Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

**Bryn** · 13-09-17, 09:25

Originally posted by french frank View Post

You dislike the piece that much, do you, Bryn?

Far from it. That's a very fine performance, recommended to me years ago by the much missed Wilf (of the old Radio 3 message boards).

Mind you, I am also fond of Frank Zappa's treatment of it.

**Paulie55** · 13-09-17, 09:42

Slow music and Suzy Klein

Originally posted by Heldenleben View Post

One thing I have noticed is that SK seems to play a lot more slow , mediative pieces than RC used to. Is this because of
- sampling error on my part ?
- a reflection of the differing personalities and musical tastes of the two presenters?
- a conscious attempt by the establishment to calm us all down in anticipation of a hard or indeed no Brexit ?
- or to make austerity more palatable ? Without getting too Adorno to distract us from our historic purpose etc.?
Seriously though now we have the Classic FM filler Bolero - a piece my wife instantly said should be banned .

Actually, there are more sombre pieces on Breakfast, if this morning was anything to go by. A rather colourless Cello Sonata followed by the raucous noise of Charlie Mingus..............come on!
Added to that Suzy Klein's non-stop verbal assault on the senses after playing "Bolero", without even seeming to take a breath. My dear Suzy, I am not interested in your opinion at all,
don't try to influence us. Talking, talking, talking..........when will it end? If it wasn't for Composer of the Week, Radio 3 would go down the toilet...........or has it already?

**french frank** · 13-09-17, 09:42

Originally posted by Bryn View Post

Far from it. That's a very fine performance, recommended to me years ago by the much missed Wilf (of the old Radio 3 message boards).

That's not what I implied: I implied that you were so dissatisfied with the piece in its original form that the performance by Bobby McFerrin was your favourite.

I remember Paul Gambaccini playing Bobby McFerrin on his R3 morning programme once, though I think it was the Andante cantabile from Tchaikovsky's SQ 1: a deep gloom descended upon me. Much like Jerome K Jerome felt after he consumed a German sausage on his way to Oberammergau.

**Eine Alpensinfonie** · 13-09-17, 10:13

Originally posted by Barbirollians View Post

It is still a pile of rubbish and surely on the wrong station !

Yet Alan Keith did it all so much better on Radio 2.

**Bryn** · 13-09-17, 10:31

Originally posted by french frank View Post

That's not what I implied: I implied that you were so dissatisfied with the piece in its original form that the performance by Bobby McFerrin was your favourite.

I remember Paul Gambaccini playing Bobby McFerrin on his R3 morning programme once, though I think it was the Andante cantabile from Tchaikovsky's SQ 1: a deep gloom descended upon me. Much like Jerome K Jerome felt after he consumed a German sausage on his way to Oberammergau.

Have you actually listened to that Wiener Phil.McFerrin performance Frenchie? It is not one of his vocalisations (as in his Mozart Piano Concerto recordings with Chick Corea), just a very fine straight performance of the Ravel. Not quite as strict tempo as Ravel's 'own' recording (whoever actually conducted that), but none the worse for that. Don't allow my liking for the Zappa rendition to mislead you. McFerrin is no mean conductor, and gets good results from the Wiener Phil.

**french frank** · 13-09-17, 10:35

Originally posted by Bryn View Post

Have you actually listened to that Wiener Phil.McFerrin performance Frenchie?

No,

I have to take back everything I said as I was still thinking of that Andante cantabile which scarred me for life. I do now recall that McFerrin also conducted, though I'm slightly surprised that you rate him better than any other conductor who has ever recorded it.

**Cockney Sparrow** · 13-09-17, 10:40

Originally posted by french frank View Post

....... Much like Jerome K Jerome felt after he consumed a German sausage on his way to Oberammergau........

Glad to hear you may well be around in future, ff, and hopefully, relieved of the burdens of management, continued input of this nature....... as well as the usual elucidation and reasoned argument. (And to add to the appreciation of others on the management thread (even though I am a more recent arrival) - many thanks for your considerable efforts for FoR3 and this message board).

