Spare me another newsreader given privileged access to programming

[smittims]

I haven't come across that! Though we did have a thread about 'cancelling' Elgar, as I recall.

[vinteuil]

I haven't come across that! Though we did have a thread about 'cancelling' Elgar, as I recall.

... you must recall various forumites' reactions to Gerontius

.

[Serial_Apologist]

... you must recall various forumites' reactions to Gerontius

.

And (of course) the Sea Pictures!

[LMcD]

I'm often asked, 'Who is your favourite composer?' and, depending on the day, my mood and other factors, the answer could be Mozart - or Vaughan Williams - or Sibelius - or Beethoven - or Brahms. On the other hand, if I were asked 'which composer means the most to you?' the answer would always be Elgar. When I'm listening to the passage to which cloughie refers, it's a phrase from Philip Larkin's MCMXIV which always comes to mind- Never such innocence again'.

Almost exactly 56 years ago, I sat in the front row of the stalls in the Herkulessaal in Munich, having paid the princely sum of 1DM for a special student ticket, and watched Jacqueline du Pre play the Cello Concerto. The programme note included the assertion that 'Elgar suffered from delayed late Romanticism' - perhaps that's the stage I've now reached!

[smittims]

No, I don't recall the Gerontius discussion, though there is this, from The Old Country, by Alan Bennett, which I've always found amusing (imagine Alec Guinness as Hilary):


Hilary; Anyway, I like Elgar.
Bron: You don't like Elgar.
Hilary: I do like Elgar.
Bron: I don't see how anyone can like Elgar. I would prefer anything to Elgar.
...(Hilary starts to get up laboriously)...
Bron: ...Except Vaughan Williams
...(Hilary sinks back).

[LMcD]

No, I don't recall the Gerontius discussion, though there is this, from The Old Country, by Alan Bennett, which I've always found amusing (imagine Alec Guinness as Hilary):


Hilary; Anyway, I like Elgar.
Bron: You don't like Elgar.
Hilary: I do like Elgar.
Bron: I don't see how anyone can like Elgar. I would prefer anything to Elgar.
...(Hilary starts to get up laboriously)...
Bron: ...Except Vaughan Williams
...(Hilary sinks back).

Incidentally, Alan Bennett finds room in 'The History Boys' for the Larkin poem I quoted above.

[Barbirollians]

Clive Myrie is a serious journalist, who has reported from scores of countries as a foreign correspondent, has put his life on the line in war zones including Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and was recently very lucky to escape worse when involved in an armoured vehicle crash in Ukraine that left one of his colleagues unconscious for weeks with permanent brain injuries. If the BBC wants to invite him to play a few records over the festive season in slots that would be devoted to popular repertoire anyway (his first programme has some interesting choices), then good luck to him. Merry Christmas!

Well said . Richard Baker was a newsreader but presented classical music for years and for a while so did Jim Naughtie - I would rather have Clive Myrie than Derham any day presenting at the Proms

[antongould]

Well said . Richard Baker was a newsreader but presented classical music for years and for a while so did Jim Naughtie - I would rather have Clive Myrie than Derham any day presenting at the Proms

I very much agree

[Barbirollians]

Perhaps bringing an audience to R3 would be better served if these shows appeared on Radio 1 or those other BBC youth channels, so that our potential audiences were exposed without having to find our little ghetto.
Perhaps a classical evening at Glasto rather than the Proms having to accommodate popular themed evenings? Take Mohammed to the mountain.
The traffic seems to be one way with the Beeb.

This Classical Life should definitely be on 6 Music with a repeat on Radio 1

[oddoneout]

It wasn't the intention I'm sure but the Clive Myrie series means that there is a convenient lunchtime break in the EBU day of Christmas music today...

[LMcD]

Well said . Richard Baker was a newsreader but presented classical music for years and for a while so did Jim Naughtie - I would rather have Clive Myrie than Derham any day presenting at the Proms

If you really want childlike, over-enthusiastic spurious excitement intended to generate a sense of occasion, KD and TS will fill the bill.
Regarding newsreaders as presenters of music programmes, I wonder if Classic FM get complaints about John Humphrys or Moira Stuart.
I reckon Alvar Lidell, Frank Phillips and John Snagge would have made great Proms presenters (but not Wilfred Pickles, perhaps).

[Serial_Apologist]

If you really want childlike, over-enthusiastic spurious excitement intended to generate a sense of occasion, KD and TS will fill the bill.
Regarding newsreaders as presenters of music programmes, I wonder if Classic FM get complaints about John Humphrys or Moira Stuart.
I reckon Alvar Lidell, Frank Phillips and John Snagge would have made great Proms presenters (but not Wilfred Pickles, perhaps).

"Give me their money, Mabel"!

[Alison]

I just find Clive Myrie disappointing on classical music programmes and he seems to add little of interest.