Saturday Classics/Inside Music

[BBMmk2]

My understanding is that no programmes on the weekend afternoons and evenings are now live. And that includes the elderly archivist input!.

Have to pay staff extra for weekends?

[Serial_Apologist]

Have to pay staff extra for weekends?

Where would they find the money??

[french frank]

Have to pay staff extra for weekends?

Probably. It was introduced to cut costs. And we now know why Radio 3's 168-hour weeks cost a total of £37.4m last year and Radio 2's 168-hour weeks cost £51.2m. Expensive staffing costs

[Richard Tarleton]

Good grief. Well, the reply should be interesting, if I get one

[Padraig]

Good grief. Well, the reply should be interesting, if I get one

Richard, I heard the piece you mention. I only caught it after it had started, and when I heard it identified as the St Anne Prelude I realised that I was wrong to think it was a transcription of a Mendelssohn organ Prelude and Fugue. Now you tell me I was wrong anyway! Yes, I do hope you get your reply. Incidentally, I enjoyed the performance whatever it was.

[Richard Tarleton]

Thanks Padraig. Yes it was not at all bad but I only assume James Rhodes has not heard Jorge Bolet "Live from Carnegie Hall"

[Richard Tarleton]

Is Saturday Classics a Live broadcast? If not, JR might simply have recorded his intros & outros and left one of the elderly archivists to fill in the (ir)relevant CD tracks?

Indeed - apologetic email from Salford Quays confirming that the programme is pre-recorded, that the wrong recording found its way into the mix, and exonerating James Rhodes

[Cockney Sparrow]

I've regarded Lesley Garrett in a different way from those I describe as "Not a Serious Artist". That is in the context of "crossover" singers introduced as an Opera Singer. Most of them have not sung an opera from start to finish in a run after meaningful rehearsals (or, have not stuck with that profession after a brief encounter) - so in that sense have not crossed over anyway. A distinction, in my mind to pay due respect to Serious Artists and their acceptance of the risks and perils of their profession as well as the sheer hard work involved.
I saw Lesley Garrett in the Coliseum Pountney/Elder years which coincided with the start of my opera going so I'm aware of her qualities in Mozart et al (and the end of the Elder Pountney years coincided with the end of my ENO attending years - or regular attendance there anyway).

But I wasn't aware she had a year re-building her voice/technique after serious illness which may in part account for her switch to the largely show business side of "Opera Singing". I almost reached for the off button when I heard she was the guest for an extended programme built around her musical life and experiences - tied in to the musical memory theme of the day as it was.
I'm glad I gave the programme a chance, and I have to pay my respects to Ms Garrett. Whatever she has got up to, with a view to maintaining her present public profile and career, can be accepted and she has to make her living of course.
A few particular points - passing on advice from the ENO Chorus for forgotten words - all musical phrases can accommodate "Kiss my arse I come from Leeds" (*), stating how much she misses Charles Mackerras, how she encountered the work of Britten through her career, treasures the memory of Peter Grimes(**) on the beach at Aldeburgh, and her friendship with Mark Simpson - playing an excerpt from "The Immortal" from this year's Proms(***). Oh - she also chose the end of D. of Gerontius so she presents an opportunity for those on FoR3 for their usual jibe and for those who proudly can't recognise Elgar when they come across it - they need only miss the final 10 minutes of the programme to maintain the purity of their Elgar free musical memory.
For me - well worth a listen

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b097s92m

* Wish I'd known this when I gave up singing on stage (chorus usually) for inability to memorise words, That was after a serious illness where I also lost a lot of musculature and my singing voice - and got it back after a couple of years, but memorising remained very problematic. (Although, truth to tell, I wasn't over keen on appearing on stage).
** There's a coincidence, for me - I was drawn away from choral singing to participate in the chorus for "Peter Grimes" - I didn't mind whether the non-professional company was much good, I just wanted to sing it.
*** To correct the attribution in the programme - the vocalists in the excerpt were London Voices - astonishing prowess, I observed them from the ranks of the Large Chorus (voices of disembodied spirits) in the Prom performance.

[pastoralguy]

I had a friend who worked with Lesley Garrett at ENO for an extended period of time. She confirmed that she was a generous colleague who would go out of her way to be welcoming to new members of the company, especially young people. She was a very hard worker who was respected by all who she interacted with.

Above all, said my friend, she was 'Game'! She'd at least try to put the demands on her into action but, equally, would not allow junior members of the company to be bullied into doing anything they were not comfortable with.

A lovely woman.

[french frank]

I had a friend who worked with Lesley Garrett at ENO for an extended period of time. She confirmed that she was a generous colleague who would go out of her way to be welcoming to new members of the company, especially young people. She was a very hard worker who was respected by all who she interacted with.

Above all, said my friend, she was 'Game'! She'd at least try to put the demands on her into action but, equally, would not allow junior members of the company to be bullied into doing anything they were not comfortable with.

A lovely woman.

Respect! It appears that she only played two pieces in the two-hour programme, unless the technology has had a malfunction.

Sad, but how ever nice performers are as human beings, that is of little importance to the paying customers. I have no quarrel whatever with her crossover career, though I'm unlikely to bother with it - personally - because it's the crossover that doesn't interest me, however splendidly performed.

[Stanfordian]

Respect! It appears that she only played two pieces in the two-hour programme, unless the technology has had a malfunction.

Sad, but how ever nice performers are as human beings, that is of little importance to the paying customers. I have no quarrel whatever with her crossover career, though I'm unlikely to bother with it - personally - because it's the crossover that doesn't interest me, however splendidly performed.

Her moniker the 'Doncaster Diva' always makes me smile!

[Cockney Sparrow]

Respect! It appears that she only played two pieces in the two-hour programme, unless the technology has had a malfunction.

Sad, but how ever nice performers are as human beings, that is of little importance to the paying customers. I have no quarrel whatever with her crossover career, though I'm unlikely to bother with it - personally - because it's the crossover that doesn't interest me, however splendidly performed.

Yes the technology has malfunctioned - perhaps when there is a human being around on Monday, it will go on the list to be expanded. And I agree with you about crossover**. She didn't focus on the showbiz "Classic FM" side of her activities of the 21st century and wasn't overly promoting her current commercial activities (no recent CD or book; she spoke to the theme of musical memory). She had some interesting things to say generally from childhod, experience as a student, then the full blown (complete) opera performing years. As pastoralguy encapsulated, a decent and lovely person, and it was good to hear.

(**Although - I have been on stage in the chorus backing Andrea Bocelli at the O2 (and on the same bill - Ariana Grande - it took two weeks for her name to connect after the Manchester Arena attack. She performed solo at the O2). The whole O2 event was something of an experience - I would never have paid for a ticket. A bit like being taken to the Races for the day by a business contact - something different and unlikely to be repeated).

[Richard Tarleton]

Rachel Podger an engaging host on this pm's - after a predominantly early and baroque programme she's just ending with the Corries .

[BBMmk2]

Never seem to get around to listening to this programme but with Rachel presenting, might be a go on this one!

[antongould]

Just listened to most of Sir Thomas Allen on Saturday ..... a good light seasonal listen for lads and lasses from the pit heaps ...... he has indicated he will finish with Finzi's In Terra Pax, so what's not to like .... I will have to hear the end in the morning as Wham and Wizard and Perry Como have taken over the kitchen .......