Building a Library - General Discussion

[Serial_Apologist]

The format of BAL seems to vary; sometimes it's a monologue, other occasions a reviewer being steered by AMG in a (semi-scripted?) chat. I much prefer the former, but wonder if less confident broadcasters fare better in the latter?

Horses for courses then...

[pastoralguy]

The format of BAL seems to vary; sometimes it's a monologue, other occasions a reviewer being steered by AMG in a (semi-scripted?) chat. I much prefer the former, but wonder if less confident broadcasters fare better in the latter?

I've heard that argument before and have always felt that, surely, doing it live is more stressful than simply sitting in a studio recording ones thoughts with a producer and a technician.

[Study Session]

I've heard that argument before and have always felt that, surely, doing it live is more stressful than simply sitting in a studio recording ones thoughts with a producer and a technician.

You raise a good point - not sure, though, if all the two-way segments for BAL are live? The guest who comes in later to talk about records on a certain theme generally seems to be, though.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The format of BAL seems to vary; sometimes it's a monologue, other occasions a reviewer being steered by AMG in a (semi-scripted?) chat. I much prefer the former, but wonder if less confident broadcasters fare better in the latter?

I'd hate to do a BaL with someone constantly interrupting me.

If a broadcaster lacks the confidence to do an illustrated comparative review (which can normally be pre-recorded) perhaps he/she is in the wrong job.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Or is he being cast as the public donkey being led by experts?

That's a common technique used on TV documentaries. I like Ellie Harrison on Countryfile, as she's the only one who can really bring this off without it sounding embarrassing. She switches from donkey to her real intelligent self almost immediately and seamlessly, yet doesn't given the impression of being a know-all.

[vinteuil]

That's a common technique used on TV documentaries. I like Ellie Harrison on Countryfile, as she's the only one who can really bring this off without it sounding embarrassing. She switches from donkey to her real intelligent self almost immediately and seamlessly, yet doesn't given the impression of being a know-all.

... what's wrong with being a know-all?

I like and approve of know-alls.


.

[Serial_Apologist]

... what's wrong with being a know-all?

I like and approve of know-alls.


.

Because it raises the thorny issue of "jack of all trades, master of none", though I prefer "polymath", which a quite famous jazz musician introduced me as being to Derek Drescher!

[Barbirollians]

I've heard that argument before and have always felt that, surely, doing it live is more stressful than simply sitting in a studio recording ones thoughts with a producer and a technician.

Nicholas Baragwanath’s repeating what he had said two minutes before in the Mahler 4 suggests you are right - I checked to see if the podcast had rewound itself before I realised he was just saying what he had said before.

[underthecountertenor]

I'd hate to do a BaL with someone constantly interrupting me.

If a broadcaster lacks the confidence to do an illustrated comparative review (which can normally be pre-recorded) perhaps he/she is in the wrong job.

But most of the reviewers would not see themselves as broadcasters, first and foremost or (in some cases) at all, surely? They are generally academics and/or journalists and/or performers, who may be more or less comfortable and experienced in front of a microphone, whether live or recording. I'd rather have an insightful survey, imperfectly or nervously presented by an expert in the field than professionally delivered superficiality.

I would have thought that a recorded BaL would put non-broadcasters at their ease, but only if the conditions were right (i.e. not rushed, with opportunities for re-takes). My (possibly rose-tinted) memory of old BaLs would suggest that the reviewers had all the time in the world, but that may be at least in part down to the subject of this thread - the sheer size of the task.

[Serial_Apologist]

But most of the reviewers would not see themselves as broadcasters, first and foremost or (in some cases) at all, surely? They are generally academics and/or journalists and/or performers, who may be more or less comfortable and experienced in front of a microphone, whether live or recording. I'd rather have an insightful survey, imperfectly or nervously presented by an expert in the field than professionally delivered superficiality.

I would have thought that a recorded BaL would put non-broadcasters at their ease, but only if the conditions were right (i.e. not rushed, with opportunities for re-takes). My (possibly rose-tinted) memory of old BaLs would suggest that the reviewers had all the time in the world, but that may be at least in part down to the subject of this thread - the sheer size of the task.

I have to say, from an experience I had many years ago, being interviewed on Radio Bristol, that having an interviewer who is himself or herself at ease is an enormous factor in how one fares as the interviewee. Such was the reputation of said interviewer that a group of musicians who were due on for interview immediately after me had asked well beforehand what questions they were to be asked, and had prepared written answers - which I had not!

