In Tune

[Pulcinella]

It's very strange in that it's not really a mixtape as I'd understand it. A mixtape being something those of us of a certain vintage would put together to either impress girls with our sensitivity or boys with our in-depth knowledge of indie bands so obscure even its own members must have doubted their existence. They also call it 'curated' without saying who curated it or why, unlike the other 'playlists' that populate the far reaches of the iPlayer and social media.

But, leaving that aside, I was quite prepared to dislike it but I find that I quite enjoy it. It very much is background music which flips between moods and styles quickly, and obviously it is over and done inside 30 minutes so it's not going to provide any great depth on anything. It is quite a nice buffer between In Tune and the upcoming concert. Filler, yes, but not a bad example of what to do when your new schedule has a spare 30 minutes.

I inadvertently caught a bit the other day, before the evening concert.
Flips too quickly for me (no breathing space), and with really jarring juxtapositions of unrelated keys!
As to it being curated: Pah!

[gingerjon]

I inadvertently caught a bit the other day, before the evening concert.
Flips too quickly for me (no breathing space), and with really jarring juxtapositions of unrelated keys!
As to it being curated: Pah!

I've listened to five or six of them now and some work noticeably better than others. Predictably, it's the ones with greater consistency of tone and mood that are the most successful.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I inadvertently caught a bit the other day, before the evening concert.
Flips too quickly for me (no breathing space), and with really jarring juxtapositions of unrelated keys!
As to it being curated: Pah!

I am glad some one else flagged up the key clash problem . It strikes me that the main function of a presenter link is to help us "forget " the key of the previous clip.

[peterthekeys]

Derham

Listening to "In Tune" at the moment (basically because I couldn't be bothered to get up and turn over to R4.) So I had a wonderful example of Derham tripping up over her obsession with (mis)pronouncing foreign names.

The piece just played was by Nikolai Kapustin. Apparently, KD had never heard of him, because she seemed to think he was French rather than Russian. So she didn't pronounce his surname as normal (basically as it's written.) Instead - it's difficult to describe what she actually said: imagine Inspector Clouseau trying to say the word "capstan".

Hilarious in the extreme (if it wasn't so disgraceful.) Wish she'd stick to dancing.

[teamsaint]

I am reliably, ( and I mean VERY reliably) that the mixtape takes a considerable use of time and resources.

[teamsaint]

Does the idea, by the remotest of chances, come from CFM's Smooth Classics?

The real test of these things is whether a Primary school teacher can mark between 60 and 90 books during the programme......

[DracoM]

Frankly, I am close to despair about R3:

Breakfast - I find cluttered, messy, structure-less
Essential Classics - partic with IS, his carer 'will-look-after-you' tone, repetitive CFM 'Smooth Classics' soundalikes
Mixtape - like why? The only plus is that it means less Rafferty. And there are 'mixtapes' appearing more and more - Late Junction has one.
CE increasingly recorded - at least that feels like an ominous trend BUT see what happens this term.
Proms: Bowie? Oklahoma? Erm...........?
Poetry: professional Yorkshireman i/c

Pluses:
COTW
RR
LJ
Alyn Shipton
Verity Sharp
Drama.

[peterthekeys]

Frankly, I am close to despair about R3

I agree. It's getting unbearable. For the first time, I'm seriously considering adding an internet radio module to my stereo system - just as an alternative.

To the list of pluses, I'd add Sarah Walker (whenever she's allowed to do her own thing rather than dance to the tune of some producer's whims and gimmicks,) and Words and Music.

[DracoM]

Yes, forgot Words and Music which can be VG.

[EdgeleyRob]

Frankly, I am close to despair about R3:

Breakfast - I find cluttered, messy, structure-less
Essential Classics - partic with IS, his carer 'will-look-after-you' tone, repetitive CFM 'Smooth Classics' soundalikes
Mixtape - like why? The only plus is that it means less Rafferty.
CE increasingly recorded - at least that feels like an ominous trend BUT see what happens this term.
Proms: Bowie? Oklahoma? Erm...........?
Poetry: professional Yorkshireman i/c

Pluses:
COTW
RR
LJ
Alyn Shipton
Verity Sharp
Drama.

I enjoy some lunchtime,afternoon and evening concerts and TTN.
I don't listen to Drama or Jazz and I'm not sure RR (especially BAL)is what it used to be (don't suppose interpretations on record will ever return)
But yes,6am to midday and early evening are no go zones for me these days.

[hmvman]

...I'm seriously considering adding an internet radio module to my stereo system...

Me too!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Today, I was driving from Devon to Rickmansworth, so spend some time listening to a Linguaphone Spanish CD, but when my brain was becoming befuddled, I switched to Radio 3, catching the end of Afternoon on 3. That programme was interrupted by a trailer for In Tune, with KD being elevated to the position of Tsarina, the title causing the recipient to giggle like a teenager.
When In Tune began, we were told the Special Guest was to be Howard Goodall, who spoke with integrity, despite being addressed in the manor of a 1950s infant school teacher, followed by more teenage giggles. Desperate to be liked, we were predictably served up Black Adder and The Vicar of Dibley. I really detest being spoken down to.

[gradus]

'despite being addressed in the manor of a 1950s infant school teacher,'

Pay was better in those days.

(Couldn't resist Alpie)

[bluestateprommer]

Sally Matthews just sang Samuel Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with piano accompaniment by Matthew Fletcher, as part of the First Night In Tune festivities at Imperial College. This is actually the first time I've ever heard the work done with piano.

[Richard Tarleton]

Profile of Katie Derham in today's Times (Weekend section). 'She laughs fondly. "A lot of people feel quite scared of classical music, but if you let it just wash over you, there's a magic, a passion at its heart. I always weep in Villa Lobos's Bachianas Brasilieras".



Where to start in listing the things wrong with her first sentence? (I don't believe the second for a moment - presumably she's referring to no.5, or does it all make her weep?).

I wish they (R3) would stop saying that - (about being scared) - I can't think of anything more off-putting. It's presumably to justify the real next sentence which is "Therefore you need people like me/us to intercede on your behalf to make it less scary, and curate it for you".

Classical music isn't a monolithic thing (is it?), with a magic or a passion at its heart? Either to be scared of or to let wash over you?