3beebies aka Breakfast

[mercia]

There are even a few popular pieces scattered amongst it all.

there are indeed, 3 hours worth was my calculation, and popular pieces are what we are supposed not to like about the current schedule

[mercia]

I'm pretty sure that chamber, baroque and choral will be very represented indeed if the sample is widened to several days.

of course (well I hope of course - let's see another day ), but I would argue that in the 2011 schedules all genres and historic periods are represented every day

[mercia]

it's also true to say that these musical programmes would have contained a good deal more informed explanation of the works being played, is it not?

I couldn't say, I've no particular reason to believe that would be the case

[Serial_Apologist]

I couldn't say, I've no particular reason to believe that would be the case

From both memory and the evidence of tapes still in my collection from the 60s, 70s and 80s, that would have been the case with regards to mention almost always being made for example of dates and methods of composition, with poems set to music often read out, prior to performance. One great improvement imo during the last 30 or so years has been the offering of biographical details about the composer, his or her family, friends, critical circle and historical context. Before that it tended to be along the lines of, "Completed in 1844, the symphony is in three movements, the first being in sonata form..." etc etc. This greater emphasis on what the composer was allegedly like as a flesh-and-blood human being allows today's R3 listener feel she or he is making the acquaintance of the composer as opposed merely to a representative of the art. But it has tended to be at the expense of talking about the music itself, often omitting dates and confusing chronology with multiple flash forwards and backwards in ways which dislocate music from any sense of evolutionary continuity and progress, rather the way paintings are ahistorically juxtaposed at Tate Modern. it is strangely at odds with today's otherwise rounded out presentation of personality.

[teamsaint]

of course (well I hope of course - let's see another day ), but I would argue that in the 2011 schedules all genres and historic periods are represented every day

would you say that there is a fair representation of C20 music? Is there a good representation of post WW2 music?
I don't hear much , especially during the day time.

[mercia]

would you say that there is a fair representation of C20 music? Is there a good representation of post WW2 music?

not enough I agree, and whether ff's schedule from 1988 with Music in our Time was a typical day in that respect I don't know

[Vile Consort]

There were no typical days. There was much more variation from one day to another. Music in our Time would have been once a week, and quite possibly not all year round - it might have been one of three or four formats sharing the 9pm (ish) slot over the course of a year. There might have been six weeks of that, then six weeks of the ars nova then six weeks of "Talking about Music".

This is how minority interests were dealt with. For example, for some years, organ music got about twelve hours a year, with two six-week runs of one-hour programmes late at night - eagerly looked forward to by the teenage Vile Consort!

The "banding" of the week into fixed slots has certainly had a stifling effect on creativity and variety.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

ah what was a programme is now a station ..... from seeking and sharing the sublime to the secular stranded presenter driven drivel of the market ....

[french frank]

There were no typical days [...] The "banding" of the week into fixed slots has certainly had a stifling effect on creativity and variety.

Radio 3's schedule was more like Radio 4's is now - or even more so! Part of the reason why Radio 4 is so expensive to run is the variety of different programmes, separately commissioned.

Someone inside R3 told me that the producer's job is now largely reduced to coming up with a playlist. The 'creative' ideas are 'what shall we ask the listeners to email in about?'

[teamsaint]

Radio 3's schedule was more like Radio 4's is now - or even more so! Part of the reason why Radio 4 is so expensive to run is the variety of different programmes, separately commissioned.

Someone inside R3 told me that the producer's job is now largely reduced to coming up with a playlist. The 'creative' ideas are 'what shall we ask the listeners to email in about?'

if that is true, and no doubt it is, they could save more money getting board members on here to draw up playlists. We could do all sorts of groovy stuff, like all those violin concertos on another thread, and save the bbc a stack of money on producers salaries ( sorry any producers reading this ?)

[Nick Armstrong]

This phone in feature on Breakfast has GOT TO STOP! It's beyond parody...

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

you raise an interesting point Caliban in your several recent posts .... these listener hook manipulations do work on other stations, the R3 people are bad at it ... do we object in principle [ i do ] or is the distress aggravated by the teeth grinding naffness of the execution ... if it were done well might it just be palatable?

[BobDM]

I am so pleased to find this forum because it lets me know I am not alone. When the trash that now passes for Breakfast was first aired I could not believe it. Petroc Trelawny at 6.40 a.m. is just too much for a sensitive stomach. I promptly e-mailed the programme to express my disgust but, surprise surprise, they did not bother to reply.

Thankfully shortly before the change we bought an internet radio and I now listen to a very pleasant programme broadcast from Australia. Once you get used to the idea that their 5 o'clock round up of local arts events is 7 a.m. it is fine. Mind you the continual mentions of the same event does get a little repetitive after the 2nd week so my wife would like to know if anybody has found a good classical music station without the features of 3beebies.

[teamsaint]

http://www.kusc.org/

has had some good mentions

[Nick Armstrong]

I am so pleased to find this forum because it lets me know I am not alone. When the trash that now passes for Breakfast was first aired I could not believe it. Petroc Trelawny at 6.40 a.m. is just too much for a sensitive stomach. I promptly e-mailed the programme to express my disgust but, surprise surprise, they did not bother to reply.

Thankfully shortly before the change we bought an internet radio and I now listen to a very pleasant programme broadcast from Australia. Once you get used to the idea that their 5 o'clock round up of local arts events is 7 a.m. it is fine. Mind you the continual mentions of the same event does get a little repetitive after the 2nd week so my wife would like to know if anybody has found a good classical music station without the features of 3beebies.

Good to read from a recent joiner, Bob - welcome!

KUSC mentioned by teamsaint is the one I turn to, but it has personal nostalgia and resonances for me from driving around Southern California. It could be annoying to some.

The Dutch stations AVRO are good if you don't mind not understanding the commentary - on this page, you can click for the Concertgebouw channel, the general classic music channel, and the 24/7 Baroque music channel: http://cultuurgids.avro.nl/front/arc...%22Webradio%22