Saturday Classics

[Anna]

I stuck with it for the full 2 hours and I'm glad to see that it was not just me thinking it rather a superior childrens' programme. I felt it was aimed at 12-14 year olds but if you're that age you are hanging out with your mates and not indoors listening to R3. The plus point was that he did not ask for tweets, emails or texts.

[decantor]

In advance, I was in two minds about this programme. On the one hand, it was a potential improvement on the previous musical fare at 3.00pm on a Saturday; on the other, I have no great faith in G.Malone. I do admire that he once persuaded some boys to sing despite themselves, but on the whole he comes across more as a diffident, bumbling student than a competent, enthusiastic advocate for music. I found his TV programme with the Beeb Singers an embarrassment (and they looked as though they shared my view).

I stuck it out for two hours, but I doubt I'll do so again. I thought the presentation was matter-of-fact and uninformative (even for entry level). The 'innocent ear' quiz was absurd: any serious music-lover would recognise the piece as well as the composer, but a neophyte would not stand a chance. And we'd had a much more meaningful performance of the Young Person's Guide less than a week earlier at the Proms. I'm afraid in my book this was just another playlist prog - and a rather flat one at that. Whatever one may think of Anthony Hopkins, he did at least help inform my youth; and was David Munrow really absolutely unique? David Owen Norris may be a bit of a mad-cap prof, but he would at least enliven this sort of set-up with his infectious enthusiasm and delight in detail.

Oh dear. I think I grump to excess.

[mercia]

Simon Russell Beale, John Wilson and Alison Balsom

SRB ought to be quite adult and informative (at least on choral matters?), likewise Ms B (on trumpet matters), don't think I know JW

is all R3 output required to be "entry level"? or just certain bits of it

[zola]

SRB ought to be quite adult and informative (at least on choral matters?), likewise Ms B (on trumpet matters), don't think I know JW

JW is the conductor who arrives each year now at the Proms with his Hollywood / Broadway schtick. ( though his "music that changed me" article in BBC Music lists Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Mozart, Ireland and Frank Sinatra ) Ms Balsom claims to currently be struggling to work out what to leave out of her programmes but knows that she must include Messiah. Hopes for anything challenging in this slot are rapidly diminishing.

[french frank]

Hopes for anything challenging in this slot are rapidly diminishing.

I haven't found a commissioning brief for the programme, so it's probably produced in-house. Contributors will be told where to pitch it.

There won't be much point in 'specialists' being presenters if they aren't supposed to talk about their specialism. They are all just music lovers talking about their favourite pieces - an extended Desert Island Discs or Private Passions - and it will be hit or miss whether they have mainstream or eclectic tastes in classical music.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I never think professional musicians necessarily have the widest knowledge of the repertoire, though the older they get, no doubt, the wider the knowledge . But even a wide knowledge doesn't guarantee an interesting taste. The unimaginatively named Listeners' Choice was interesting because it encouraged listeners to suggest more out-of-the-way pieces, and played them. Even that tailed off when the programme was apparently being downgraded before being transformed into '3 for All' ('don't be afraid to be obvious').

[BBMmk2]

The one decent thing Radio 3 had on this week(unless I missed anyothers?). was Puccini's Il Trittico! I forgot all about it!!

[Suffolkcoastal]

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I never think professional musicians necessarily have the widest knowledge of the repertoire, though the older they get, no doubt, the wider the knowledge

Your quite right in your observations ff. I remember the Christmas Quizzes on R3 and the classical music knowledge of the professional musicians was poor to say the least, my knowledge in my late teens was considerably better.

[Anna]

I thought I'd give Gareth another whirl this weekend. Nowhere on the R3 schedule can I find that this is a programme for children but although the whole of Peter and The Wolf may be entertaining for 10 year olds I'm afraid it isn't what I want to hear, nor do I wish to be spoken down to, or asked silly questions, so although I lasted for an hour and a half eventually I had to press the Off button.

[MickyD]

I wonder if anyone else remembers an excellent Saturday afternoon series on Radio 3 back in the early 80s called "Man of Action"? There was no presenter, but two (or maybe three) hours given to a not necessarily well known, but successful person in his or her field - a head of industry or charity etc. They talked us through their lives and their achievements, punctuating that with sizeable works of music that had meant much to them in their lives. The fact that there was no presenter made it so much better - I fear we will never have that luxury again.

[Norfolk Born]

I thought it was more mid-70s(?) I remember two programmes each introduced by an Edward - Greenfield and Heath.

[Norfolk Born]

I've found a couple of dates: Isaiah Berlin in 1974 (repeated in 1976) and Jeremy Brett (1976).

[pilamenon]

I thought I'd give Gareth another whirl this weekend. Nowhere on the R3 schedule can I find that this is a programme for children but although the whole of Peter and The Wolf may be entertaining for 10 year olds I'm afraid it isn't what I want to hear, nor do I wish to be spoken down to, or asked silly questions, so although I lasted for an hour and a half eventually I had to press the Off button.

Driving home, I tried, too, and gave up after about 45 minutes of Peter & the Wolf, and well known bits of Mozart and Handel. It was really poor stuff. To have lost both World Routes and Jazz Library on a Saturday afternoon to this inconsequential easy listening strand is an absolute disgrace.

[french frank]

Oh, dear. It does sound as if his name is being used to signal, 'Nothing to be afraid of here'. And cheaper on Radio 3 than on television where more people would benefit.

[Roslynmuse]

I thought it was more mid-70s(?) I remember two programmes each introduced by an Edward - Greenfield and Heath.

I was only thinking of this programme a few days ago. I was only 11 in 1976 but I listened to it most weeks. I don't think I was a particularly odd child either! I just would have resented being patronised even then.

[Alyn_Shipton]

Driving home, I tried, too, and gave up after about 45 minutes of Peter & the Wolf, and well known bits of Mozart and Handel. It was really poor stuff. To have lost both World Routes and Jazz Library on a Saturday afternoon to this inconsequential easy listening strand is an absolute disgrace.

Do remember to write to Radio 3 to make this point directly...or you can write to Jazz Library c/o the programme's web page and we'll pass it on.