Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[ahinton]

Ahem... Goldmark I think.

Indeed, although I had thought that this was the currency in which certain producers and presenters received their grossly inflated salaries...

[vinteuil]

But from now on, thanks to Rumpole, we will all take 90 minutes to get there ......

... lordy lordy - in the days of old when St Tony Blair held sway it only took 45 minutes for them to reach us - are we winning?

[french frank]

Yes - I have noticed that if you join the programme after 10:30 the Music and presentation does improve.

[Yes, I have read Rumpole's too.] The programme's commissioning brief did say that it should try to hold on to as much of the Breakfast audience as possible (i.e. 'Please don't switch over to CFM at 9am, we beg you') because the height of broadcasters' ambition is to try to hang on to their audience for as long as possible (they increase their 'share' and stop listeners switching over to rivals).

I suppose they feel that 4 hours of garbage (6.30-10.30am) is the limit of what they can risk without losing their 'reputation' …

[Barbirollians]

Ahem... Goldmark I think.

But yes, I agree - I enjoyed hearing that for the first time. Lovely slow movement.

And Milstein is one of the very few violinists I could listen to all day and all night - sovereign playing. Just right.

Goldmark for the first time ! It is a truly lovely work and Milstein's recording on Testament remains at the top of the pile though I have a very soft spot for the Perlman too .

[Lancashire Lass]

Ahem... Goldmark I think.

Sorry about that, and thanks for the correction Cal.

I am ashamed to say, and this is really lowering the tone, I was confusing him with the Conservative ex-MP for Braintree who went off-piste with his mobile phone. I always try to get my references right but I think on this occasion I failed miserably ...

Glad to hear that Mr Goldmark's handiwork was appreciated by others, anyway.

[Lento]

Currently taking refuge at RAI FD5 Auditorium (albeit with flaky reception as I write) as I really don't want to hear the slow mvt of Schubert's Quintet, as requested by this morning's R3 guest: but that's just me!

The thought occurs that RAI is state funded, yet does not seem to share the BBC's need to water down its morning R3 output. I wonder how listening stats compare.

[Gordon]

Currently taking refuge at RAI FD5 Auditorium (albeit with flaky reception as I write) as I really don't want to hear the slow mvt of Schubert's Quintet, as requested by this morning's R3 guest: but that's just me!

The thought occurs that RAI is state funded, yet does not seem to share the BBC's need to water down its morning R3 output. I wonder how listening stats compare.

RAI carries ads which IIRC contribute about half its revenues [or it used last time I was connected to EBU data]. I don't know what the current licence fee is but is used to be based on owning a TV just as we levy it in effect. A figure of around E100 comes to mind. It does have a large range of services but I don't know what its budget is these days. If the Italian LF collection is anything like its other tax collection many will not pay it so I think that RAI still runs under debt as it has for some time. I don't think it gets the same scrutiny under the Italian political system, even from Berlusconi and his mates. The Italians love opera though!!!

[Lento]

Thanks for the reply: I have escaped the ads so far, when listening to Auditorium for short periods.

[Don Petter]

Thanks for the reply: I have escaped the ads so far, when listening to Auditorium for short periods.

I've never heard any ads on RAI RadioFD5, which is what we are talking about here, isn't it? Just brief announcements between works.

[Gordon]

So RAI clearly ring fence some services to avoid ads. BBC could do the same. There isn't necessarily a one fits all solution. I simply pointed it out from my own experience of dealing for many years with its engineers who were excellent.

[Pulcinella]

I've never heard any ads on RAI RadioFD5, which is what we are talking about here, isn't it? Just brief announcements between works.

Tuned my internet radio to this station yesterday.
No ads but just music details so far.

But sounds like a jittery CD just now; think it's their problem as Minnesota Public Radio fine, so not a connection problem at my end.

[Lento]

Tuned my internet radio to this station yesterday.
No ads but just music details so far.

But sounds like a jittery CD just now; think it's their problem as Minnesota Public Radio fine, so not a connection problem at my end.

Sounds like the problem I had yesterday: shame, because it's a good station, imv.

[Bax-of-Delights]

Could there be a performance of Holst's "The Planets" coming up v.soon at the Proms?

I rarely listen to R3 these days but by chance last night I caught Trelawny plugging the Proms by playing "Jupiter".
Just 14 hours later, as I passed the radio in the kitchen (which we keep on to deter any potential burglars) I hear RC introduce er..."Jupiter".

This is partly why I find very little to enjoy on R3 now - it has become so self-referring that it has become a parody of itself, almost as if the producers and "jocks" are only there to promote each other's programmes. The audience is viewed as incidental and is gradually disappearing into the background.
Or, in my case, elsewhere completely.

[Nick Armstrong]

Could there be a performance of Holst's "The Planets" coming up v.soon at the Proms?

I rarely listen to R3 these days but by chance last night I caught Trelawny plugging the Proms last night by playing "Jupiter".
Just 14 hours later, as I passed the radio in the kitchen (which we keep on to deter any potential burglars) I hear RC introduce er..."Jupiter".

At least you missed the grotesque pop version of the same which constituted the "quiz" and which was presumably followed by the real thing. I don't know, I switched off.

If your kitchen radio is tuned to R3 in the morning it will certainly deter any potential classical-music-loving burglars. Double protection!

[subcontrabass]

Could there be a performance of Holst's "The Planets" coming up v.soon at the Proms?

Full work: Monday 27th July

"Mars" is part of the "Ten Pieces Prom" (18th/19th July)