Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Eric Whitacre: Leonardo dreams of his flying machine was the Starter for the playlist this morning. I thought the ideal follow on was RVW’ A vision of aeroplanes’ as apparently also a few others but Tom McKinney said the producers were concerned over the length of work - now 9 and a half minutes doesn’t seem over the lengthy but what do I know - instead he included the Lakme Flower Duet and a couple of popular flying machine works by Bagel and Ron Goodwin. - ah well no accounting for taste!

This infantile Playlist game has had its day and should be retired. How many people actually listen to a track/piece/song/tune and then rummage around to find a "companion track/piece/song/tune"? Probably a very small number, not too far above zero. I believe it was Suzy Klein's ideas, and it subsequently became an excuse for her to hector listeners who got it wrong (in her view). She's departed from Radio 3 now. Perhaps she should take the party game with her.

[kernelbogey]

Perhaps she should take the party game with her.

I'm sure social media of some kind could be dragged into a similar exercise for BBC4 on Friday evenings: start off with a Prom repeat at 7; then tweet your ideas for other works/orchestras/conductors you'd like to hear in the remainder of the evening. I'm sure the Beeb's technology could cope!

[french frank]

now 9 and a half minutes doesn’t seem over the lengthy

24 pieces in 180 minutes averages out at 7½ minutes assuming there is no speech whatsoever. I see Mr Bagel is Moishe's Bagel (jazz/klezmer). What with all that, plus Eric Whitacre, Byron Brooke, Ron Goodwin, you can understand why the BBC is fiercely proud of classical music being a major part of their remit and such an important part of their public service work.

Pigs may fly, but the only chance of improved provision for classical music enthusiasts is for R3 to have a digital sister station like the four other network stations. Call it Radio 3 Extra, leaving Radio 3 to continue to get the most audiences and cultural value from their classical music portfolio &c &c …

[Alison]

The cynic in me has wondered whether the successful playlist suggestions have already been preselected days earlier by the production team. It wouldnt be difficult to invent names and comments.

A selection of genuine suggestions, often interesting but not used, are read out to keep up the spirit of the game.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The cynic in me has wondered whether the successful playlist suggestions have already been preselected days earlier by the production team. It wouldnt be difficult to invent names and comments.

A selection of genuine suggestions, often interesting but not used, are read out to keep up the spirit of the game.

I thought the same for a while, but I recognise some names of people I know, so although the take up may be exaggerated, the names are probably genuine.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

24 pieces in 180 minutes averages out at 7½ minutes assuming there is no speech whatsoever. I see Mr Bagel is Moishe's Bagel (jazz/klezmer). What with all that, plus Eric Whitacre, Byron Brooke, Ron Goodwin, you can understand why the BBC is fiercely proud of classical music being a major part of their remit and such an important part of their public service work.

Pigs may fly, but the only chance of improved provision for classical music enthusiasts is for R3 to have a digital sister station like the four other network stations. Call it Radio 3 Extra, leaving Radio 3 to continue to get the most audiences and cultural value from their classical music portfolio &c &c …

That would be great. If they wanted to do so at a budget, they could start by broadcasting TTN on Radio 3 Extra, but during the day.

[kernelbogey]

....the only chance of improved provision for classical music enthusiasts is for R3 to have a digital sister station like the four other network stations. Call it Radio 3 Extra, leaving Radio 3 to continue to get the most audiences and cultural value from their classical music portfolio &c &c …

Yes, yes, yes! This would be relatively cheap to run - no? - and the Beeb must have one of the greatest trove of classical music of any station in the world.

A TTN formula, as Alpie suggests, would allow most of it to be prepped well in advance, with just one studio manager and one continuity announcer - I speak with all the confidence of total ignorance - to run the output.

Perhaps Forumistas with direct experience of broadcasting might add a comment...?

[french frank]

they could start by broadcasting TTN on Radio 3 Extra, but during the day.

They could. Though my suggestion would be to transfer "Radio 3" - including jazz, drama, documentaries and any features that the 'broader audience' would find 'dry' [sic], 'intimidating' [sic] &c - to the digital station. There are now many sources for classical music, on line, on stream, home CDs, internet radio. I don't think I'd bother to become a loyal listener to Through the Day.

I suppose they could have Through the Night as usual, 12am - 6am for the overnight lorry drivers who we're told listen to it - on R3 and R3 Extra; then on Extra repeat it in the morning, say 6-12; CotW 12-1; Lunchtime concert 1-2; Afternoon concert 2-5; to save money, share In Tune 5-7; Evening Concert 7-10; then 2 glorious hours free of Tearjerkers, Flowing Pianos, Happy Harmonising for whatever. And then there would be the weekends …

There could be lots of sharing between the two stations, but Extra would remove all the newer programmes for casual listening.

[hmvman]

I don't know if I'm imagining it but on the few occasions recently when I've had the misfortune to listen to EC (usually in the car) the pieces played seem to be getting ever shorter. There was one morning when just the last movement of Grieg's Holberg Suite was played. So I can well imagine that a piece over 9 minutes would be beyond the pale.

Love the idea of a Radio 3 Extra. One can dream....

[oddoneout]

Extra would remove all the newer programmes for casual listening.

In which case based on what's been happening of late you would leave out Afternoon Concert as well...
Tuesday's broadcast was good, but just served to highlight how unsatisfactory they are becoming.

[french frank]

In which case based on what's been happening of late you would leave out Afternoon Concert as well...
Tuesday's broadcast was good, but just served to highlight how unsatisfactory they are becoming.

So, a different AC for R3 Extra: a recorded concert as it once was.

I don't know if I'm imagining it but on the few occasions recently when I've had the misfortune to listen to EC (usually in the car) the pieces played seem to be getting ever shorter.

This is all about strategy, audience targeting. It was bad enough when they proudly flaunted the fact that there was one complete full-length work. In a 3-hour programme.

Looking at the latest RAJAR figures, I think R3 Extra would find a digital space if Radio 1Xtra and the Asian Network were combined. I reckon there's as big a gulf between what Radio 3 is offering now and what many of us would like as there is between 1Xtra and the Asian Network - the latter had fewer than half a million listeners.

[oddoneout]

I don't know if I'm imagining it but on the few occasions recently when I've had the misfortune to listen to EC (usually in the car) the pieces played seem to be getting ever shorter. There was one morning when just the last movement of Grieg's Holberg Suite was played. So I can well imagine that a piece over 9 minutes would be beyond the pale.

Love the idea of a Radio 3 Extra. One can dream....

I listen most mornings to Breakfast and EC, sometimes right through, and some days EC seems more bitty than others, but not far any obvious reason like different presenters.

[cloughie]

In this morning’s song spot Joanna Ward’s ‘I cannot get to my love’ showed a prime example of how in the wrong hands two good folk songs can be massacred with ill-fitting arrangements!
No doubt there are other views on this - 1.12 in on Sounds if anyone fancies a listen!

[AuntDaisy]

Are R3 presenters getting younger? (À la Dorian mode.)

TM posted this on Twitter.

Tom McKinney @tom_mckinney
Good morning from high up above the Blue Peter garden. Essential Classics @BBCRadio3 at 9 from Media City - a new disc of Ravel's piano concertos, Song of the Day is by Alma Mahler, there's Boccherini arranged by Berio, & the playlister takes us to Australia's Northern Territory
8:44 AM · May 24, 2022

[DracoM]

Maybe younger, but they still IMO are asked to play dull screeds of anonymous baroque - in case you frighten the horses perhaps.