[Master Jacques]

But most of the reviewers would not see themselves as broadcasters, first and foremost or (in some cases) at all, surely?

And that, my learned friends, is the whole trouble. The standard of broadcasting on Radio 3 (though not, interestingly, Radio 4, in my opinion) has plummeted, as more and more academics, performers and record-store proprietors pile in to the party. It is clear that broadcasting is not their bag, even though AMcG does his very best to make them feel at ease, and as if they were saying sensible things. Like him or not, he is a broadcasting pro who can do these things standing on his head.

I sometimes suspect that the 'twofer' has arisen, at least in part because a lot of the people now asked to do BaL simply do not have the skills to broadcast for 45 minutes, without interruption, deviation and hesitation!

[pastoralguy]

I sometimes suspect that the 'twofer' has arisen, at least in part because a lot of the people now asked to do BaL simply do not have the skills to broadcast for 45 minutes, without interruption, deviation and hesitation!

I've always thought that if I were invited to do a BaL I'd have the script timed and timed and timed until it couldn't go wrong! (Much the same way I'd approach playing a concerto in public although I'm not likely to be invited to do either!)

I don't remember anyone sounding nervous or out their depth back in the days when BaL was pre-recorded.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I've always thought that if I were invited to do a BaL I'd have the script timed and timed and timed until it couldn't go wrong! (Much the same way I'd approach playing a concerto in public although I'm not likely to be invited to do either!)

I don't remember anyone sounding nervous or out their depth back in the days when BaL was pre-recorded.

Exactly - and there were as many "academics, performers and record-store proprietors" involved in the '70s and '80s as there have been in recent years. Nor, do I think, did Richard Osborne or Edward Greenfield [for example] see themselves as "broadcasters, first and foremost" either.

Whatever "problems" people might perceive in recent BaLs, they are tiny in contrast with those that have emerged as the programme shifts focus on [whichever presenter is in charge, in most cases Andrew McGregor]. The Beeb took a format that wasn't really broken, and, in "fixing" it, have made it incomparably worse.



For me, at any rate.

[jayne lee wilson]

And that, my learned friends, is the whole trouble. The standard of broadcasting on Radio 3 (though not, interestingly, Radio 4, in my opinion) has plummeted, as more and more academics, performers and record-store proprietors pile in to the party. It is clear that broadcasting is not their bag, even though AMcG does his very best to make them feel at ease, and as if they were saying sensible things. Like him or not, he is a broadcasting pro who can do these things standing on his head.

I sometimes suspect that the 'twofer' has arisen, at least in part because a lot of the people now asked to do BaL simply do not have the skills to broadcast for 45 minutes, without interruption, deviation and hesitation!

Absolutely.
However they saw themselves in terms of broadcasting, Osborne, Greenfield, Robert Layton and other Old Gramophonians were great communicators, most of whom had a smooth, articulate delivery before a microphone (Jon Swain still has these qualities and should do the BaL more often - remember his excellent Martinu 6 survey a while back?).
I'm afraid, like so many others recently, neither Baragwanath nor Parham had that particular skill, as their delivery was riddled with repetition, tired phrases, cliché and so on.

It plainly isn't just the dialogue format that is to blame, and for me, Andrew MacGregor himself is fine as a presenter in either role.
Perhaps the invitees could do better working from a singleton script-and-address, but well, I wonder... they still have to write it (or someone does)...and then say it, say it well, with articulacy, clarity, cadence and hopefully a degree of expressiveness too.

No pressure then....

[gradus]

Absolutely.
However they saw themselves in terms of broadcasting, Osborne, Greenfield, Robert Layton and other Old Gramophonians were great communicators, most of whom had a smooth, articulate delivery before a microphone (Jon Swain still has these qualities and should do the BaL more often - remember his excellent Martinu 6 survey a while back?).
I'm afraid, like so many others recently, neither Baragwanath nor Parham had that particular skill, as their delivery was riddled with repetition, tired phrases, cliché and so on.

It plainly isn't just the dialogue format that is to blame, and for me, Andrew MacGregor himself is fine as a presenter in either role.
Perhaps the invitees could do better working from a singleton script-and-address, but well, I wonder... they still have to write it (or someone does)...and then say it, say it well, with articulacy, clarity, cadence and hopefully a degree of expressiveness too.

No pressure then....

Bit harsh about Lucy Parham, I thought she spoke insightfully and interestingly about the Schumann.