Breakfast? No (or very little) comment!

[Norfolk Born]

suffolcoastal - this morning will doubtless have been a joy for Mr P, who likes his 'Breakfast' to be a comforting warm bath.
But for those who expect a bit more from Radio3 ?

Purcell - Sound the Trumpet
Fauré - Pavane
Dvorak - Slavonic Dance
Elgar - Pomp and Circumstance
Macdowell - To a wild rose
Chopin - Waltz
Pugnani/Kreisler
Ravel - Alborado del gracioso
Leoncavallo - Pag: Vesti la Giubba
Eric Coates - London Suite
Handel - Where e'er you walk
Barber - Adagio
Grieg - Morning, from Peer Gynt
Dvorak - another Slavonic Dance

Surely even Rob Cowan must be grinding his teeth by now?

Are you sure you haven't posted the CFM playlist by mistake?

[Quarky]

Oddball I object to your remarks. I am well over pensionable age and I usually find something in the programme, .

Apologies Salymap and Bax-of-Delights for causing offence - none intended. I too am an OAP!

Rob is of course one of the most knowledgeable presenters on R3, and I am sure that his playlists are being dictated by faceless marketing Executives, who have determined where their core audience lies, and the type of music they like.

It seems to me that as I stated he is aiming at the over 60's (at least) category. Of the many millions of over 60's in this country, I think that Salymap and Bax-of -Delights prove by their intellect, that they are the exception that proves the rule, the rule in this case being that the over 60s, so far as Radio 3 are concerned, like Victor Meldrew, have one foot in the grave. Rob does have a very sensitive bedside manner, which he uses to advantage!

[Don Petter]

the over 60s, so far as Radio 3 are concerned, like Victor Meldrew, have one foot in the grave.

If I could only reach from my pram, I'd bash someone over the head with my rattle!

DP (60+never you mind. Still probably too young at heart).

[kernelbogey]

Has anyone commenting here ever been asked for their opinion of R3 either direct by the BBC or via a market research organisation? There used to be a voluntary listeners' panel: my Dad participated for a few years, and would send in a small slip for each programme he listened to, on which there was a space for optional comments. Does this still exist? I've been a listener to R3 & predecessors for 50 years but have never been asked for my views on the programmes.

[Norfolk Born]

If he's aiming at the over 60's, he's missed in at least one case (I'm 67). I suspect there are many more exceptions than people realize. And if it's to be a contest for the ear of the over 60's, my money's on John Suchet any day!

[Mr Pee]

But for those who expect a bit more from Radio3 ?

You say "expect a bit more" as if there's something wrong with the music above. There isn't. The fact that you and I know it very well doesn't make it any less worthwhile.

And yes, in the early morning I'm quite happy with this music- it's enough of a challenge coaxing myself up and getting going for the day. Besides, there is plenty of more "challenging" fare on Radio3, and anybody who can be bothered to spend a few minutes with the Radio Times can very soon find it. But in the mornings, when people are making breakfast, feeding children and getting them off to school, or driving themselves to work, I don't see what's wrong with a "lighter" option.


And I agree that the list above may seem unadventurous, but why should a small core of knowledgeable listeners deny this wonderful music to those who may be discovering it for the first time? That seems a singularly selfish approach. Would you rather these potential long-term Radio3 listeners stayed forever with Classic FM? Where then will Radio3 be in 20 or even 10 years time?

[antongould]

Oh dear whilst I have within this thread tried to champion/defend Breakfast this morning's playlist, which thankfully I missed, is, in even my view, a bridge too far!

[doversoul1]

I think Mr Pee has a point. It wasn’t all that long time ago when I was a new comer to Radio3, with interest in but a vague idea about classical music. Then, I was glad to hear whatever was played and if I heard a few familiar pieces, I felt reassured that I wasn’t so completely ignorant. I wouldn’t say there is a stream of new comers but there must be a few every day or at least every week. So, it is really a matter of balance, I think.

But this is no excuse for reading out all those texts about somebody’s headache etc. and irrelevant (to classical music) articles.

vinteuil
Surely even Rob Cowan must be grinding his teeth by now?

I am sure he is. I have noticed that Rob makes mistakes rather frequently these days and puts on an odd emphasis here and there on sentences, as if to say Oh what a xxxx...

[Frances_iom]

I listened virtually aghast to this morning's programme which was either a car crash of programming, or merely redolent of an utterly eccentric tombola at a village fete.

I use Breakfast as an alarm wakeup - this morning it was switched off within a few minutes of the alarm at the first of the pop songs - a trial switchon whilst having breakfast sampled another pop/jazz item - silence was then preferable to R4 - I presume that new directions have been given that the selections are to be yet more popular pieces than before - in another thread I likened R3 to watching a friend decline with Alzheimers - the personality dissapears - in the radio case it becomes blander and more predictable in that the choice of items will be from a reduced pool - the loss of rationaility is seen by the style clashes as one genre bangs againts the next.

[Black Swan]

I agree with the previous post. I have not had a rant about R3 for some time but today was too much. I as the previous poster wasn't keen on some of the music but I don't like all music. But I was appalled that Rob C was running a text thread about Tinitis. This is silly. R3 has no business discussing human disease and in particular making comments about how horrible a disease is for someone to deal with. Really not on. I shut it off. As the previous poster stated I use it as an alarm clock but can find another station to do so. I have always enjoyed R3 but after all the text and email requests I'm off it. And in particular my respect for RC has diminished considerably.

John

[french frank]

I suspect the hope is that they've hooked some new listeners after the Mozartfest - and this is for them. Not us.

[Pianorak]

. . .I was appalled that Rob C was running a text thread about Tinitis.

I expect the coalition government might see an opening here for further cost-cutting: Tinnitus? Listen to classical music on R3 instead of bothering your GP and the NHS.

[Mr Pee]

I suspect the hope is that they've hooked some new listeners after the Mozartfest

And I hope that they have as well, because without new listeners, and given the unending financial pressure on the BBC, Radio3 will wither and die along with the rest of us. If attracting and keeping those new listeners means some of us have to put up with a few "lollipops" and and a bit of audience interactivity, then that's a small price to pay.

It's not as if they're blasting out rap music.

[StephenO]

I listened virtually aghast to this morning's programme which was either a car crash of programming, or merely redolent of an utterly eccentric tombola at a village fete.

There seemed to be one lollipop after another until the collision point of Thomas Quasthoff singing 'Ain't No Sunshine', followed by a cacaphonous period of shouting and yelping masquerading as a gospel spiritual with Jessye Norman and close on the heals of that an axe-grinding arrangement of a proms perennial for organ by Judith Weir.

I would happily have booked them each on a celebrity cruise on a virtual SS Titanic.

I can only agree. Truly appalling performances from the usually wonderful Quasthoff and Norman and a version of Pomp and Circumstance the awfulness of which defies description. Add to that a pair of countertenors sounding more like badly played sopranino recorders than trumpets and I really did feel as though I'd descended into musical hell.

[Frances_iom]

: I really did feel as though I'd descended into musical hell.

I missed all the tinnitis etexts etc so maybe Rob was aurally illustrating just what such interior noises can sound like.
Re Mr Pee (tho I seem to recognise style from previous board as a series of everdecearesing names) - there would appear to be no evidence whatsoever by the few listening figures made public that decending towards the hell of rap music actually has gained listeners