Radio 3 Schedule changes

[Master Jacques]

I haven’t listened to the programme, but to be fair to JH he was in the audience of a performance in which I participated last month (Brahms’s German Requiem by an amateur orchestra and choir in a central London church) - perhaps he had a family member in the choir, I don’t know, but anyway it showed some interest in and commitment to ‘classical’ music…

Well, 'late romantic' music at any rate. That of course is one of the reasons this 'classical music' catch-bag is so odiously confusing, totally inadequate as it is for so many centuries of music in so many wildly diverse patterns.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Has Jools Holland been told to constantly remind us how much he likes “classical music”? I see there is precisely one classical choice on his desert island discs for example. He is an engaging presenter but not really a classical enthusiast - he’s a jazz specialist. Nothing wrong with that but I don’t understand why his programme is on a prime time Saturday slot. The problem with the obsession with ratings is that it alienates existing listeners.

Not only is he a classical enthusiast he had piano lessons at the inestimable Blackheath Conservatoire of Music and The Arts , sponsors a bursary for piano students there, is or was Chancellor of Trinity Laban Music and Arts College and financially supports one of the very few touring Big Bands in the UK.

[Master Jacques]

Not only is he a classical enthusiast he had piano lessons at the inestimable Blackheath Conservatoire of Music and The Arts , sponsors a bursary for piano students there, is or was Chancellor of Trinity Laban Music and Arts College and financially supports one of the very few touring Big Bands in the UK.

I don't think anyone would argue against the idea that Mr Holland was one of the great and good. He was raised on my street, many years ago, I understand. What's wrong is that Radio 3 is granting time and money to him, rather to those piano students who are - these days - never going to get to do that crucial first recital on national radio.

[french frank]

Not only is he a classical enthusiast he had piano lessons at the inestimable Blackheath Conservatoire of Music and The Arts , sponsors a bursary for piano students there, is or was Chancellor of Trinity Laban Music and Arts College and financially supports one of the very few touring Big Bands in the UK.

And yet, and yet - Radio 2 was perfectly willing to ditch him and his show and pass them over to Radio 3. In the same way R3 scooped up FNIMN (nothing wrong with it as a programme just as there's nothing wrong with the Archers) hopefully with its audience, I assume.

As a parallel to what MJ was saying: if R4 decided to drop The Archers and R3 thought it would be good for listening figures to grab it, that would take up a hefty slice of R3's drama budget which would then not be available for the regular R3 drama slot.

[LMcD]

.............AND they've added a Jazz prog - Round Midnight - which has crushed the crucial radio-rhythm and very welcome 'Night Tracks' - WHY?
The thinking [Ha!] round this re-balancing of stuff is zany. V.unhappy here/.

The only programmes that I now regularly listen to 'live' are 'Breakfast' (excluding Saturdays) and 'Night Tracks' followed by Soweto Kinch. There are a few others (Private Passions, JRR) up with which I catch via my TV or Sounds. It seems a lifetime ago that I would happily stay tuned for hours enjoying the more substantial - and more sensibly scheduled - works that were broadcast during most of daylight hours. I believe it was CD Masters that usually ended with a major work, leading me into The Lunchtime Concert and from there into the afternoon's offering.

[gurnemanz]

The only programmes that I now regularly listen to 'live' are 'Breakfast' (excluding Saturdays) and 'Night Tracks' followed by Soweto Kinch. There are a few others (Private Passions, JRR) up with which I catch via my TV or Sounds. It seems a lifetime ago that I would happily stay tuned for hours enjoying the more substantial - and more sensibly scheduled - works that were broadcast during most of daylight hours. I believe it was CD Masters that usually ended with a major work, leading me into The Lunchtime Concert and from there into the afternoon's offering.

Under the old schedule I was in the habit of tuning in most days at 12 noon for CotW and lunchtime recital. I would then sometimes stick around in the afternoon, which I might not have tuned into per se. Since the removal of that 12 noon time juncture I have hardly tuned in at all, even for the uprooted CotW now in its new slot. The lack of the mid-day time junctures is for me a major drawback of the current random playlist arrangement. I note that Dichterliebe with James Newby and pianist James Baillieu is on this afternoon but no start time is given. I'd like to listen but may miss it for that reason.

[antongould]

Anyone sampled Music Map with SMP ……. ??????

[LMcD]

Under the old schedule I was in the habit of tuning in most days at 12 noon for CotW and lunchtime recital. I would then sometimes stick around in the afternoon, which I might not have tuned into per se. Since the removal of that 12 noon time juncture I have hardly tuned in at all, even for the uprooted CotW now in its new slot. The lack of the mid-day time junctures is for me a major drawback of the current random playlist arrangement. I note that Dichterliebe with James Newby and pianist James Baillieu is on this afternoon but no start time is given. I'd like to listen but may miss it for that reason.

Quite!

[Ein Heldenleben]

Anyone sampled Music Map with SMP ……. ??????

There’s a discussion on it on the Annoying R3 trailers thread.

[antongould]

There’s a discussion on it on the Annoying R3 trailers thread.

Thank you ….. I will head off there now ……

[oddoneout]

Anyone sampled Music Map with SMP ……. ??????

You want a map of how to find Music Map? To be fair, the thread it's been discussed on isn't the most obvious place to look...

[antongould]

You want a map of how to find Music Map? To be fair, the thread it's been discussed on isn't the most obvious place to look...

agreed OOO and anyway I didn’t dare go on there and say I enjoyed the VW episode ……….

[oddoneout]

agreed OOO and anyway I didn’t dare go on there and say I enjoyed the VW episode ……….

I think if I hadn't had expectations of something different(should know better by now...) I would have liked it well enough. Playing complete pieces is a positive.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I think if I hadn't had expectations of something different(should know better by now...) I would have liked it well enough. Playing complete pieces is a positive.

I agree - nothing wrong with the pieces . I just thought the programme didn’t delve into the form enough. Chaconnes are a bit of a musical paradox - seemingly restrictive but in fact drawing some of the most inventive music out of composers as varied as Bach and Brahms.

[Russ]

Damian Thompson has a rant in the Spectator's (paywalled) 'The mutilation of Radio 3': "...reducing the serious presentation of classical music to the point where Radio 3 is little more than a Spotify playlist interrupted by disc-jockey burbling."