Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[french frank]

Perhaps this belongs in a PM, but where does all this leave our esteemed Controller? Has he abandoned ship altogether? Hard to imagine that EC could be so much worse than before the recent changes, but it undoubtedly is.

I'm at a total loss to explain this.

I think it's rather good to have a bit of fun from Radio 3. Keeps the old brain cells going. I have had a couple or so mentions because of it. All good fun and why not?

[Sir Velo]

Perhaps this belongs in a PM, but where does all this leave our esteemed Controller? Has he abandoned ship altogether? Hard to imagine that EC could be so much worse than before the recent changes, but it undoubtedly is.

I suspect he's now being revealed in his true colours. I'm afraid I didn't share the consensus that he was going to be the saviour of Radio 3; IIRC, he has fewer classical music industry credentials than his predecessor. IMO, he has either been got at by BBC bigwigs who demand that he plays the numbers game, or he is showing his true demotic leanings. Alternatively, he sincerely believes that EC is the epitome of high culture!

[vinteuil]

... me too, I'm not sure that 'fun' is really all that enjoyable at all -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fun

But more importantly here : I think the 'new' Essential Classics is about the worst thing to have happened to Radio 3 in years. It is of course at its worst with the smarm schmaltz and sentimental simpering of Rob Cowan - but even with the better presenters it is dreck. Still, I have been re-discovering some of the wonderful CDs on the shelves here which I had almost forgotten...



.

[BBMmk2]

Would light amusement do then?

[french frank]

I suspect he's now being revealed in his true colours.

I think that's a bit unfair. His major (I think) interest has been literary, and I think we've had some interesting results in that field.

IIRC, he has fewer classical music industry credentials than his predecessor.

In my view, though, it isn't necessary for the boss man to know his stuff. He employs underlings to do the main business. So far, he's relied on RW's employees.

IMO, he has either been got at by BBC bigwigs who demand that he plays the numbers game, or he is showing his true demotic leanings.

This is what I feared - that in the end others at the BBC, cultural nonentities, call the shots. The controller is just the BBC's mouthpiece.

Alternatively, he sincerely believes that EC is the epitome of high culture!

N-n-n-oo. I don't theenk that's the case. It may not be to everyone's taste, but contemporary music has been creeping in to the daytime schedules, for example (we don't count A Short Ride - that was one of the children's Ten Pieces). What is the case is that Essential Classics is getting steadily more stupid.

[french frank]

Would light amusement do then?

It might suit well Essential Classics as it it currently is, Bbm, but would not suit listeners in search of something more intellectually stimulating or more musically informative than Key Stage 2

[ahinton]

Although I don't contact the programme, I do try to imagine what the most inappropriate piece would be! How about Strauss' 'Metamorphsen' as a companion to the Thunder and lightning polka?

Don't give them ideas! Link-speak is presumably often involved and, in this instance, a golden opportunity for it would be "Strauss", since I imagine it unlikely that Dresdner Blitzen would occur to any presenter of that programme...

[french frank]

Don't give them ideas! Link-speak is presumably often involved and, in this instance, a golden opportunity for it would be "Strauss", since I imagine it unlikely that Dresdner Blitzen would occur to any presenter of that programme...

This should suit the target audience: Mozart's Das Donnerwetter in a version that comes in at 47 secs.

[teamsaint]

Probably the same person from yesterday who suggested John Adams (Short Ride in a Fast Machine?) as the follow-up to Bach's B minor Mass.

Maybe a fan of this ?

[teamsaint]

or this one.......I'm no petrol head, but you'd need a heart of stone not to love this......

[LMcD]

Perhaps a suitable companion piece to the Thunder and Lightning Polka would be 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer' - after all, two of Rudolph's fellow Santa-haulers are Donner and Blitzen.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Here we are, getting drawn into the Radio 3 Ministry of Silly Ideas, discussing what might be a good companion piece, when the pieces in question are either

(a) movements from longer works, in which case the intended companion pieces already exist, or
(b) works that exist in their own right, so don't need a companion piece.

[antongould]

I think that's a bit unfair. His major (I think) interest has been literary, and I think we've had some interesting results in that field.
In my view, though, it isn't necessary for the boss man to know his stuff. He employs underlings to do the main business. So far, he's relied on RW's employees.
This is what I feared - that in the end others at the BBC, cultural nonentities, call the shots. The controller is just the BBC's mouthpiece. N-n-n-oo. I don't theenk that's the case. It may not be to everyone's taste, but contemporary music has been creeping in to the daytime schedules, for example (we don't count A Short Ride - that was one of the children's Ten Pieces). What is the case is that Essential Classics is getting steadily more stupid.

Generally agree with you ff .... on his watch IMVVHO Breakfast has improved ..... I suppose the test is his response if the audience for Essential Classics shrinks.
But what will our response be if the number of listeners grows significantly .... ????

[french frank]

But what will our response be if the number of listeners grows significantly .... ????

Mutatis mutandis: "No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."

[antongould]

Mutatis mutandis: "No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."

Should we be worried when a proportion of this week's Breakfast requests seem to start " Hey Clem .... " ..... ???