Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[gurnemanz]

I was surprised that a man of Rob's experience has yet to master German umlauts which he must come across quite often in the course of his work and are not really that difficult to grasp. He would probably not refer to Olaf Bar or Wilhelm Furtwangler but has has just referred to Eberhard Wächter as "Wachter" not "Wechter". The singer is fairly well known. Surely we are justified in expecting professional announcers to get these things right.

[french frank]

I was surprised that a man of Rob's experience has yet to master German umlauts which he must come across quite often in the course of his work and are not really that difficult to grasp. He would probably not refer to Olaf Bar or Wilhelm Furtwangler but has has just referred to Eberhard Wächter as "Wachter" not "Wechter". The singer is fairly well known. Surely we are justified in expecting professional announcers to get these things right.

Sometimes I wonder whether part of the problem (sometimes) is that anything entered with a keyboard simply has its accents omitted. This, of course, only means that unfamiliar names are likely to get mispronounced. Those who know just 'tut' with annoyance.

[cloughie]

Sometimes I wonder whether part of the problem (sometimes) is that anything entered with a keyboard simply has its accents omitted. This, of course, only means that unfamiliar names are likely to get mispronounced. Those who know just 'tut' with annoyance.

To be honest I'm more interested in whether he's sticking on CDs of music I want to listen to, and stuff the umlauts and acutes!

[Victor Meldrew II]

SPInut or spiNET?

I was surprised that a man of Rob's experience has yet to master German umlauts which he must come across quite often in the course of his work and are not really that difficult to grasp. He would probably not refer to Olaf Bar or Wilhelm Furtwangler but has has just referred to Eberhard Wächter as "Wachter" not "Wechter". The singer is fairly well known. Surely we are justified in expecting professional announcers to get these things right.

The other day when playing Fitzwilliam Virginal Book selections, RC told us the music would be played on a "SPInut". Today, it's a "spiNET"...........he's a mispronunciator's dream!

[underthecountertenor]

Sometimes I wonder whether part of the problem (sometimes) is that anything entered with a keyboard simply has its accents omitted. This, of course, only means that unfamiliar names are likely to get mispronounced. Those who know just 'tut' with annoyance.

I was astonished that RC mispronounced Wächter twice. We know he lacks expertise in foreign languages, but as a professed expert in the history of recorded classical music, he MUST be aware of Wächter, and must surely have heard his name correctly pronounced before. He was Giulini's Don Giovanni for goodness' sake. It made me question how much he really knows. (Also, a minute or so later, Emmanuel Pa-Who??)

[Nick Armstrong]

I was astonished that RC mispronounced Wächter twice. We know he lacks expertise in foreign languages, but as a professed expert in the history of recorded classical music, he MUST be aware of Wächter, and must surely have heard his name correctly pronounced before. He was Giulini's Don Giovanni for goodness' sake. It made me question how much he really knows. (Also, a minute or so later, Emmanuel Pa-Who??)

And yesterday .....

[french frank]

It made me question how much he really knows.

Not too much about opera, probably. But I think that's slightly unfair: English people d'un certain age who haven't studied languages at all notoriously have difficulties with the niceties of pronouncing foreign words. This being my point of view, I have (with regret, because was fun ) unjoined a certain Facebook group ...

[Nick Armstrong]

. This being my point of view, I have (with regret, because was fun ) unjoined a certain Facebook group ...

Which one which one? I might enjoy it!

A propos, I must repost Richard's wonderful analogy which still gives me regular chuckles when I think of it between 9am and midday:

Rob regards foreign words rather as a horse and rider might regard the jumps at the Horse of the Year Show - pause, gather yourself, go for it. "Les Musiciens du Louvre" would represent something on the puissance course, I should imagine. Four faults a fairly regular occurrence.

[french frank]

[COLOR="#0000FF"]Which one which one? I might enjoy it!

It is fun:

[I will email it to you, for reasons to be explained.

and is (usually) very good natured. But since Friends of Radio 3 makes a point of not 'attacking' individual presenters (bigger fish to fry), I felt the particular focus on the Essential Classics presenters was not really compatible with this aim

[Nick Armstrong]

It is fun:

I will email it to you, for reasons to be explained.

and is (usually) very good natured.

I see Mahan Esfahani is a member

He's game for a laugh, I understand!

[vinteuil]

A propos, I must repost Richard's wonderful analogy which still gives me regular chuckles when I think of it between 9am and midday:

Rob regards foreign words rather as a horse and rider might regard the jumps at the Horse of the Year Show - pause, gather yourself, go for it. "Les Musiciens du Louvre" would represent something on the puissance course, I should imagine. Four faults a fairly regular occurrence.

... I think the too-frequent programming of the Pavane pour une Infante Défunte is brought about by the malevolent intentions of a high-up in Radio Three who wishes to inflict pain on unknowing announcers...

And as for anything by the Ensemble Intercontemporain....





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[Nick Armstrong]

... I think the too-frequent programming of the Pavane pour une Infante Défunte is brought about by the malevolent intentions of a high-up in Radio Three who wishes to inflict pain on unknowing announcers...

And as for anything by the Ensemble Intercontemporain....

[Richard Tarleton]

- and that's definitely a flaxen horse

[Nick Armstrong]

- and that's definitely a flaxen horse

Oh very neat, RT

But that ain't no filly in the saddle....!!

(The rider actually does look spookily like Rob Cowan, now I look again!)

[James Wonnacott]

Personally I couldn't give a monkey's how he pronounces foreign words and names. I just wish he'd keep quiet and play the music.