What's happened to Stephen Johnson?

[teamsaint]

presumably this is the sort of thing Johners is getting up to nowadays.

http://london.eventful.com/events/classical-vienna-/E0-001-068905481-2

a shame that Discovering Music can't have a wider brief than being a Brodies Notes show, laudable though that may be.

The world doesn't HAVE to be totally exam based.

[french frank]

I hadn't realised that Discovering Music was originally intended for teenagers

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...teenagers.html

Well, of course, as it says, it wasn't originally for teenagers:

"Discovering Music was originally created for serious music lovers rather than pupils, but has been adapted for a younger audience after anecdotal evidence suggested some A-level music students were listening to it. "

[If Honoured Guest was looking for evidence that R3 was targeting an 'age demographic' this is surely it.]

However, I wrote to Radio 3 when the original format was announced as undergoing a makeover, asking if it would be 'targeted at the same audience as before' - because it didn't sound like it. The reply was:

"No change in the target audience for Discovering Music, but the slot is longer." That was in 2003 when it was announced that it would have a studio audience asking questions and was 'giving conductor Charles Hazelwood [sic] his own weekly show Discovering Music'. Well, Hazlewood was dumped, Discovering Music turned into a concert interval talk and then dropped completely. Clearly, someone's ideas weren't considered too successful. Classic(al) case of if it ain't broke - fix it until it is.

[bluestateprommer]

Although already commented on in the thread on Antony Hopkins, a reminder doesn't hurt, as SJ is featured in the interval feature in Prom 10, in a tribute to Antony Hopkins (you can jump to about 1:06:34 for AH, and SJ joins in at 1:07:23):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04bwydl

[MrGongGong]

According to his website, he's still busy giving talks on music all over the place. But not for Radio 3.

I saw him in a bar last night
(but didn't say hello as I don't know him !)

[Barbirollians]

SJ's tributes to Hopkins unfortunately just show how much better a broadcaster Hopkins was !

[french frank]

Although already commented on in the thread on Antony Hopkins, a reminder doesn't hurt, as SJ is featured in the interval feature in Prom 10, in a tribute to Antony Hopkins (you can jump to about 1:06:34 for AH, and SJ joins in at 1:07:23):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04bwydl

Hopkins has, most noticeably (to me at least) a very musical voice, which I think would still stand the test of time if they resurrected some of his talks - and the voice is important for a broadcaster, as well as the content. He was only 8 years younger than Benjamin Britten, but I heard a short recording of Britten's voice and would call it 'prissy' (as Brian Sewell described his own voice). The voice/accent would be too distracting for nowadays.

[Zucchini]

I saw him in a bar last night
(but didn't say hello as I don't know him !)

So he didn't come over and shyly ask for your autograph?

[MrGongGong]

So he didn't come over and shyly ask for your autograph?

[Sir Velo]

I saw him in a bar last night
(but didn't say hello as I don't know him !)

You miserable so and so...

[vinteuil]

I saw him in a bar last night
(but didn't say hello as I don't know him !)

.

You miserable so and so...

... what, Sir Velo? - you acknowledge persons to whom you have not been introduced??

[MrGongGong]

.



... what, Sir Velo? - you acknowledge persons to whom you have not been introduced??

I'm sure he walks down the street ranting at passers by

[vinteuil]

I'm sure he walks down the street ranting at passers by

... well, yes, - but surely we all do that? I'm looking forward to the time when I am wheeled around in a bath-chair and I can RANT and WAVE MY STICK at people....

[MrGongGong]

I can RANT and WAVE MY STICK at people....

I didin't know you aspired to be a conductor

[Alison]

I accept his knowledge but his style grates for me . Discovering Music with Jonathan Swain now there would be a programme .

[Sir Velo]

I accept his knowledge but his style grates for me . Discovering Music with Jonathan Swain now there would be a programme .

I agree that JS is superbly knowledgeable, but whenever I hear him I feel like shouting, "give the man a double espresso now, someone!"