Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[cloughie]

Tomorrow's programme will request a companion piece for an aria from Handel's Julius Caesar, so presumably the right answer will become the wrong answer one again.

A Brute of a decision!

[french frank]

What made me think it would be Va tacito? Anything by Rita Hunter? Silent night? The Lincolnshire Poacher?

[oddoneout]

A Brute of a decision!

The Brut ad didn't have music did it, and I can't quite see how to link Old Spice in instead....

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The theme to Carry on Cleo?

An infamous suggestion.

[underthecountertenor]

I'm getting cynical in my old age, but I suspect that, whilst we are told that 'there are no wrong answers' (apart from the answer that we have been told IS a wrong answer), the Essential Classics team know in advance exactly what the 'right answer' is, namely the music they have themselves selected as the companion piece. That selection is invariably so obvious that at least one listener will have suggested it (and if not, they can always say that they've had a tweet from Mrs Trellis of North Wales), so it will get played as planned. After all, if they genuinely made a considered selection from the suggestions offered between 9.30 and 10.30, they would then have to move pretty smartly to find music to follow the piece chosen, with an eye to the studio clock.

[BBMmk2]

I'm not so sure Underthestate. I've had a couple of ones played that I put in for.

[Stanfordian]

I'm not so sure Underthestate. I've had a couple of ones played that I put in for.

So it's you to blame maestro for encouraging them!

[oddoneout]

I'm getting cynical in my old age, but I suspect that, whilst we are told that 'there are no wrong answers' (apart from the answer that we have been told IS a wrong answer), the Essential Classics team know in advance exactly what the 'right answer' is, namely the music they have themselves selected as the companion piece.

This accusation was raised on air and robustly refuted.

[jean]

Genuinely refuted, or simply denied?

[oddoneout]

Genuinely refuted, or simply denied?

Oops, sorry Miss, careless use of language! It was denied - quite strenuously and in a rather hurt tone of voice.

[underthecountertenor]

Oops, sorry Miss, careless use of language! It was denied - quite strenuously and in a rather hurt tone of voice.

'I'm not angry. Just disappointed.'
'Yes Miss, sorry Miss.'

[LMcD]

'You've let the Forum down. You've let Radio 3 down. You've let the other listeners down. But worst of all you've let Suzi down'.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Hi UTC . Given the past furore over rigged BBC competitions e.g naming the Blue Peter cat I would be very surprised if the companion piece is pre-chosen and as for a fake tweet - I would be even more surprised . That would come in the category of a "brave" ( i.e. terminal) career decision . An hour is plenty of time to get a mainstream repertoire piece on air. What would make things a bit more tricky is a specific performance .

[LMcD]

Maybe Wagner's Lohengrin which features a Swan. Some hope!

Hadn't you heard? 'There are no long answers'.

[french frank]

Hi UTC . Given the past furore over rigged BBC competitions e.g naming the Blue Peter cat I would be very surprised if the companion piece is pre-chosen and as for a fake tweet - I would be even more surprised . That would come in the category of a "brave" ( i.e. terminal) career decision . An hour is plenty of time to get a mainstream repertoire piece on air. What would make things a bit more tricky is a specific performance .

I think that is quite right: with so much being digitised they can probably put their hands on a piece of music very quickly. On the other hand, it would depend what listeners were suggesting: production staff can probably see which pieces might cause a problem, in which case …

More to the point, I would estimate that at any given moment there might be as many as 150,000 people listening: what percentage of them is keen enough to communicate their suggestions, requests? What percentage dislikes the listener interaction in some degree (hate it, bored, uninterested) and wouldn't want to communicate with the programme? Which percentage is larger? Who is being catered for with these features?