Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[LezLee]

Agree with all that.
Also, she swallows her words. I often have to check the website for the music details as I've missed part of her sentence.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Agreed. GM, unlike SK, doesn’t think she knows everything.

My gripe is with the presenters who talk down to listeners. Suzy K is a first class (with honours) talk-downer, and comes across on air as a bit of a bully. Elizabeth Alker talks down to listeners by treating them like toddlers, and Katie Derham just acts as though the listeners want to be flirted with.

[LMcD]

These days, and in view of how comments from even a non-entity like myself might be taken by those about whom they are made, I am reluctant to criticise an individual personally. With that being said I have to confess that Suzy Klein is not at all my cup of tea. I'm sure she is knowledgeable and a nice person and this is probably a fault of mine, but I do find her presentation irritating. Some problems:

# She seems to have a very thin skin. Once, when corrected by several listeners over some trivial point I heard her shouting "Alright! Alright!" in response. Not really the done ting I would suggest.
# Her use of "we", "We love that!". Who is this "we"? That's one of my pet hates.
# Her use of the glottal stop.
# Her overly-chummy attitude.

In a way this is probably unfair and some of it is down to the current presentation style seemingly mandated on Radio 3.

But, as you have above, I contrast this with Georgia Mann who is equally chummy and knowledgeable, but just comes across to me anyway as far more enjoyable to listen to. An issue of chemistry as one sometimes finds in real life perhaps?

Maybe it's an issue of "authenticity"?

I didn't like SK even before she slapped me down on air regarding the inspiration for Carl Nielsen's 'Helios' overture. I did derive some satisfaction from the fact that the Carl Nielsen Society agreed with me and not her.

[teamsaint]

The problem with SK that she is extrememly dismissive of the constituency that enables her to have a rather nice and much sought after job,one that she does in nothing better than average fashion.

I can get my music without being sneered at really very easily. So I do when she is the DJ.

[oddoneout]

It amuses me that she alternates with Ian Skelly - the pitch of their voices is now quite similar, but the content and approach couldn't be more different.

[Braunschlag]

Didn't know that. Now I know why I can't stand her. (She's probably got absolute pitch as well. Grrrrr!)

My own music degree was a lower 2nd from Huddersfield (I switched careers to IT fairly soon afterwards - seems to have been a good move).

2:2 here from the same place Peter, and I’m almost certain that you are from Silsden! Do correct me if I’m wrong....

[The Lone Marmot]

My gripe is with the presenters who talk down to listeners. Suzy K is a first class (with honours) talk-downer, and comes across on air as a bit of a bully. Elizabeth Alker talks down to listeners by treating them like toddlers, and Katie Derham just acts as though the listeners want to be flirted with.

If there is one thing that the virus has taught us in terms of radio, it's that it doesn't matter at all whence a broadcast emanates. We've heard Sarah Walker, Ian Skelly, Andrew McGregor, and probably others all broadcast from home. So, Elizabeth Alker's constant reminders that she's broadcasting from Salford are even the more irritating I find.

I also don't tune into Radio 3 to hear the latest from Damian Albarn, chansons, or songs from the shows, but sadly hers is not the only programme that has to follow this pattern.

Katie Derham and her over-the-top French and Italian pronunciations! That doesn't extend to any other languages I notice.

[oddoneout]

If there is one thing that the virus has taught us in terms of radio, it's that it doesn't matter at all whence a broadcast emanates. We've heard Sarah Walker, Ian Skelly, Andrew McGregor, and probably others all broadcast from home. So, Elizabeth Alker's constant reminders that she's broadcasting from Salford are even the more irritating I find.

I also don't tune into Radio 3 to hear the latest from Damian Albarn, chansons, or songs from the shows, but sadly hers is not the only programme that has to follow this pattern.

Katie Derham and her over-the-top french and Italian pronunciations! That doesn't extend to any other languages I notice.

I regard EA's slots as another chance to extend my education - a chance to hear music I would otherwise not come across - which is part of the wider place of R3 in my life. I don't have to like a particular piece, but the much disliked snippet/fillet format of the morning schedules means that something else will come along shortly. My difficulty with her is her voice - I have difficulty for some reason making out the spoken word (for much of my life, so not the fault of advancing age!) at the best of the times, and her muffled (is the best way I can put it) delivery I find particularly hard to interpret.
Has Katie D been on R3 at all in recent months? I don't seem to have heard her, and I have the radio on for much of the day everyday; perhaps I've just been lucky...

[Braunschlag]

Didn't know that. Now I know why I can't stand her. (She's probably got absolute pitch as well. Grrrrr!)

My own music degree was a lower 2nd from Huddersfield (I switched careers to IT fairly soon afterwards - seems to have been a good move).

PM sent!

[antongould]

I regard EA's slots as another chance to extend my education - a chance to hear music I would otherwise not come across - which is part of the wider place of R3 in my life. I don't have to like a particular piece, but the much disliked snippet/fillet format of the morning schedules means that something else will come along shortly. My difficulty with her is her voice - I have difficulty for some reason making out the spoken word (for much of my life, so not the fault of advancing age!) at the best of the times, and her muffled (is the best way I can put it) delivery I find particularly hard to interpret.
Has Katie D been on R3 at all in recent months? I don't seem to have heard her, and I have the radio on for much of the day everyday; perhaps I've just been lucky...

I treat Alkers much the same and have no problem with her diction - but then I have four Geordie daughters - and if that doesn’t get me thrown off the forum, I find I am warming, albeit slowly, to the school ma’am ....

[DracoM]

KD has been pretty well regular on and off In Tune for a few weeks and made those days more or less unlistenable to IMO.

[cloughie]

I treat Alkers much the same and have no problem with her diction - but then I have four Geordie daughters - and if that doesn’t get me thrown off the forum, I find I am warming, albeit slowly, to the school ma’am ....

I fear that Alkers has gone a skateboard too far, but no doubt all those younger listeners have been enticed to Radio 3 on it! However, I do think that the music content of EC has improved over the last few months.

[The Lone Marmot]

I fear that Alkers has gone a skateboard too far

[oddoneout]

KD has been pretty well regular on and off In Tune for a few weeks and made those days more or less unlistenable to IMO.

Ah that would explain it - I stopped listening to that programme quite some time ago.

[Count Boso]

I find I am warming, albeit slowly, to the school ma’am ....

Sounds like the BBC's version of Zajonc's Mere Exposure Effect, whereby if you keep on 'feeding' people the same experience they may start off disliking it, but just crack on with it unmercifully and they'll gradually come to like it.