Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[Stanfordian]

I love this recording of Wilfred Brown singing Finzi with Finzi's son Christopher Finzi conducting.

One of the great recordings!

[hmvman]

And not forgetting the Howells, either!

Agreed, BBM!

[cloughie]

I'm not a regular listener to this programme but I've been enjoying the Jon Snow interviews this week. Some interesting choices of music too; I particularly enjoyed the Finzi Eclogue and Rossini Petite Messe choices yesterday.

Good to hear someone with a genuine interest and knowledge of the music rather than having it artificially prized out by Sarah or Rob.

[Bryn]

From today's listing:

Colin Salmon's Second Choice

01:13
Gustav Holst

Peter and the Wolf: The Bird
Orchestra: Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Conductor: Claudio Abbado. Narrator: Sting.
DG.

[french frank]

From today's listing:

Oh, that Peter and the Wolf. I've never heard the Sting version …

[Richard Tarleton]

I'm imagining the thought process. "We need a piece lasting 14.40 or so. I know, we haven't had Till Eulenspiegel for a while. Anyone remember when we last had Till Eulenspiegel...?"

It's OK, I'm off out again in a minute.

[Richard Tarleton]

RC surpassed himself this morning by playing a bleeding chunk of Britten's Nocturnal for guitar (the end, where the Dowland theme is finally stated), a piece lasting all of 17 minutes, as an intro to a rendition of Come Heavy Sleep by Mark Padmore. One of the greatest pieces in the guitar repertoire, and Rob C plays the last couple of minutes of it. Yes I can see why he might have done it - but are R3 listeners not up to hearing the whole of the Britten piece?

At first I thought it must be Bostridge - the same sort of precious, vibrato-laden tenor - then I realised it was from the Elizabeth Kenny/Mark Padmore disc (on which Craig Ogden plays the Nocturnal) which I bought and swiftly gave away after one listen.

[Paulie55]

RC Still!

I am heartily sick of hearing RC every morning. He hasn't improved, he's got worse. Too much talking, false bonhomie when talking to his guest, trying to laugh at something unfunny.
Please pension him off...........it's too much to bear!

RC surpassed himself this morning by playing a bleeding chunk of Britten's Nocturnal for guitar (the end, where the Dowland theme is finally stated), a piece lasting all of 17 minutes, as an intro to a rendition of Come Heavy Sleep by Mark Padmore. One of the greatest pieces in the guitar repertoire, and Rob C plays the last couple of minutes of it. Yes I can see why he might have done it - but are R3 listeners not up to hearing the whole of the Britten piece?

At first I thought it must be Bostridge - the same sort of precious, vibrato-laden tenor - then I realised it was from the Elizabeth Kenny/Mark Padmore disc (on which Craig Ogden plays the Nocturnal) which I bought and swiftly gave away after one listen.

[gurnemanz]

Too much talking

Quite. If I switch to Radio 3 from R4 in the morning - often when Thought for the Day assails my ears - it is usually in an attempt to get away from talk.

[Pulcinella]

Quite. If I switch to Radio 3 from R4 in the morning - often when Thought for the Day assails my ears - it is usually in an attempt to get away from talk.

Wrong thread, perhaps, but this is exactly why, imo, In Tune is so grim.
Before I started working from home, after a day at work, the last thing I needed was more inane chat.
As mentioned countless times previously, the old Homeward Bound got it right.

There is certainly too much talk on Essential Classics, and too many time slot constraints limiting the length of pieces that can be played.

[Pulcinella]

This is from today's Radio 3 schedule page:

Friday - Rob Cown with Suzannah Lipscomb

I wonder if they think that a name change will make him less annoying.
He's chattering away with Andrew McGregor about Record Review tomorrow right now; driving me mad (a good job I'm not behind the wheel of my car!).

[teamsaint]

Wrong thread, perhaps, but this is exactly why, imo, In Tune is so grim.
Before I started working from home, after a day at work, the last thing I needed was more inane chat.
As mentioned countless times previously, the old Homeward Bound got it right.

There is certainly too much talk on Essential Classics, and too many time slot constraints limiting the length of pieces that can be played.

Sadly, I still think that In Tune is a huge wasted opportunity. IMO, ( and maybe it's just what I want), there is a great opportunity for a magazine style format programme at some point in the schedule. I quite like the In Tune mix, especially the live music, although I'd like more music and arts news.
What keeps me away is obsequious interviewers, who repeatedly appear to fail to prepare properly ,( It's their JOB for goodness sake) along with an element of the usual "fabulous/wonderful/magical/stellar" hyperbole.

Mumble grumble.........

[Stanfordian]

This is from today's Radio 3 schedule page:

Friday - Rob Cown with Suzannah Lipscomb

I wonder if they think that a name change will make him less annoying.
He's chattering away with Andrew McGregor about Record Review tomorrow right now; driving me mad (a good job I'm not behind the wheel of my car!).

In his surname it's a good job they left the second letter 'L' out!

[Pulcinella]

In his surname it's a good job they left the second letter 'L' out!

My thought, exactly!

[Richard Tarleton]

Rob told us yesterday that Steven Kovacevich was a regular listener - SK suggested the comparison of Rachmaninov and Uchida playing a Schubert Impromptu....