Music Matters: The Land Without Music?

[french frank]

If I wanted to define what Radio Three isn’t - it would be “easy listening .”
99 per cent of music Radio comes into that category .
I want the 1 per cent that’s difficult and demanding like the thoroughly excellent Mahler Resurrection Symphony series on Sky Arts at the moment .
That is what the BBC Radio 3 should be doing not faffing around with Leroy Anderson.

Then we agree. The BBC is saying Friday Night Is Music Night is 'easy listening' (and meant to be) and has been dumped on R3 after R2 had ditched it. And Morrison suggests (perhaps he's being deeply ironic?) that not only is FNIMN to be welcomed on R3 but The Organist Entertains would be another welcome addition (why? has R2 already ditched that too?). And why not all the superannuated R2 presenters?

The more room that is found for popular 'easy listening'/'alternative musics' on R3, the increasingly less time is found for anything in any way 'demanding' or requiring a longer attention span than a gnat's. And I don't believe for a minute that the rot sets in with BBC.

[Roslynmuse]

Then we agree. The BBC is saying Friday Night Is Music Night is 'easy listening' (and meant to be) and has been dumped on R3 after R2 had ditched it. And Morrison suggests (perhaps he's being deeply ironic?) that not only is FNIMN to be welcomed on R3 but The Organist Entertains would be another welcome addition (why? has R2 already ditched that too?). And why not all the superannuated R2 presenters?

The more room that is found for popular 'easy listening'/'alternative musics' on R3, the increasingly less time is found for anything in any way 'demanding' or requiring a longer attention span than a gnat's. And I don't believe for a minute that the rot sets in with BBC.

Just to be clear - the letter in RT was not from Richard Morrison. However, he did lump together a lot of really very disparate musical genres in his article under that catch-all heading 'classical' - presumably anything that isn't 'popular'. The letter was written from a viewpoint I can't quite grasp - already missing the mix of solo, chamber and song recitals that are the traditional lunchtime fare whilst welcoming FNIMN and, potentially, other 'light' music to R3. The official R3 reply was predictably one about 'commitment to live music', already discussed on this forum at length.

[Pulcinella]

Just to be clear - the letter in RT was not from Richard Morrison. However, he did lump together a lot of really very disparate musical genres in his article under that catch-all heading 'classical' - presumably anything that isn't 'popular'. The letter was written from a viewpoint I can't quite grasp - already missing the mix of solo, chamber and song recitals that are the traditional lunchtime fare whilst welcoming FNIMN and, potentially, other 'light' music to R3. The official R3 reply was predictably one about 'commitment to live music', already discussed on this forum at length.

I couldn't help having a wry smile when, driving into town yesterday on a shopping errand (you don't really need to know, but my clothes airer suddenly collapsed and needed replacing ), I had the misfortune to hear cheery Tom tell us in Classical Live that he'd been digging through the archives for music to play.

[french frank]

Just to be clear - the letter in RT was not from Richard Morrison.

I misread/misunderstood because it reinforced my prejudice about him. I did give him some credit in thinking that perhaps he was being ironic!

[AuntDaisy]

I couldn't help having a wry smile when, driving into town yesterday on a shopping errand (you don't really need to know, but my clothes airer suddenly collapsed and needed replacing ), I had the misfortune to hear cheery Tom tell us in Classical Live that he'd been digging through the archives for music to play.

I think it's a keyboard slip - "Classical Vile" or "Classical Evil"?

Missing the Lunchtime concert already & it's only Thursday.

[Nick Armstrong]

This article by Richard Morrison on

Music Matters: The Land Without Music? starts on BBC Radio 3 at 1pm on April 6 and on BBC Sounds

deserves to be shared, as The Times allows it to be.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/4...da25c3d976c13f

Thanks for the heads-up and link.

Ironically I will listen to Music Matters for the first time in years now that the ‘most popular voice in radio’ (or whatever the puff was ) has propelled itself elsewhere

[teamsaint]

Good points especially re the ridiculous money paid to sports stars.
Never thought I’d see the Republicans in Civil War Spain linked to the canal restoration movement.
I suppose they also shared trench digging expertise as well as a tendency to factionalism.

Most professional sports people earn modest amounts of money, scratch by, live in hope of the big payday.. Rather like classical music there are a small proportion who get disproportionately well paid.
And whether we like it or not, Premier League salaries come from money “ earned” by the clubs and players.

