Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[pastoralguy]

I really used to love this work.

I've never much liked this piece but, having been force fed it forever, I really loath it now!

The same as that bloody 'Candide' Overture...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Rob's guest this a.m. was David Puttnam. I liked his comments on education.

[EdgeleyRob]

I really used to love this work.

I still do and always will.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Rob's guest this a.m. was David Puttnam. I liked his comments on education.

Is this a repeat? I'm sure he's "been on" before and commented on education? (It can't be deja vu all over again, because I didn't listen yesterday.)

They do occasionally have interesting guests - and might well use these to defend the many others who, nice enough in themselves, really have nothing to offer - but, as a personal preference, I just don't want to hear such chatter instead of Music at that time of day. If I did, I'd chose R4. Beyond "Listen Again", the BBC doesn't offer me the type of listening I prefer before noon - so I generally avoid the BBC and catch up on my CD collection.

[Lento]

I thought larks were a declining species.

[subcontrabass]

I see that EC has now taken to recycling guests.

[french frank]

I see that EC has now taken to recycling guests.

The BBC tends to 'make friends' with various contributors and invite them back again and again. SRB has become a BBC 'favourite son'. (And they can say, "It's always a pleasure to have you back on the show." To which they then reply, "It's always a pleasure to be here.")

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The BBC tends to 'make friends' with various contributors and invite them back again and again. SRB has become a BBC 'favourite son'. (And they can say, "It's always a pleasure to have you back on the show." To which they then reply, "It's always a pleasure to be here.")

I know. Far from being more inclusive, R3 has become a club for the in-crowd.

[french frank]

I know. Far from being more inclusive, R3 has become a club for the in-crowd.

It's been said before, but … When you hear two presenters, with their Clemmy-Rob-Sarah-Petroc, as listeners you actually feel left out. They do seem to feel that they're genuinely creating a friendly welcoming atmosphere. (My feeling is, 'Oh, go on, talk among yourselves if you want to.') It was always the received wisdom that presenters should give the impression that they were addressing the individuals at home, which doesn't happen whether they're talking to each other or to guests. And talking to guests like SRB who have a musical background isn't like talking in an enlightening way to a professional/expert.

Rule 1: Presenters should not be chosen just because they are well-known musicians.

Rule 2: Guests should not be chosen just because they are well-known celebrities.

[Stanfordian]

It's been said before, but … When you hear two presenters, with their Clemmy-Rob-Sarah-Petroc, as listeners you actually feel left out. They do seem to feel that they're genuinely creating a friendly welcoming atmosphere. (My feeling is, 'Oh, go on, talk among yourselves if you want to.') It was always the received wisdom that presenters should give the impression that they were addressing the individuals at home, which doesn't happen whether they're talking to each other or to guests. And talking to guests like SRB who have a musical background isn't like talking in an enlightening way to a professional/expert.

Rule 1: Presenters should not be chosen just because they are well-known musicians.

Rule 2: Guests should not be chosen just because they are well-known celebrities.

Hello french frank,

You are so right. Or the wives and husbands of well-known celebrities. Such as being an ex-wife of Stephen Hawking.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... or even the ex-wife of Stephen Hawking!

[gurnemanz]

I know. Far from being more inclusive, R3 has become a club for the in-crowd.

I assume agents also play a big part in getting their clients as guests onto certain shows.

[Honoured Guest]

I assume agents also play a big part in getting their clients as guests onto certain shows.

"Certain" being the operative word here. Obviously, guesting on Graham Norton has excellent publicity value, and the agent's cut of the fee might be of some value on tv, although probably not for his radio show. But surely guesting on Radio 3 is of more benefit to the station, with crossover appeal to some of the general audience if not to the Forumistas, than it is of much value to the guests' agents or even to the guests themselves.

[cloughie]

It's been said before, but … When you hear two presenters, with their Clemmy-Rob-Sarah-Petroc, as listeners you actually feel left out. They do seem to feel that they're genuinely creating a friendly welcoming atmosphere. (My feeling is, 'Oh, go on, talk among yourselves if you want to.') It was always the received wisdom that presenters should give the impression that they were addressing the individuals at home, which doesn't happen whether they're talking to each other or to guests. And talking to guests like SRB who have a musical background isn't like talking in an enlightening way to a professional/expert.

Rule 1: Presenters should not be chosen just because they are well-known musicians.

Rule 2: Guests should not be chosen just because they are well-known celebrities.

I agree with Rule 1. Rule 2 - guests should not be a feature of EC.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

But surely guesting on Radio 3 is of more benefit to the station, with crossover appeal to some of the general audience if not to the Forumistas, than it is of much value to the guests' agents or even to the guests themselves.

It's of no benefit to the station whatever.