it's just Saturdays. On the 16th "Tearjerker" again appears in the 5am-6am slot, but the 6am-7am slot is filled with another programme entitled "Downtime Symphony", but I don't think it will be a symphony:

"An hour of wind-down music to help you press pause and reset your mind. With chilled sounds of orchestral, jazz, ambient and lo-fi beats to power your downtime."



It looks as if R3 will be tapping into the EBU feed of "Notturno" (which I think the BBC originates) at 1am and running through to the end, and then not patching in the first part as is the practice for other days.

Alternative broadcasters of Notturno / TTN are listed on the Notturno site here.

It appears to me that this is not some inventive innovation adding spice to the schedules but more like BBC costcutting to provide 2 hours of announcer-free broadcasting at a time of day when audiences are insomniacs, early risers and shiftworkers.

[Leinster Lass]

It appears to me that this is not some inventive innovation adding spice to the schedules but more like BBC costcutting to provide 2 hours of announcer-free broadcasting at a time of day when audiences are insomniacs, early risers and shiftworkers.

'Curses - he's rumbled us!'

[kernelbogey]

The fact that this is being broadcast only on Saturdays suggests a link in thinking with the different style/presenter of Saturday Breakfast - some kind of attempt to widen the R3 morning audience.

It looks as if R3 will be tapping into the EBU feed of "Notturno" (which I think the BBC originates) at 1am and running through to the end, and then not patching in the first part as is the practice for other days.

I would like to undersand Andrew's point better. It seems that two hours of TTN is being sacrificed for this innovaion....?

[Leinster Lass]

I can only emphasise again that the great attraction to such themed, low-presenter-input programming for me is the spontaneity of it - not knowing what's to come...I guess the way I used to listen Pop Radio back in the day. Isn't this what the Radio 3 teatime Mixtape does?

I've always been fascinated by familiarity, expectation, and their effect on musical response. When that Saint-Saens adagio comes on, or that Brahms one, I'm surprised how very moving they can be, precisely because I don't expect them...
It feels like a very different musical pleasure from hearing each in its symphonic context, but a no less "valid" or personally important one...

So a similar programme to Myleene Klass, but with far less familiar rep, could be very rewarding indeed.... it won't be just the onions that bring on the tears..... The Cats might have to be even more patient, though....

These sound interesting - could you kindly provide more details? (This is a genuine enquiry from your resident musical ignoramus! )

[Ein Heldenleben]

It appears to me that this is not some inventive innovation adding spice to the schedules but more like BBC costcutting to provide 2 hours of announcer-free broadcasting at a time of day when audiences are insomniacs, early risers and shiftworkers.

I think if anything announcer time is cheaper than needle time. That’s why when pop stations want to make cuts they up the amount of DJ chat. The other thing they do for overnight services is pre record the links and get the whole thing played out automatically. In Theory you could get Smashie and Nicie in a bunker for 24 hours and record every conceivable piece of banter before they link seamlessly into You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet and then never employ them again...

[french frank]

The other thing they do for overnight services is pre record the links and get the whole thing played out automatically.

I remember feeling quite sorry for Donald Macleod, working every night and then, presumably, sleeping during a major part of the daytime. What kind of social life could he lead - for days, weeks and months on end?

They have also done it for daytime programmes too. Listeners' Choice began as a live programme but finished with Humphrey Carpenter travelling to Birmingham to record the links for several consecutive programmes. The links were then stitched into the musical pieces to produce the broadcast programme.

But this must mean that part of TTN is being dropped. Perhaps the EBU is just another cooperative project that we're pulling out of to do our own thing?

[Andrew Slater]

The fact that this is being broadcast only on Saturdays suggests a link in thinking with the different style/presenter of Saturday Breakfast - some kind of attempt to widen the R3 morning audience.

I would like to undersand Andrew's point better. It seems that two hours of TTN is being sacrificed for this innovaion....?

I'm not sure that I was making a point as such; I was really pointing out the mechanics of what was being done. Normally the EBU programme starts at midnight continental time; by comparing the Notturno and R3 TTN listings it seems that R3 taps into the already playing stream at 00:30 (weekdays) / 01:00 (weekends), adding its own announcements. When the EBU stream reaches the end at 05:00 UK time the R3 output continues with what had been the first hour and a half (weekdays) or two hours (weekends) of the EBU broadcast. Therefore to broadcast the new Saturday morning programme(s) the return to the beginning is missed out.

It appears to me that this is not some inventive innovation adding spice to the schedules but more like BBC costcutting to provide 2 hours of announcer-free broadcasting at a time of day when audiences are insomniacs, early risers and shiftworkers.

I can't imagine that this is a cost-cutting measure as the saving of two hours of announcements and the cost of paying for something that already exists is bound to be exceeded by the cost of originating the new programming, even if it turns out to be unannounced.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I remember feeling quite sorry for Donald Macleod, working every night and then, presumably, sleeping during a major part of the daytime. What kind of social life could he lead - for days, weeks and months on end?

They have also done it for daytime programmes too. Listeners' Choice began as a live programme but finished with Humphrey Carpenter travelling to Birmingham to record the links for several consecutive programmes. The links were then stitched into the musical pieces to produce the broadcast programme.

But this must mean that part of TTN is being dropped. Perhaps the EBU is just another cooperative project that we're pulling out of to do our own thing?

No I don’t think we’ve pulled out of the EBU. EBU Membership predates EU membership. I know you may be worried about access to the Eurovision Song Contest but rest assured it’s safe.....

[french frank]

I know you may be worried about access to the Eurovision Song Contest but rest assured it’s safe.....

The puzzle over this Tearjerker is - why?

[oddoneout]

No I don’t think we’ve pulled out of the EBU. EBU Membership predates EU membership. I know you may be worried about access to the Eurovision Song Contest but rest assured it’s safe.....

Wiki is sort of helpful abut EBU

unrelated to the European Union itself.

although its references to members and membership are confusing - I think there are two levels(member and associate) depending on whether in EU/European area or not.
This is relevant but again may be a not altogether accurate description of the situation?

Radio collaborations include Euroclassic Notturno – an overnight classical music stream, produced by BBC Radio 3 and broadcast in the United Kingdom as Through the Night

[Ein Heldenleben]

The puzzle over this Tearjerker is - why?

I reckon if they’d called it Daybreak we wouldn’t even have noticed...but Tearjerker ye Gods....

[french frank]

..but Tearjerker ye Gods....

Designed to turn off the kind of listener they don't want and not bother the kind of listener they do want.

I have heard that TTN is favourite listening for some overnight lorry drivers. Just wait until they start complaining!