Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[Bryn]

On your own head be it! You're currently missing the (whole of the) 4th movement of Prokofiev's 7th symphony.......

Which version of the ending?

[french frank]

The spinning of the BaL 'winner' was moved to Sunday Morning but was recently abandoned altogether.

As 'Essential' Classics dropped its full-length piece.

However, Doc Walker did play Bach's Harpsichord Concerto BWV 980 after La Stravaganza Op. 4/1 (RV 381).

However, if I counted correctly James Jolly played 12 pieces on his last programme compared with 24 (?) on last Sunday's. That's by no means accounted for by the loss of the BaL piece.

In other words, Sunday Morning has become a Sunday Essential Classics and both are seamless extensions of Breakfast.

Jolly & Swain were much the same as Swain and Cowan - two genuine enthusiasts, picking and playing works they were enthusiastic - and knowledgeable - about. In that respect they were among a small minority of current R3 presenters.

[Stanfordian]

As 'Essential' Classics dropped its full-length piece.

However, if I counted correctly James Jolly played 12 pieces on his last programme compared with 24 (?) on last Sunday's. That's by no means accounted for by the loss of the BaL piece.

In other words, Sunday Morning has become a Sunday Essential Classics and both are seamless extensions of Breakfast.

Jolly & Swain were much the same as Swain and Cowan - two genuine enthusiasts, picking and playing works they were enthusiastic - and knowledgeable - about. In that respect they were among a small minority of current R3 presenters.

Hiya French Frank,

It seems to me that generally Radio 3 is being turned into a 'Light Programme' with Classic FM style presenters.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

My hackles rose today when I switched on EC. There was a performance of the first movement (only) Mozart's K314, arranged for a a massively amplified cello and a distant orchestra. The sound balance wasn't the fault of the BBC - just a balance engineer with a lack of taste.

No, the issue was Suzy Klein (who should know better than the likes of KD) telling us at the end that it had been arranged from Mozart's original for the flüte.

Yes, Suzy, there is a Mozart Flute Concerto K314, written in the composer's hand, but the original was for the oboe, the manuscript having been rediscovered in the 20th century.

I do realise that the endless reading out of names of people suggesting music to follow The Firebird is more important than checking facts.

[Stanfordian]

My hackles rose today when I switched on EC. There was a performance of the first movement (only) Mozart's K314, arranged for a a massively amplified cello and a distant orchestra. The sound balance wasn't the fault of the BBC - just a balance engineer with a lack of taste.

No, the issue was Suzy Klein (who should know better than the likes of KD) telling us at the end that it had been arranged from Mozart's original for the flüte.

Yes, Suzy, there is a Mozart Flute Concerto K314, written in the composer's hand, but the original was for the oboe, the manuscript having been rediscovered in the 20th century.

I do realise that the endless reading out of names of people suggesting music to follow The Firebird is more important than checking facts.

Hiya Eine Alpensinfonie,

I don't think I can bear hearing about this debacle any more. One akin to chipping away and sadly destroying a precious gem. I've virtually given up on Radio 3 now.

[DracoM]

R3 seems so shamefaced about its heritage that it has IMO fallen between several stools in some WIA style attempt to 'find a new audience'.
1. Q: Classical music as such by and large invisible / inaudible in schools, so how do we build the next generation?
A: never put a programme on to interest / educate a young listener.

2. Q: Classic FM plays 'all our favourite tunes' in 'smooth classics' way, so how do you counteract that?
A: More or less imitate them for much of the day and increasingly in concert progs.

3. Q: Classic FM's presenters are mostly pretty glutinous / ignorant, bought for their voices. C.Bott has to ask herself how she survives and lives with that.
A: Hire Classic FM's cast-offs.

Where is R3's courage to be itself and do what it does best?
Why are so many Classical music stations online so much more interestingly inventive? Playing a far wider spectrum of composers than on any R3 day and with minimal presenter cosiness?
Check out the running order here - chosen at random for illustration. https://yle.fi/radio/yleklassinen/suora/

[Serial_Apologist]

R3 seems so shamefaced about its heritage that it has IMO fallen between several stools in some WIA style attempt to 'find a new audience'.
1. Q: Classical music as such by and large invisible / inaudible in schools, so how do we build the next generation?
A: never put a programme on to interest / educate a young listener.

