Record Review guest

[Stanfordian]

I’ve listening to 'Record Review' as I wanted to hear about the recent releases of Handel oratorios that are being discussed with Andrew McGregor. The guest Caroline Gill is one of the worst I’ve heard for radio, stuttering and stumbling through her dialogue. I don’t think I’ve ever heard as many “ums” and “ers” in a conversation. I can't stand any more. I’ve had to turn it off. Do the producers not trial guests to see if they can speak before engaging them?

[pastoralguy]

I’ve listening to 'Record Review' as I wanted to hear about the recent releases of Handel oratorios that are being discussed with Andrew McGregor. The guest Caroline Gill is one of the worst I’ve heard for radio, stuttering and stumbling through her dialogue. I don’t think I’ve ever heard as many “ums” and “ers” in a conversation. I can't stand any more. I’ve had to turn it off. Do the producers not trial guests to see if they can speak before engaging them?

A wee bit uncharitable there, Stanfordian. It is live after all and she's possibly a bit nervous despite the fact the Andrew is very good at putting guests at ease.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I'm enjoying the Handel Oratorio discussion and hadn't really noticed hesitancy (its not "Just a minute"....).

[Old Grumpy]

I'm enjoying the Handel Oratorio discussion and hadn't really noticed hesitancy (its not "Just a minute"....).

Me too! (not sure I'll be buying either of the boxes though)

OG

[kernelbogey]

A wee bit uncharitable there, Stanfordian. It is live after all and she's possibly a bit nervous despite the fact the Andrew is very good at putting guests at ease.

From bits I heard in the car she sounded to me knowledgeable and relaxed. On the other hand I think it was prerecorded: there was an odd jump in sound just as Andrew said '...she's here this morning...'.

[Alison]

She's quite a regular now.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I would rather they had a guest (however presentationally flawed) who is relevant and knowledgeable, than one who is there because he/she is famous, and goes on to say "I don't know much about classical music, but . . ."

[Cockney Sparrow]

Me too! (not sure I'll be buying either of the boxes though) OG

If you can access Naxos Music Library, I've just linked to the Carus recording of the Brockes Passion by way of updating my post (#21) on the NML thread. (And by searching "H" on the Carus Label pages, there are numerous other Handel recordings.

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?7506-Online-Naxos-music-library/page3

(p.s. - Apologies if you don't have access - my library provides access, and I have decent internet speeds. Anyone who would stream NML and whose local library, academic institution etc doesn't provide access, you could join the Barbican Library if you pass through London.......- see post #16)

[doversoul1]

Yes, Caroline Gill does um and er but I think the contents of her talk more than compensate it. She probably wouldn’t make a good presenter but as a reviewer, I think she is excellent. Personally, I prefer someone who gets a bit nervous but has a lot of interesting things to say about the subject to someone who is too confident to bother to think how s/he may sounds to the audience.

By the way, this is,I think, one of the CDs mentioned in the programme.

Athalia, HWV 52 (Hogwood)

Athalia (soprano) - Joan Sutherland
Josabeth (soprano) - Emma Kirkby
Joas (boy soprano) - Aled Jones
Joad (countertenor) - James Bowman
Mathan (tenor) - Anthony Rolfe Johnson
Abner (bass) - David Thomas

The Choir of New College, Oxford & the Academy of Ancient Music, dir. Christopher Hogwood (1986)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh19OKpp4Ng

[Richard Tarleton]

Yes, Caroline Gill does um and er but I think the contents of her talk more than compensate it. She probably wouldn’t make a good presenter but as a reviewer, I think she is excellent. Personally, I prefer someone who gets a bit nervous but has a lot of interesting things to say about the subject to someone who is too confident to bother to think how s/he may sounds to the audience.

Sounded OK to me! Perhaps a case for giving her the opportunity to do a scripted BAL type piece rather than making her chew the fat with the estimable Andrew, that should eliminate the ums and ers.

[MickyD]

I already have most of the recordings in the big new Decca box - but if I were thinking of buying it, I'd feel very disappointed not to have the vintage Hogwood recording of 'Messiah'. I'm sure the Pinnock version is excellent, but the Hogwood really is such a milestone in recorded music history.

[gurnemanz]

I thought she was rather good. Ums (more in evidence than ers) did not detract.

On that subject, I remember RE classes at school with a certain Rev Armstead who ummed and erred profusely. With nothing much better to do aged about 11, we used to do a tally and compare notes after the lesson. He certainly used to manage 60 or 70 per lesson.

[doversoul1]

I already have most of the recordings in the big new Decca box - but if I were thinking of buying it, I'd feel very disappointed not to have the vintage Hogwood recording of 'Messiah'. I'm sure the Pinnock version is excellent, but the Hogwood really is such a milestone in recorded music history.

Re: Messiah
I thought I’d misheard it. If any Handel performance/recording can be called historic, surely Hogwood and the AAM’s Messiah is?

[arthroceph]

May I add myself to one of those whom it didn't get down, and I didn't notice much.

However, I react badly too things being too slick, and she really seemed to have done her home work. Forced pleasantries seemed more genuine.

[Bryn]

Re: Messiah
I thought I’d misheard it. If any Handel performance/recording can be called historic, surely Hogwood and the AAM’s Messiah is?

Yeh but the Hogwood Messiah is in the L'Oiseau-lyre Baroque box (50 CDs). Unfortunately that has suffered a significant price increase since I bought it from amazon.fr last November.