'Classic FM-ification'

[gurnemanz]

Annoyingly, I woke up earlier than I needed to for a Sunday and tuned to R3, listening on earphones so as not to disturb my still dormant other half. They were playing the slow movement of the Chopin E Minor concerto in the classic Pollini recording. Just as I was getting ready in my head for the Rondo Finale a voice started waffling on about emails. So my day started badly. I have the CD so I shall probably dig out it and play the Rondo just to put things right. Even if they can make out a tenuous case for this bleeding chunk policy during the week when people are dashing around the place, surely they can take the time to give us whole works on a Sunday morning.

[cloughie]

Annoyingly, I woke up earlier than I needed to for a Sunday and tuned to R3, listening on earphones so as not to disturb my still dormant other half. They were playing the slow movement of the Chopin E Minor concerto in the classic Pollini recording. Just as I was getting ready in my head for the Rondo Finale a voice started waffling on about emails. So my day started badly. I have the CD so I shall probably dig out it and play the Rondo just to put things right. Even if they can make out a tenuous case for this bleeding chunk policy during the week when people are dashing around the place, surely they can take the time to give us whole works on a Sunday morning.

Sorry no they can't - a zero tolerance policy on BCs should be applied.

[Bax-of-Delights]

I inadvertently found myself listening to part of this morning's 'Breakfast Show'. I was struck by the following:
(1) There were lots of short pieces, mostly excised from longer works;
(2) The standard of presentation was really pretty poor, with a number of fluffs and the occasional burst of gabbling;
(3) There was a telephone conversation which seemed determined to conflate a listener's medical condition early in September 2011 (regrettable as that undoubtedly was for the person concerned) with the wider, continuing ramifications of the World Trade Centre atrocity; and
(4) Just to make sure that we realized that what we had been listening to was sad, this was followed by a (to me) intolerably dreary, seemingly interminable rendition of Barber's 'Adagio for Strings' by Leonard Slatkin and the New York Philharmonic.
I freely admit to being moved to tears by particular pieces of music, for musical and/or extra-musical reasons, but I have no desire to inflict the details on others (who, I'm equally sure, have no desire to have them inflicted on them).
What differences, if any, are there between the above and the 'Our Tune' feature that Simon Bates used to host on Classic FM?

Absolutely none whatsoever and the Your Call section this morning was particularly mawkish and chosen by the producers, one supposes, because it was the Barber: Adagio.
It would appear the Lowest Common Denominator is fully in play here:
A) What would appeal to the CFM listener?
B) Sob story
C) Barber's Adagio.

Bingo! - A Full house.

The presenters should all be hanging their heads in shame. Not one of them who present 3Beebies or Essential Classics has the guts to stand up and fight against this utter drivel. They take the shilling and not only compromise their own reputations but also are the officers of the destruction of a once wonderful and unique radio station.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

What differences, if any, are there between the above and the 'Our Tune' feature that Simon Bates used to host on Classic FM?

Well, they don't play that schmalzy music in the background as they read out the "moving story" on master Bates' programme.






Yet!

[EdgeleyRob]

Well, they don't play that schmalzy music in the background as they read out the "moving story" on master Bates' programme.






Yet!

Watch this space !

[Osborn]

I inadvertently found myself listening to part of this morning's 'Breakfast Show'. I was struck by the following:
(1) There were lots of short pieces, mostly excised from longer works;
(2) The standard of presentation was really pretty poor, with a number of fluffs and the occasional burst of gabbling;
(3) There was a telephone conversation which seemed determined to conflate a listener's medical condition early in September 2011 (regrettable as that undoubtedly was for the person concerned) with the wider, continuing ramifications of the World Trade Centre atrocity; and
(4) Just to make sure that we realized that what we had been listening to was sad, this was followed by a (to me) intolerably dreary, seemingly interminable rendition of Barber's 'Adagio for Strings' by Leonard Slatkin and the New York Philharmonic.
I freely admit to being moved to tears by particular pieces of music, for musical and/or extra-musical reasons, but I have no desire to inflict the details on others (who, I'm equally sure, have no desire to have them inflicted on them).
What differences, if any, are there between the above and the 'Our Tune' feature that Simon Bates used to host on Classic FM?

I didn't hear the show/programme but I think that's a pretty good post because it confines itself to the facts & isn't an over emotional rant. Well worth emailing to the programme, I think.

[Frances_iom]

I .. Well worth emailing to the programme, I think.

and do you think it will make an hap'orth of difference - the slide to CFm style continues even faster.
however I suspect this de-intellectualisation of programmes aiming for mass appeal is common - eg there is an article in this month's edition of Archaeology that Channel4 wishes to 'recruit a female co-presenter .. who does not have to be overly experienced or knowledgeable" hence resignation of long term Time-team member Mike Aston - sounds very familr with R3's policy on new female DJ's one of whose main abilities seems to be able to tweet or retweet without a moments thought or hesitation.

[John Wright]

I caught Breakfast on Friday playing part of Britten's War Requiem, I think it was from the original Britten/Pears, and Trelawney was chatting to someone on the phone and said something like 'funny how no recording since has been so powerful...'

FUNNY! FUNNY!?!

[Norfolk Born]

CORRECTION:
The very slow Barber Adagio to which I referred earlier was conducted by Leonard Bernstein, not Leonard Slatkin, and comes in at just over 10 minutes...