2. Q: Classic FM plays 'all our favourite tunes' in 'smooth classics' way, so how do you counteract that?
A: More or less imitate them for much of the day and increasingly in concert progs.

3. Q: Classic FM's presenters are mostly pretty glutinous / ignorant, bought for their voices. C.Bott has to ask herself how she survives and lives with that.
A: Hire Classic FM's cast-offs.

Where is R3's courage to be itself and do what it does best?
Why are so many Classical music stations online so much more interestingly inventive? Playing a far wider spectrum of composers than on any R3 day and with minimal presenter cosiness?
Check out the running order here - chosen at random for illustration. https://yle.fi/radio/yleklassinen/suora/

I for one, being I guess old fashioned and stuck in my late 20th century ways, like to listen to music, whether broadcast or on record, CD etc., in my living room, comfortably seated in equilaterally triangulated relationship to my sound system's two speakers. It's fine to listen to online stations, but how many people have their computers in their living room, as opposed to in an adjoining study, if they're lucky for space, as is the fortunate case with me, or a bedroom? I may have raised this point before, but the computer is hardly a convivial focus point for having people round to share one's appreciations. You couldn't cram more than three in here; and, as for my bedroom...

[Richard Tarleton]

I for one, being I guess old fashioned and stuck in my late 20th century ways, like to listen to music, whether broadcast or on record, CD etc., in my living room, comfortably seated in equilaterally triangulated relationship to my sound system's two speakers. It's fine to listen to online stations, but how many people have their computers in their living room, as opposed to in an adjoining study, if they're lucky for space, as is the fortunate case with me, or a bedroom?

Precisely

[Bryn]

I for one, being I guess old fashioned and stuck in my late 20th century ways, like to listen to music, whether broadcast or on record, CD etc., in my living room, comfortably seated in equilaterally triangulated relationship to my sound system's two speakers. It's fine to listen to online stations, but how many people have their computers in their living room, as opposed to in an adjoining study, if they're lucky for space, as is the fortunate case with me, or a bedroom? I may have raised this point before, but the computer is hardly a convivial focus point for having people round to share one's appreciations. You couldn't cram more than three in here; and, as for my bedroom...

I am no great fan of What HiFi? but https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/h...nternet-radios

[vinteuil]

I am no great fan of What HiFi? but https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/h...nternet-radios

... from which - " Internet radio stations are booming". Not a good sound, really.


.

[Bryn]

... from which - " Internet radio stations are booming". Not a good sound, really.


.

But bass boost iz all the rage with yoof.

[Serial_Apologist]

... from which - " Internet radio stations are booming". Not a good sound, really.


.

Appearancewise, they remind me of those little radios we would carry around, perched on one shoulder with speaker to ear, back in the 1960s, when "tranny" had a different meaning.

[Bryn]

Perhaps one of these would better suit a HiFi system:

[Sir Velo]

Given the hundreds, nay thousands, of little played CDs/downloads which I'm sure most of us have, why are any of us bothered with listening to the radio anyway?

Moreover, from a quick scan of a listing of internet radio stations dedicated to "classical" music, most seem to be broadcasting at decidedly non audiophile bit rates anyway, which lessens their appeal considerably.

Furthermore, it's also definitely not necessary to wire up a laptop or PC to the hifi either. On the occasions when I want to listen to R3 (primarily on Catch up to a concert or recital) I just hook the radio iplayer app to a tiny little bluetooth DAC and let the aptx codec do the rest. Great sound too!

[gurnemanz]

Perhaps one of these would better suit a HiFi system:

I have the Roberts 93i (bedside) and the Hama DIT2010 (attached to hifi). They work on the same basic interface and I am very pleased with both of them. I bought the Hama over a year ago and since having it I have used it as my main source for radio (internet or DAB). It links via network to files on the laptop, but I also have a 64 GB usb flash drive permanently plugged in which contains all my mp3s and flacs. It can be operated from remote control or smartphone app.

I never cease to be bowled over by this new technology.