I fear they've defeated us.

[johnb]

I don't like the fairly recent innovation of chopping up concerts for the Lunchtime "Concert", presumably to make them go further.

Before the current "chopping up" policy for LTCs came in they usually over-ran the one hour slot and the over-run could be up to 20 minutes. This must have made the sceduling for the following programme "interesting". I just wonder whether some tediously tidy minded person decided to stop this practice and enforce a strict one hour slot, resulting in the current pick and mix policy.

(The LTC is now yet another R3 programme I have stopped listening to.)

[aeolium]

Before the current "chopping up" policy for LTCs came in they usually over-ran the one hour slot and the over-run could be up to 20 minutes. This must have made the sceduling for the following programme "interesting". I just wonder whether some tediously tidy minded person decided to stop this practice and enforce a strict one hour slot, resulting in the current pick and mix policy.

Yes, obviously a normal concert will not fit into the 1-hour lunchtime slot but there's no reason at all why Ao3 has to start precisely at 2 pm as it's usually just a mix of pieces recorded by the various BBC orchestras (and for that matter, no reason why In Tune has to start at 4.30). The Lunchtime Concert used to be one of the few slots where you could hear a whole chamber music concert, lieder recital or solo recital - the Monday Wigmore Hall concert still is that, and it is also live - so it is a shame to lose that.

[muzzer]

My new bedside radio has got internet radio on it, and there are zillions of stations available - far more than the presets will remember - from all over the world, playing wall to wall whatever you like - single composers, sub-genres etc. In some way it's bliss, but the reality is that once you remove "real-time" from broadcasting, it's just "on demand".

Not wishing to get metaphysical or nuffink but one by-product of the information proliferation revolution is that the concept of the present moment in time is becoming more elastic. If everything is available to listen afterwards, then why not 'before'?

Or to summarise for those of a certain vintage - "is it real or is it memorex?"

R3 has cut its own throat. It should have led its core audience to understand what's available, not followed a dumbed-down agenda dictated by the commercial sector.

[french frank]

An aim of Radio 3 management over the past ten years has been to change a 'no fixed points' station into 'all fixed points', like every other station (not TV channels, of course, when they're broadcasting live golf &c and that overruns).

One reason, presumably, is that being able to rely on the fixed points makes iPlayer delivery easier. Though why it couldn't be made seamlessly continuous, with a more comprehensive index of the point at which programmes or pieces are playing I'm not competent to suggest.

Yes, obviously a normal concert will not fit into the 1-hour lunchtime slot but there's no reason at all why Ao3 has to start precisely at 2 pm as it's usually just a mix of pieces recorded by the various BBC orchestras (and for that matter, no reason why In Tune has to start at 4.30). The Lunchtime Concert used to be one of the few slots where you could hear a whole chamber music concert, lieder recital or solo recital - the Monday Wigmore Hall concert still is that, and it is also live - so it is a shame to lose that.

[vinteuil]

My new bedside radio has got internet radio on it...

... is it one that you can recommend? Our bedside radio will need replacing soon, and an internettled one wd be an attractive proposition....

[muzzer]

I think a lot of them do these days, it's nothing special, but it obviates the DAB debate. I'm also a big fan of using an ethernet and not relying on wifi.

[DracoM]

Try http://yle.fi/radio/yleklassinen/.
Excellent and very varied repertoire, just link announcements of details [in Finnish], but non-stop and in good bits.

[Barbirollians]

Apart from CD Review on Saturdays I cannot remember when I last listened to Radio 3 before lunchtime and Composer of the Week .

If Breakfast, Essential Classics and In Tune were cancelled permanently from tomorrow all my Christmases would have come at once !

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

If Breakfast, Essential Classics and In Tune were cancelled permanently from tomorrow all my Christmases would have come at once !

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

R£ and Aunt have lost the plot ..... in the scrabble for demographics they have lost or sacrificed [maybe they meant to do it] their 'authority' as retailers describe their percieved competence in the eyes of their customers ... retailers also speak of editorial strategies covering ranges they offer .... seems to me that R3 has sacrificed any sense of editorial authority in search of the likeable voice and natter, personalising its presentation, as well as messing about with its budgets and applying mendacity to the concept of "live" music

the controller of R£ should understand that he is already a remnant of the old culture, another way in which he resembles his brand idol F W Woolworths ....

[gurnemanz]

R£ and Aunt have lost the plot ..... in the scrabble for demographics they have lost or sacrificed [maybe they meant to do it] their 'authority' as retailers describe their percieved competence in the eyes of their customers ... retailes also speak of editorial strategies covering ranges they offer .... seems to me that R3 has sacrificed any sense of editorial authority in search of the likeable voice and natter, personalising its presentation, as well as messing about with its budgets and applying mendacity to the concept of "live" music

the controller of R£ should understand that he is already a remnant of the old culture, another way in which he resembles his brand idol F W Woolworths ....

Not sure what you're on about, but sign me up.

[Crowcatcher]

... is it one that you can recommend? Our bedside radio will need replacing soon, and an internettled one wd be an attractive proposition....

I bought a Pure Evoke Flow just over a year ago whichis pretty good, as is my new smart(arse) phone with "Tunein" radio app.

I also bought a second hand laptop which is plugged into my hi-fi equipment and listen to 'listen again' and a variety of internet stations via that - would particularly recommend NRK Klassik (Norway), Sverige P2 and Avro Klassiek (Dutch)

But mostly I record 'Through The Night' on my Freesat PVR and listen to that through the day - hugely entertaining selection of music (no bits) superbly presented.

What I used to do, before I finally gave uo listening to R3 in the mornings, was text comments to see which might be read out, the few favourable ones occasionally, the (many more) critical ones never - says it all!!!

[Sydney Grew]

Try http://yle.fi/radio/yleklassinen/.
Excellent and very varied repertoire, just link announcements of details [in Finnish], but non-stop and in good bits.

"02:09 Gershwin: Rapsodia n o 2 pianolle ja orkesterille. (Orion Weiss ja Buffalon FO/JoAnn Falletta)" - Ho hum . . .

[Bryn]

"02:09 Gershwin: Rapsodia n o 2 pianolle ja orkesterille. (Orion Weiss ja Buffalon FO/JoAnn Falletta)" - Ho hum . . .

Damn, and I missed this fine work in what promised to be a decent performance, given the conductor.