Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[underthecountertenor]

I rather appreciated the "fake old news" comment, uct - but the sneering tone of voice with which she read your comment out "suggested" that she didn't!

[underthecountertenor]

Didn't hear it (as you know!) but 'aggressive' is just the word that occurred to me when I heard about it. A kind of unwilling admission of fault - perhaps under pressure? - rather than an apology. Some people have no difficulty in openly admitting a mistake, others try to wriggle their way out of it.

Have been thinking about this since: is it with the rise of the 'presenter as personality/talent/star' &c? When 'announcers' were lower profile (even anonymous) their reputation was not so much on the line; and their whole professional attitude towards their audience (now 'my fans'/friends) seemed different

Well, given that a few minutes earlier, she had said, of someone who was contributing to the playlist thing for the first time, 'welcome to the gang,' I think you are pretty much spot-on here, ff. Gangs exclude as well as include, don't they?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Didn't hear itt

I had to pop to the supermarket and didn't think that the ten(-ish)-minute trip was worth hunting a CD out for, and thought I'd do my Forum duty and give EC another "go". In the (slightly over) quarter-hour of the programme that I heard, I was informed (not by Ms Klein - it was a trailer) that "if my idea of Keats was somebody lounging on an Ottoman" (it never has been!) I could think again. Then I was given a list of suggestions to follow on from a piece by John Adams that I hadn't heard. Then the first movement of Tchaikovsky violin concerto, by which time I'd reached the supermarket. On return I caught the end of the Couperin piece, and was then treated to Ms Klein's hissy fit, followed by Sarah Walker talking over the Bryars piece that she was urging me to listen to (not Dr Walker's fault - her introduction to the piece was recorded separately and the two were broadcast, consecutively, on Saturday's H&N - the "simultaneous broadcast" was the EC team's bright idea).

For an arbitrary listen, it was an utterly dire experience.

[underthecountertenor]

I had to pop to the supermarket and didn't think that the ten(-ish)-minute trip was worth hunting a CD out for, and thought I'd do my Forum duty and give EC another "go". In the (slightly over) quarter-hour of the programme that I heard, I was informed (not by Ms Klein - it was a trailer) that "if my idea of Keats was somebody lounging on an Ottoman" (it never has been!) I could think again. Then I was given a list of suggestions to follow on from a piece by John Adams that I hadn't heard. Then the first movement of Tchaikovsky violin concerto, by which time I'd reached the supermarket. On return I caught the end of the Couperin piece, and was then treated to Ms Klein's hissy fit, followed by Sarah Walker talking over the Bryars piece that she was urging me to listen to (not Dr Walker's fault - her introduction to the piece was recorded separately and the two were broadcast, consecutively, on Saturday's H&N - the "simultaneous broadcast" was the EC team's bright idea).

For an arbitrary listen, it was an utterly dire experience.

You caught much the same as I did, and therefore presumably heard the demotic 'welcome to the gang'.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

You caught much the same as I did, and therefore presumably heard the demotic 'welcome to the gang'.

No - I've just checked and that comment occurred just after the Tchaikovsky, at which approximate time I was rootling around at the back of the mushrooms for the pummet with the longest date.

Did she ever specify - Jets or Sharks?

[cloughie]

No - I've just checked and that comment occurred just after the Tchaikovsky, at which approximate time I was rootling around at the back of the mushrooms for the pummet with the longest date.

Did she ever specify - Jets or Sharks?

If you’re a Jet you’re a Jet forever - well at least ‘til they take you away!

[french frank]

Well, given that a few minutes earlier, she had said, of someone who was contributing to the playlist thing for the first time, 'welcome to the gang,'

Yes, I heard that. "My" gang, I felt. It certainly excludes me As does much of Radio 3 these days. The voice and content aren't aimed at my kind of listening. Whereas I think they should be 'developing' the audience (making it better, more broadly, informed, inquiring), they're merely trying to 'grow' it. With not much sign of success. Perhaps they're just trying to maintain it, but they're not even doing that very convincingly.

[LMcD]

Robert Simpson's book is unequivocal: "It was composed in 1903, when Nielsen and his wife visited Greece, staying in a room that overlooked the Aegean Sea."

Friendly Eva from the Carl Nielsen Society confirms this. CN's wife was in Athens studying ancient Greek art. His letters and diaries tell us that he was working on the piece between March and May 1903.

[gurnemanz]

Well, given that a few minutes earlier, she had said, of someone who was contributing to the playlist thing for the first time, 'welcome to the gang,' I think you are pretty much spot-on here, ff. Gangs exclude as well as include, don't they?

I have never been especially averse to SK, but her "gang" comment referred to above does seem to be to her detriment and confirms my decision not to tune in to EC any more. (I now only do so towards the end, not wishing to miss the start of CotW.) However, it seems from the compelling Nielsen contretemps that I might be missing something and there is some good fun to be had there after all. Maybe she feels she can get away with stuff like that especially if she has a gang to back her up.

[Serial_Apologist]

I think they should be 'developing' the audience (making it better, more broadly, informed, inquiring), they're merely trying to 'grow' it.

They would seem to have learned something from how horticulturalists achieve this, namely by applying a lot of manure to the growing medium.

[hmvman]

Are you going to tell her or are you going to leave it to the ‘Cornish One’.

Having just read about the Couperin business, I'm not sure I fancy one of Ms K's put downs, badge of honour or no. I think the 'Cornish One' can have the pleasure.

[underthecountertenor]

I have never been especially averse to SK, but her "gang" comment referred to above does seem to be to her detriment and confirms my decision not to tune in to EC any more. (I now only do so towards the end, not wishing to miss the start of CotW.) However, it seems from the compelling Nielsen contretemps that I might be missing something and there is some good fun to be had there after all. Maybe she feels she can get away with stuff like that especially if she has a gang to back her up.

People I know and trust who also know SK say she is delightful. I can only assume that she is a victim of the format. Heaven only knows, she wouldn’t be the first.

[cloughie]

They would seem to have learned something from how horticulturalists achieve this, namely by applying a lot of manure to the growing medium.

...and you said ‘manure’ to be polite!

[french frank]

People I know and trust who also know SK say she is delightful. I can only assume that she is a victim of the format.

That has to be undisputed: we said that Essential Classics was a "Poisoned Chalice" on Facebook when Ian Skelly took over: some people find the presenter triumphs regardless, others don't. The format - and the likely thinking behind a programme called 'Essential Classics' - are bound to be seen by many as inappropriate for a radio station that claims to take the arts and classical music seriously.

Sadly, the question of whether someone is 'delightful' or otherwise off air is totally irrelevant to those who only ever likely to know their on-air persona. But that's even more of a problem if presenters are encouraged to 'develop a persona' ('be young, be cool, be laid-back, be sassy').

[antongould]

Fear not on Monday Skellers is back - he apologises for his many, many mistakes with boundless good grace ....