[Pulcinella]

Most professional sports people earn modest amounts of money, scratch by, live in hope of the big payday.. Rather like classical music there are a small proportion who get disproportionately well paid.
And whether we like it or not, Premier League salaries come from money “ earned” by the clubs and players.

Maybe orchestras etc should have a new home and away kit each year, and sell them at extortionate prices to their supporters.

[teamsaint]

Maybe orchestras etc should have a new home and away kit each year, and sell them at extortionate prices to their supporters.

They could , in all seriousness, at least think about more, better “ merch” A stylish BSO fleece might be a good addition to the wardrobe !! But perhaps not a new one at £120
And the big orchestras are pretty ordinary at cashing in with their core audience IMO. Seldom see anybody signing a CD at a concert. This is the sort of thing that helps eke out a living for authors, pop musicians etc.

[Ein Heldenleben]

They could , in all seriousness, at least think about more, better “ merch” A stylish BSO fleece might be a good addition to the wardrobe !! But perhaps not a new one at £120
And the big orchestras are pretty ordinary at cashing in with their core audience IMO. Seldom see anybody signing a CD at a concert. This is the sort of thing that helps eke out a living for authors, pop musicians etc.

Yes they are terrible at it. The whole “offer” of classical concerts and opera needs a huge rethink. The RFH is an unwelcoming barn with horribly overpriced drinks in plastic glasses. They honestly think they’re doing you a favour by letting you in. But at least there are no bag search queues which are fast making the West End Theatre visit a complete pain in the neck.
In contrast the BSO do a very nice members canapés / drink at the beginning of the Exeter season though this year there was something of a quality falloff in canapés and fruit juice only at half-time . It’s a tough life….

[oddoneout]

Thanks for the heads-up and link.

Ironically I will listen to Music Matters for the first time in years now that the ‘most popular voice in radio’ (or whatever the puff was ) has propelled itself elsewhere

Did you listen(or have you yet to catch up?)
I did, and am not sure what to make of it. Intelligent and articulate contributers, and mostly whole pieces of music, but I found myself a bit unsatisfied - that's probably just me expecting too much though. As the new schedule pickings are so thin as far as I'm concerned, a half-way sensible offering has too much riding on it.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Did you listen(or have you yet to catch up?)
I did, and am not sure what to make of it. Intelligent and articulate contributers, and mostly whole pieces of music, but I found myself a bit unsatisfied - that's probably just me expecting too much though. As the new schedule pickings are so thin as far as I'm concerned, a half-way sensible offering has too much riding on it.

I listened - to be honest there’s better analysis of the problem on this forum. It was too much of a collage of opinion rather than a constructed argument. Hardly surprising as it’s a complex series of questions. I think it’s very difficult to tackle both classical music education and performance groups in one programme. There’s just too much to go at. There was far too much focus on the music at the Coronation which I think has virtually no relevance to the day to day problems in both education and the decline in subsidy for orchestras and opera. Also, unless I missed it , nothing on the BBC.

[oddoneout]

I listened - to be honest there’s better analysis of the problem on this forum. It was too much of a collage of opinion rather than a constructed argument. Hardly surprising as it’s a complex series of questions. I think it’s very difficult to tackle both classical music education and performance groups in one programme. There’s just too much to go at. There was far too much focus on the music at the Coronation which I think has virtually no relevance to the day to day problems in both education and the decline in subsidy for orchestras and opera. Also, unless I missed it , nothing on the BBC.

From the blurb I had expected the coronation music to be much to the fore but I had assumed it would be used to highlight the other issues that were only mentioned in passing, such as how do ordinary folk get to experience music(whether playing, performing, studying or just listening live) at that level given the steady removal of the means to do so. There were a couple of direct comments on the subject (state education's part from Kadiatu K-M, and brass bands from ?Judith Weir), but they didn't get followed up.

[french frank]

This is a 6-episode series?
Today: Richard Morrison explores the sumptuous showcase of British music at King Charles III's coronation in May last year, in a post-pandemic climate faced with financial challenges.

Next week: Richard Morrison delves into the unique character of British music, from the folk-infused music of Vaughan Williams to Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's Hiawatha and music today.

20 April: Richard Morrison explores the strength of Britain on the international music scene, from the first Edinburgh International Festival in 1947 to now. He talks to Nicola Benedetti.

27 April: Episode 4

[AuntDaisy]

Just trying Listen again... Auntie has chopped off the start - we're missing the introductory music & "Land Without Music" quote (available at the end of Jools Holland).

I wonder if a later episode will discuss how European countries seem to do things better (assuming they do).