Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[Serial_Apologist]

... which quote in particular?

http://www.azquotes.com/author/28898-Harry_Carpenter

[DracoM]

See upthread.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Tomorrow we can tweextmail a companion piece for Bach's Mass in B minor. This could be an error on the Radio 3 webpage, but maybe they don't realise that after a work of this magnitude, the audience goes home. There can be no companion piece.

[Serial_Apologist]

Tomorrow we can tweextmail a companion piece for Bach's Mass in B minor. This could be an error on the Radio 3 webpage, but maybe they don't realise that after a work of this magnitude, the audience goes home. There can be no companion piece.

One could always die, I suppose, having first tweeted this as one's appropriate follow-on from the Bach.

[french frank]

Tomorrow we can tweextmail a companion piece for Bach's Mass in B minor.

Depends which snatch they're going to play, I suppose.

[Paulie55]

Tomorrow we can tweextmail a companion piece for Bach's Mass in B minor. This could be an error on the Radio 3 webpage, but maybe they don't realise that after a work of this magnitude, the audience goes home. There can be no companion piece.

"Tell me what piece could follow this, it doesn't have to be choral or from the same century.............but we've already chosen a companion work 10 days ago while planning the schedule, so if you just want to hear your name read out, text or tweet....."

[french frank]

"Tell me what piece could follow this, it doesn't have to be choral or from the same century.............but we've already chosen a companion work 10 days ago while planning the schedule, so if you just want to hear your name read out, text or tweet....."

Well, in my view, insisting that they have already chosen the 'companion pieces' when we have no evidence is simply claiming that what we don't know is nevertheless true. What few of us here would consider questionable, I think, is that to ask in this way for 'companion pieces' to Bach's B minor Mass is trivialising and insulting, to the music and to listeners.

[Paulie55]

Well, in my view, insisting that they have already chosen the 'companion pieces' when we have no evidence is simply claiming that what we don't know is nevertheless true. What few of us here would consider questionable, I think, is that to ask in this way for 'companion pieces' to Bach's B minor Mass is trivialising and insulting, to the music and to listeners.

Indeed it is trivial and condescending but I really don't expect anything else from RC and Radio 3. The words "completely lost the plot" ring out every time I tune in to this drivel masquerading as a serious music programme.

[french frank]

The words "completely lost the plot" ring out every time I tune in to this drivel masquerading as a serious music programme.

Then don't tune in to it. I've never listened since they first outlined what the programme would be. Watching how it's developed hasn't tempted me to listen other than to the odd segment - admittedly to confirm my already fixed prejudices. But reading what hardier souls report is enough to keep me away.

What is more concerning than how "I can't stand this drivel" is that this programme attracts probably Radio 3's biggest audience, probably of droppers-in and droppers-out or casual background listeners. In that sense it has achieved its aim, shameful though that aim was in the first place.

[french frank]

Come on, you have to laugh:

After the Gloria from Bach's B minor mass, we had the Gloria from Mozart's C minor Mass, And now for a complete change of mood, here's a Schubert Impromptu. (I just caught this bit having checked out of curiosity).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

"Tell me what piece could follow this, it doesn't have to be choral or from the same century.............but we've already chosen a companion work 10 days ago while planning the schedule, so if you just want to hear your name read out, text or tweet....."

I subject you've hit the nail on the head.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Did they play the whole of the Gloria? It has 9 movements:

Gloria in excelsis, Et in terra pax, Laudamus te, Gratias agimus tibi, Domine Deus, Qui tollis peccata mundi, Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, Quoniam tu solus sanctus, Cum Sancto Spiritu

I suspect not.

[french frank]

Did they play the whole of the Gloria? It has 9 movements:

I made it 6 mins 3 secs in all, and 7 mins of the Mozart C minor, mistakenly introduced as being by Bach - but who's listening, anyway?

A reminder snatch of the Bach previously played (about 10 secs) was followed by just over a minute of reading out all the other suggestions, not selected (I would have been interested to know which piece by John Adams was suggested as suitable, but we weren't told).

Rob: How could you read out John Adams as an appropriate follow-up to Bach's B minor Mass?

[Bryn]

I made it 6 mins 3 secs in all, and 7 mins of the Mozart C minor, mistakenly introduced as being by Bach - but who's listening, anyway?

A reminder snatch of the Bach previously played (about 10 secs) was followed by just over a minute of reading out all the other suggestions, not selected (I would have been interested to know which piece by John Adams was suggested as suitable, but we weren't told).

Rob: How could you read out John Adams as an appropriate follow-up to Bach's B minor Mass?

t'other Mary? (Not a work I have much time for.in terms of Adams's music.)

[french frank]

t'other Mary? (Not a work I have much time for.in terms of Adams's music.)

On the grounds that Bach composed several Passions himself?