Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[Nick Armstrong]

I've caught some of the 'special guest' chats this week between Messrs Cowan and Allen the explorer. Very uncomfortable listening... The guest inarticulate about music, Rob C sounding on the brink of not being able to ask anything relevant, short of gaping non sequiturs to wrench the thing back round to music. Really ghastly broadcasting...

[cloughie]

i have yet to listen to this morning's programme, but was mahler's symphony no. 1 really introduced as "titan"? I hope not, for that title belongs not to the symphony but to the symphonic poem in two parts from which it was developed, losing the "titan" sobriquet in the process.

Still, better that mahler's 1st is lent a redundant title than that start[sic] flinders refers to oliver[sic] messiaen, as he did re. Tonight's 'live in concert'.

probably not but it was a cracking performance!

[Bax-of-Delights]

I've caught some of the 'special guest' chats this week between Messrs Cowan and Allen the explorer. Very uncomfortable listening... The guest inarticulate about music, Rob C sounding on the brink of not being able to ask anything relevant, short of gaping non sequiturs to wrench the thing back round to music. Really ghastly broadcasting...

I was driving for just 10 minutes while EC was on - there being nothing on R4 that was preferable - and was staggered by the falseness of RC's questions which were obviously pre-scripted and run through before broadcast with the somewhat inarticulate interviewee.
Thankfully I was out of the car and doing something else so sadly missed our old friend, Bolero.

[cloughie]

Has anyone a clue as to what's on EC today? - Radio 3 and all other schedules are down!

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Alan Bennett reminisces about the ‘arrangements’ by ‘someone (first name forgotten) Hartley’ (LRB, 5 January). It was Fred Hartley (1905-80), who also published under the name ‘Iris Taylor’. He was appointed head of BBC Light Music in 1946. You can hear him on the British Light Music Classics Series, though I ought to be wary about publicising this, since one of those tasteless sparks who choose the music for Essential Classics on Radio 3 might decide to slap one of these vile concoctions slap bang next to a movement from a Beethoven sonata, say, or a snippet of Missa Solemnis.

from the letters page in the London Review of Books current edition

we are not alone in ur views eh ...

[Nick Armstrong]

I was driving for just 10 minutes while EC was on - there being nothing on R4 that was preferable - and was staggered by the falseness of RC's questions which were obviously pre-scripted and run through before broadcast with the somewhat inarticulate interviewee.
Thankfully I was out of the car and doing something else so sadly missed our old friend, Bolero.

Bloody awful, wasn't it?

Also missed Boléro, you'd think they'd be too ashamed to stick that on nowadays

[Black Swan]

What a mess of a programme - messy guest-led BCs followed by a gem of a performance of the 'Titan' 1979 BavRSO Kubelik. We've also had String Quartets all week but yesterday we had Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbolero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! even if it was Monteux it was still Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbolero............. .................................................. ................

Agree, totally, I've given up. I have made a decision I will in future not listen to any program with RC. He is become enamored of himself and I don't see why.

John

[Crowcatcher]

Listening to "Pick of the Week" on R4 last night (aprogramme I usually enjoy) my ears were assaulted by two extracts of the parts of R3 morning programmes that I detest - what the Essential Classics guest has to say about his (possible) connection with music together with the worst performance of Bach's St Matthew Passion I have ever heard, then to be followed a few moments later with what the Breakfast phone in guest has to say about his meaningless life.
The disease is spreading - I despair.
Then this morning I thought I would listen to a little of RC only to hear him introduce an awful piano performance of a Bach keyboard concerto - instant recourse to my CD collection.
An station I have found via my internet radio which is quite acceptable with no 'chat' at all and a significant number of whole pieces is Avro Klassiek2, I resort to this when I'm not listenin to my recordings of TTN.

[Bax-of-Delights]

Bloody awful, wasn't it?

Also missed Boléro, you'd think they'd be too ashamed to stick that on nowadays

Well, Caliban, rush to the radio as you can now hear Bolero AGAIN on Afternoon on 3.

I am now convinced that the programme producers at R3 never listen to or check the playlists of other programmes. I mean who in their right mind would programme Bolero twice in 5 days?

[cloughie]

Well, Caliban, rush to the radio as you can now hear Bolero AGAIN on Afternoon on 3.

I am now convinced that the programme producers at R3 never listen to or check the playlists of other programmes. I mean who in their right mind would programme Bolero twice in 5 days?

Or at all!

[Don Petter]

Yup! Turned the radio on in the car at about 3pm thinking we were well past the noon watershed for trivia and there it was, hammering away. Is nowhere safe any more?

[Anna]

Yup! Turned the radio on in the car at about 3pm thinking we were well past the noon watershed for trivia and there it was, hammering away. Is nowhere safe any more?

Sorry but does anyone here feel like communicating their feelings en masse to the R3 Facebook page (it seems the only official channel allowed for comment) or tweet them constantly. Surely a deluge is the way to go?

[Bax-of-Delights]

Sorry but does anyone here feel like communicating their feelings en masse to the R3 Facebook page (it seems the only official channel allowed for comment) or tweet them constantly. Surely a deluge is the way to go?

You will now find a comment on R3's Facebook page to which you may well append your views if you wish (before it gets removed).

Edit: too late - it got removed by R3 within minutes. Boy, are they touchy!
(And it was fairly innocuous: "Playing one Bolero a week may be regarded as a misfortune. To play it twice looks like carelessness. ")

[Norfolk Born]

[QUOTE=Anna;123984]Sorry but does anyone here feel like communicating their feelings en masse to the R3 Facebook page (it seems the only official channel allowed for comment) or tweet them constantly. Surely a deluge is the way to go?[/QUOTE]
A sort of No(y)es Fludde? (Sorry, couldn't resist it!)

[Don Petter]

You will now find a comment on R3's Facebook page to which you may well append your views if you wish (before it gets removed).

Looked at their Facebook page (for the first time) but can't see anything more recent than a puff for Sean Blathery from four hours ago. Am I missing some trick?