**french frank** · 13-09-17, 10:42

Originally posted by Cockney Sparrow View Post

Glad to hear you may well be around in future, ff, and hopefully, relieved of the burdens of management, continued input of this nature....... as well as the usual elucidation and reasoned argument. (And to add to the appreciation of others on the management thread (even though I am a more recent arrival) - many thanks for your considerable efforts for FoR3 and this message board).

Thank you CS

**underthecountertenor** · 13-09-17, 10:52

Originally posted by underthecountertenor View Post

Suzy Klein made a big thing this morning of telling us how much she was looking forward to Sarah Walker presenting Sunday Morning (from 1 October, it turns out), thereby soothing the troubled breasts of her admirers. Of course no such comfort is on offer for those of us who enjoyed James Jolly and Jonathan Swain's programmes, and who have seen them unceremoniously ditched.

She did it again this morning, even more gushingly. It feels like a kick in the teeth for JJ and JS every time.

**ahinton** · 13-09-17, 12:33

In his book Music Ho!, Constant Lambert wrote that there is a definite limit to the length of time a composer can go on writing in one dance rhythm and that this limit is obviously reached by Ravel towards the end of La valse and towards the beginning of Boléro; I have little doubt that SK knows this but I have no idea if she's ever mentioned it...

**Serial_Apologist** · 13-09-17, 13:59

Originally posted by ahinton View Post

In his book Music Ho!, Constant Lambert wrote that there is a definite limit to the length of time a composer can go on writing in one dance rhythm and that this limit is obviously reached by Ravel towards the end of La valse and towards the beginning of Boléro; I have little doubt that SK knows this but I have no idea if she's ever mentioned it...

Don't give her ideas, or she'll mention it CONSTANTLY...

**ahinton** · 13-09-17, 15:33

Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post

Don't give her ideas, or she'll mention it CONSTANTLY...

Oh, dear! Do you suppose that she reads posts on this forum? If so, I'd perhaps better delete that one!...

**Cockney Sparrow** · 13-09-17, 16:15

Originally posted by ahinton View Post

Oh, dear! Do you suppose that she reads posts on this forum? If so, I'd perhaps better delete that one!...

She doesn't need to read the posts - she has a presentiment about what we will post, doesn't she - given the notorious occasion of "getting her retaliation in first" against this forum when toadying to the prevailing controller. She commented on criticisms, here, on a non-classical music Prom, when there hadn't yet been comment on that Prom.

**ahinton** · 13-09-17, 16:26

Originally posted by Cockney Sparrow View Post

She doesn't need to read the posts - she has a presentiment about what we will post, doesn't she - given the notorious occasion of "getting her retaliation in first" against this forum when toadying to the prevailing controller. She commented on criticisms, here, on a non-classical music Prom, when there hadn't yet been comment on that Prom.

I didn't know about that.

**ferneyhoughgeliebte** · 13-09-17, 17:22

The "snobs" comment, criticising views before any such views had been voiced and appearing ten days before the 2015 Proms Season had started, was widely reported:

Don't like dance music at the Proms? You're snobs, says host

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3151597/Don-t-like-dance-music-Proms-snobs-says-host-Suzy-Klein-says-criticism-cobblers-says-institution-look-future.html

Suzy Klein, one of the presenters of the concerts for the BBC, has branded such criticism ‘a load of old cobblers’ and those making the complaints ‘self-elected snobs and scaremongers’.

Radio 3 presenter slams Proms 'snobs'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-33425935

Critics of an upcoming BBC Prom that will celebrate the dance sounds of Ibiza are branded "snobs and scaremongers" by Radio 3 presenter Suzy Klein.

Access Denied

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/proms/11721560/Only-snobs-object-to-a-Pete-Tong-Prom-says-BBC-presenter.html

Suzy Klein: It's not all gone Pete Tong at the Proms

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-07-17/suzy-klein-its-not-all-gone-pete-tong-at-the-proms/

The BBC Proms presenter says the classical concert series hasn't been dumbed-down - and reveals she enjoys great rap as much as Mozart's operas