Classical Collection -now just an extension of Breakfast

[Don Petter]

Borodin's In the Steppes of Central Asia isn't currently broadcast as much as it was. Try adding La Mer, Prelude de l'apres midi d'un faune, Alborado del gracioso, Hungarian & Slavonic Dances, Peer Gynt (Grieg's) to the loop too!

No need to add - We had Alborado yesterday!

[Suffolkcoastal]

We've another example of very sloppy/lazy programming next Tuesday (15th), with Stravinsky's Firebird Suite on 'Extended Breakfast' and then the whole ballet the same afternoon. Plus, you've guessed it, more Hungarian Dances (2 Pf version) on 'Extended Breakfast' too!

[Frances_iom]

VW: Lark Ascending

is it a protected species - otherwise I'd suggest shooting it - yet another bit of lazy programming along with Spring from Vivaldi (+ other seasons as appropriate to weather) - must be about time for Delius's cuckoo to come into view.

[Bryn]

We've another example of very sloppy/lazy programming next Tuesday (15th), with Stravinsky's Firebird Suite on 'Extended Breakfast' and then the whole ballet the same afternoon. Plus, you've guessed it, more Hungarian Dances (2 Pf version) on 'Extended Breakfast' too!

Well, it may have been sloppy/lazy schedule nit-picking, but I am glad to have had my attention drawn to the broadcast of the Kempe recording of the 1919 suite (a very different kettle of fish to the complete 1910 score). I also expect the Brabbins directed performance of the latter to be well worth listening to. An excellent idea to have the 1919 suite and the complete ballet score, with Composer of the Week coming between them, on the same day. What a pity that edition of Composer of the week does not include the 1945 reduced orchestra suite. It did, after all, fall withing the period being discussed.

[Suffolkcoastal]

Delius's Cuckoo flew into Breakfast this morning I see (now the schedule is finally up), along with yet another Slavonic Dance.

[Nick Armstrong]

Delius's Cuckoo flew into Breakfast this morning I see (now the schedule is finally up), along with yet another Slavonic Dance.

It was another bunch of syncopated old xylophone-based clap-trap by Copland that drew me urgently and with an oath from the bathroom to switch the radio over to the SD card recording of Saturday morning's Beethoven Fourth Piano Concerto extracts

[Bax-of-Delights]

The CC programming is treading the same old weary downward path I see. I hadn't listened to this programme for a couple of weeks and thought I'd give it a go this morning.
Wrong move.
Sleeping Beauty Waltz
Mother Goose Suite
and when the Planets was announced, I switched off.

And with Breakfast now importing a "celebrity" (er, just WHAT is that may I ask?) to give us the benefit of their five favourites (how many are going to choose Pierrot Lunaire do you think?) R3 is making the final transmogrification into CFM.

[barber olly]

The CC programming is treading the same old weary downward path I see. I hadn't listened to this programme for a couple of weeks and thought I'd give it a go this morning.
Wrong move.
Sleeping Beauty Waltz
Mother Goose Suite
and when the Planets was announced, I switched off.

...and if they must play The Planets, Andrew Davis' version is a safe rather than exciting version - why not at least choose an interesting historic version Holst, Stokowski, Steinberg, Bernstein... Another thought just occurred to me did Barbirolli ever record The Planets or for that matter any other Holst?

[Norfolk Born]

Can you please identify the splendid locomotive that is your current avatar?

[barber olly]

Can you please identify the splendid locomotive that is your current avatar?

Yes it is LNER Gresley A3 Pacific 60084 Trigo.
I would still be interested to know whether Barbirolli was interested in Holst music and if not what was his problem.

[mercia]

did Barbirolli ever record The Planets

on Amazon there are two (different) Barbirolli Planets listed

[Norfolk Born]

Thank you!

[barber olly]

on Amazon there are two (different) Barbirolli Planets listed

Merci hercule

I've checked Amazon - as you say 2 versions though looking at their origins possibly not offering the best sound, but this is type of recording we should be offered on CC to sample an airing.

[Barbirollians]

Being in the car a lot this week going to Cheltenham I couldn't believe what dreadful snipped based programmes Breakfast and Classic Collection are. Just like Classic FM except with the increasingly irritating Cowan and Sarah Walker sounding like she is reading a script .

Mark Thompson seems to say he is a Radio 3 listener in The Times - is he happy with this dross ?

[MickyD]

I have an 86 year old aunt who, it must be said, has never known anything much about classical music, but has found R3 agreeable company over the years whilst (for health reasons) being obliged to sit indoors for much of the time. Yesterday she told me that she has stopped listening to it because the morning programmes are "just full of irritating short bits and pieces of well-known tunes."