Originally posted by LMcD
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Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate
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I've had a bit of a rest from "Essential Classics" for a month or two, hoping they'd changed the presenters. Well, they have, but not for the better.
But the real problem is the terrible Classic FMisation of the playlist, with fragments torn out of whole works. So today, for example, we got at the end of the programme, the Battle of the Ice from Alexander Nevsky, the Troika from Liet Kije, the second movement of the Archduke Trio, the second movement of Ruth Gipps' horn concerto and the second movement of Fields' piano sonata No 4.
Why? Do they think listeners are so damned stupid or possessing of limited attention spans that they can't cope with more than a few minutes' music at a time without some feeble, wittering comment from the presenter? I can put up with this stuff, just, in "drivetime" programmes, mainly by giving that slot a miss, but not for the rest of the morning and it's just unlistenable.
Now I shall go and kick the dog in a rage - well, I would if I had a dog.
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Originally posted by Rcartes View PostI've had a bit of a rest from "Essential Classics" for a month or two, hoping they'd changed the presenters. Well, they have, but not for the better.
But the real problem is the terrible Classic FMisation of the playlist, with fragments torn out of whole works. So today, for example, we got at the end of the programme, the Battle of the Ice from Alexander Nevsky, the Troika from Liet Kije, the second movement of the Archduke Trio, the second movement of Ruth Gipps' horn concerto and the second movement of Fields' piano sonata No 4.
Why? Do they think listeners are so damned stupid or possessing of limited attention spans that they can't cope with more than a few minutes' music at a time without some feeble, wittering comment from the presenter? I can put up with this stuff, just, in "drivetime" programmes, mainly by giving that slot a miss, but not for the rest of the morning and it's just unlistenable.
Hiya Rcartes,
Now I shall go and kick the dog in a rage - well, I would if I had a dog.
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And another thing whilst I'm on dog-kicking mode: what's happened to the early-evening repeat of Composer of the Week? It seems to have vanished so that they can extend the wittering of In Tune by half an hour and add in the silly In Tune Mixtape, which seems to be another excuse to play some totally unrelated bits but with the advantage that there's no wittering between them. Grrrr!
At this rate, I shall have to go out to boot the neighbour's dog into the middle of next week....Last edited by Rcartes; 06-11-17, 19:09.
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Coincidentally, I was/am just studying the playlist. Had not noticed the Gipps was a single mvt, so thank you. Still, 1812 Overture was complete (about 15 mins and seemed to be the featured piece - what other pieces would you suggest to follow it?), Wirén's Serenade for strings. Plus a Danny Kaye novelty, gabbling the names of Russian composers, music - such as it was - attributed to Kurt Weill.
The only 'feature'of Essential Classics which lifted it above the banal used to be the 'full-length piece'. eg Dvorak's Cello concerto - ALL 40 minutes of it.
Now the 'full-length' piece isn't longer than 20 minutes. But we have to remember that Radio 3 is targeting people who are coming (hopefully) to classical music via pop radio, who appreciate chummy presenters and aren't up for anything demanding or too informative.Originally posted by Rcartes View PostI've had a bit of a rest from "Essential Classics" for a month or two, hoping they'd changed the presenters. Well, they have, but not for the better.
But the real problem is the terrible Classic FMisation of the playlist, with fragments torn out of whole works. So today, for example, we got at the end of the programme, the Battle of the Ice from Alexander Nevsky, the Troika from Liet Kije, the second movement of the Archduke Trio, the second movement of Ruth Gipps' horn concerto and the second movement of Fields' piano sonata No 4.
Why? Do they think listeners are so damned stupid or possessing of limited attention spans that they can't cope with more than a few minutes' music at a time without some feeble, wittering comment from the presenter? I can put up with this stuff, just, in "drivetime" programmes, mainly by giving that slot a miss, but not for the rest of the morning and it's just unlistenable.
Now I shall go and kick the dog in a rage - well, I would if I had a dog.It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.
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Originally posted by Rcartes View PostAnd another thing whilst I'm on dog-kicking mode: what's happened to the early-evening repeat of Composer of the Week? It seems to have vanished so that they can extend the wittering of In Tune by half an hour and add in the silly In Tune Mixtape, which seems to be another excuse to play some totally unrelated bits but with the advantage that there's no wittering between them. Grrrr!
At this rate, I shall have to go out to boot the neighbour's dog into the middle of next week....I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own.
I am not a number, I am a free man.
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Originally posted by french frank View PostCoincidentally, I was/am just studying the playlist. Had not noticed the Gipps was a single mvt, so thank you. Still, 1812 Overture was complete (about 15 mins and seemed to be the featured piece - what other pieces would you suggest to follow it?), Wirén's Serenade for strings. Plus a Danny Kaye novelty, gabbling the names of Russian composers, music - such as it was - attributed to Kurt Weill.
The only 'feature'of Essential Classics which lifted it above the banal used to be the 'full-length piece'. eg Dvorak's Cello concerto - ALL 40 minutes of it.
Now the 'full-length' piece isn't longer than 20 minutes. But we have to remember that Radio 3 is targeting people who are coming (hopefully) to classical music via pop radio, who appreciate chummy presenters and aren't up for anything demanding or too informative.swas a
And I take Stanfordian's point about widening the audience, but if there are so many of these bits instead of proper performances, the incoming yoof will never get to hear them. A taster is one thing, but when it becomes most of the blasted meal, it rather loses the point, don't you think?
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Originally posted by Rcartes View PostOne thing, Frank, is that it used to be the practice to play the recording chosen in Building a Library the previous Saturday. This week it would have been Vivaldi's La Stravaganza, but it was nowhere to be seen (heard). I wonder why? ...
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Originally posted by gurnemanz View PostI'm afraid I've now written off Radio 3 before 12 noon. After that it's fine by me. Always try to listen to Lunchtime concert - especially song recitals.
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Originally posted by gurnemanz View PostI'm afraid I've now written off Radio 3 before 12 noon. After that it's fine by me. Always try to listen to Lunchtime concert - especially song recitals.
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