BaL 4.05.19 - Beethoven: Piano Trios Op. 1

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Gramophone has a feature where they have 2 reviewers look at a classic recording of several decades vintage. I particularly like the ones where the reviewers are of different generations and therefore tend to have different perspectives.
Perhaps this works better in print than live radio, and also it helps that the focus is one just one recording

I'd warmly welcome a new "Reputations" section of the programme (or a new series of programmes) in which a pair (or more) of authorities, different every week, discuss a single "benchmark"-type recording is scrutinised.

But that would be a very different matter from what we have now: the same non-specialist presenter adding unhelpful little asides every week to the review of a selection of recordings with a view to helping listeners add to their record collection ... and to their knowledge of a work. As Alpie mentioned earlier - nobody has sufficient range of knowledge of repertoire and recording history to be able to pull this off successfully thirty weeks a year, which is what looks threatened for the programme for the future.

[jayne lee wilson]

The Gramophone has a feature where they have 2 reviewers look at a classic recording of several decades vintage. I particularly like the ones where the reviewers are of different generations and therefore tend to have different perspectives.
Perhaps this works better in print than live radio, and also it helps that the focus is one just one recording

Yes, "Classics Reconsidered" (live Radio would have the benefit of excerpts of course...)....and responding to ts' point, the Gramophone back page has "My Music" where an artist from another field - writers, filmmakers etc- write about their music history and musical loves...
"Collection" is a better BaL or an IoR....(Nielsen Violin Concerto this month, AM, excellent...)
The earlier "Reputations" feature lives on as "Icons" in the present Gramophone, but focussing on artists rather than works...

Despite the criticism often levelled at Gramophone round here, it has several such features that Radio 3 could easily and beneficially adumbrate...what a damaging shame it was when Radio 3 was removed from the connections and influences of the magazine in the 1990s. Gramophone has had its rough times since, yes - but Radio 3 could learn from it once again now...

[pastoralguy]

Mrs. PG and I had a long car journey this morning and, of course, put Record Review on. After the initial summing up of the new releases which was very interesting, we got to BaL. it was almost unlistenable. Much as I am Andrew McGregor's biggest fan, the constant and unnecessary interruptions reminded me of a dog constantly pulling on a lead. You could tell the reviewer was desperately trying to stick to her considerations only to be pulled off course. I'm more than happy to believe that Andrew is simply 'following orders' from on high but it's not, for this listener, working.

Very sad for all concerned.

[visualnickmos]

Mrs. PG and I had a long car journey this morning and, of course, put Record Review on. After the initial summing up of the new releases which was very interesting, we got to BaL. it was almost unlistenable. Much as I am Andrew McGregor's biggest fan, the constant and unnecessary interruptions reminded me of a dog constantly pulling on a lead. You could tell the reviewer was desperately trying to stick to her considerations only to be pulled off course. I'm more than happy to believe that Andrew is simply 'following orders' from on high but it's not, for this listener, working.

Very sad for all concerned.

Quite. Such a shame that dumbing down is king. It really is NOT the way forward. If Radio 3 really wants more "young" listeners - just play pop!

[visualnickmos]

I am, of course, talking very tongue in cheek. I have been patient with these two-handers, and to be fair, one or two (at most) have been OK-ish, but of late - no; Saturday's was pretty awful.

[richardfinegold]

Yes, "Classics Reconsidered" (live Radio would have the benefit of excerpts of course...)....and responding to ts' point, the Gramophone back page has "My Music" where an artist from another field - writers, filmmakers etc- write about their music history and musical loves...
"Collection" is a better BaL or an IoR....(Nielsen Violin Concerto this month, AM, excellent...)
The earlier "Reputations" feature lives on as "Icons" in the present Gramophone, but focussing on artists rather than works...

Despite the criticism often levelled at Gramophone round here, it has several such features that Radio 3 could easily and beneficially adumbrate...what a damaging shame it was when Radio 3 was removed from the connections and influences of the magazine in the 1990s. Gramophone has had its rough times since, yes - but Radio 3 could learn from it once again now...

I really enjoy the current features in Gramophone and hope that they continue in their present course

[mikealdren]

Despite the criticism often levelled at Gramophone round here, it has several such features that Radio 3 could easily and beneficially adumbrate...what a damaging shame it was when Radio 3 was removed from the connections and influences of the magazine in the 1990s. Gramophone has had its rough times since, yes - but Radio 3 could learn from it once again now...

I agree about Gramophone, it went through an awful few years and I cancelled my subscription but it did listen to criticism (unlike Radio3) and it's now much better again. It's easier to influence a magazine, we stop buying, they have to change or go out of business, The sad thing with Record Review is that listener numbers will drop and they will probably just say "it's had its day, let's replace it with something else."

[Stanfordian]

I agree about Gramophone, it went through an awful few years and I cancelled my subscription but it did listen to criticism (unlike Radio3) and it's now much better again. It's easier to influence a magazine, we stop buying, they have to change or go out of business, The sad thing with Record Review is that listener numbers will drop and they will probably just say "it's had its day, let's replace it with something else."

So true!

[DracoM]

........like 'Interpretations on Record' maybe???

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

........like 'Interpretations on Record' maybe???

A bit like ... IoR used to have a single presenter (rather than a discussion between two or more) and the focus was on a more scholarly investigation into changing performing practice as demonstrated in a single work. Terrific stuff.

I think that the Gramophone articles are discussions between two critics (a different pair each month) who select one recording that was highly praised at the time it first appeared, and/or that has achieved "benchmark" status - and put the reputation under the microscope.

Both formats would be infinitely preferable to the current embarrassment that is the Twofer presentation of BaL - but then so would a return to the solo review.

So many good ideas for programmes - so little actually delivered.

[DracoM]

Well,whatever, it'd be worth a try coming back.

[Lento]

I'd warmly welcome a new "Reputations" section of the programme (or a new series of programmes) in which a pair (or more) of authorities, different every week, discuss a single "benchmark"-type recording is scrutinised.

[verismissimo]

As suggested elsewhere, please could we have a completely separate thread, tentatively entitled 'Whinging about BAL'?

[visualnickmos]

Back on topic!

The BaL seemed to suggest that Stern was very (too?) sugary in his recording (Sony) I agree - he is, but in the last mvt of Trio no. 1 - wow! His playing is stupendous - even miraculous. It's worth having, even if one listens only to that last mvt.... Not something I would want to make habit of, mind.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

As suggested elsewhere, please could we have a completely separate thread, tentatively entitled 'Whinging about BAL'?

That one was answered in #41.

The fact seems to be (and it's four-and-a-half hours since you posted this, so I've given time for comments about the review itself to be posted - and thank you visnick) that Forumistas who used to enjoy commenting on BaLs just don't have the same enthusiasm to listen to the programme in anything like the same numbers because of the twofer format. Mal (in #32) managed to salvage the best bits of the review in under 40 words. Otherwise, the most useful discussions about the works have had nothing to do with yesterday's programme.

If there was anything else worth discussing that came up in the BaL, nobody has seen fit to mention it - if there wasn't, then comments (that you suggest might tentatively be described as "whinging") critical of the programme, and imagining improvements to it are legitimately at home on this Thread.