School of gush...

[verismissimo]

I watched the excellent Stravinsky/Beethoven concert that was televised last Friday and was saddened by the contributions of the presenters, Suzy Klein and Tom Service. And, thinking about it, they are quite typical of the newer generation of R3/BBC4 presenters.

I certainly don't want to go back to the voice-of-god style of earlier generations, but there's something about the new lot that is uniformly unappealing.

It dawned on me this morning what the problem is. Presenters on other music stations - R1, R2, Classic FM, Heart etc - all embrace 'cool' as a mode of being. You never hear a presenter of pop or jazz or so-called world music gushing about what's coming up, and/or what's just been played.

But on R3 (and its BBC4 offshoots) we get talked to like 5 year-olds being encouraged to eat our spinach. 'Wasn't that delicious, dear.' Presumably they are all both coached and supported in the school of gush.

How about bringing on the school of cool?

[teamsaint]

I watched the excellent Stravinsky/Beethoven concert that was televised last Friday and was saddened by the contributions of the presenters, Suzy Klein and Tom Service. And, thinking about it, they are quite typical of the newer generation of R3/BBC4 presenters.

I certainly don't want to go back to the voice-of-god style of earlier generations, but there's something about the new lot that is uniformly unappealing.

It dawned on me this morning what the problem is. Presenters on other music stations - R1, R2, Classic FM, Heart etc - all embrace 'cool' as a mode of being. You never hear a presenter of pop or jazz or so-called world music gushing about what's coming up, and/or what's just been played.

But on R3 (and its BBC4 offshoots) we get talked to like 5 year-olds being encouraged to eat our spinach. 'Wasn't that delicious, dear.' Presumably they are all both coached and supported in the school of gush.

How about bringing on the school of cool?

If only the bit in bold were true.

I take it you don't tune in for coverage of Glastonbury? Have you heard of Jo " amazing" Whiley ?!

Its a BBC disease, I'm afraid.

[slarty]

I would have. no problem going back to the older style of announcing.
For me, the greatest of them all was the wonderful Patricia Hughes.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I would have. no problem going back to the older style of announcing.
For me, the greatest of them all was the wonderful Patricia Hughes.

I don't remember any "old days" (I started listening to R3 in the early seventies) when any announcer sounded like they were the "voice-of-God", but Ms Hughes' presentation style always sounded to me as if she'd be reluctant to allow Jesus to listen to the station (long-hair, sandals, no tie - not our sort).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I would have. no problem going back to the older style of announcing.
For me, the greatest of them all was the wonderful Patricia Hughes.

Patricia Hughes was excellent in many ways, but although she wasn't the Queen of Gush, she was the Crown Princess in this department - in BBC Young Musician in particular. I found this uncomfortable at the time, but never felt the need to grab a bucket, as I sometimes do now. It has been a slow evolution from the Dalek-like Hans Keller to the sickening manner of some of our Breakfast/Essential Classics/In Tune/Saturday Classics/The Choir patronising (and seemingly insincere) mega-gushers.

[Conchis]

Patricia Hughes was excellent in many ways, but although she wasn't the Queen of Gush, she was the Crown Princess in this department - in BBC Young Musician in particular. I found this uncomfortable at the time, but never felt the need to grab a bucket, as I sometimes do now. It has been a slow evolution from the Dalek-like Hans Keller to the sickening manner of some of our Breakfast/Essential Classics/In Tune/Saturday Classics/The Choir patronising (and seemingly insincere) mega-gushers.

But Hans Keller was brilliant. His 1967 interview with Pink Floyd set the benchmark for musical interviews, as far as I'm concerned. He was honest enough to admit to not liking their music but he was still curious to understand it. An admirable attitude and one in short supply today.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... the Dalek-like Hans Keller

Really? (He was never an "announcer" as such, but did present talks in his own inimitable fashion, hardly Dalek-like when peppered with comments as cheeky as "too many are the non-Musical Musicologists who invite you to think about Music that you have never experienced (nor, for that matter, have they!)". No more Dalek-like than his friend Robert Simpson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOd_-cd-MSo

[verismissimo]

I don't remember any "old days" (I started listening to R3 in the early seventies) when any announcer sounded like they were the "voice-of-God", but Ms Hughes' presentation style always sounded to me as if she'd be reluctant to allow Jesus to listen to the station (long-hair, sandals, no tie - not our sort).

She could be quite severe with slackers, young ferney.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

She could be quite severe with slackers, young ferney.

In my more uncharitable moments, I find myself wondering if that wasn't the attraction for some listeners.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

OK, OK. I withdraw everything I said about Hans Keller being Dalek-like and retreat into my metal body.

[mercia]

I don't know whether it is gush but I find Service's excitability, as at last night's prom, can get the better of him and, for me anyway, he becomes quite incoherent. Not sure what the answer is - breathing exercises perhaps.

...... but I don't think we're encouraged to 'slag-off' presenters so I better desist

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It sounds like gush though.

But don't blame the presenters. They are just as much victims as the audience is.

[Ferretfancy]

I would have. no problem going back to the older style of announcing.
For me, the greatest of them all was the wonderful Patricia Hughes.

Yes indeed! Slightly before her there was the equally wonderful Joy Worth, who was a singer in a girl group in the 1930s. I have a recording of them singing Anything Goes.

There was a lovely moment once when Joy was introducing a programme from the Farringdon Hall, which was sometimes used for lunchtime concerts. Announcers always gave a voice test for level before transmission, but on this occasion she didn't realise that the red light was already on. Thus the listeners were treated to her plush tones murmuring seductively--- "Have you had enough dear, or would you like a little more?"

[Hornspieler]

I don't know whether it is gush but I find Service's excitability, as at last night's prom, can get the better of him and, for me anyway, he becomes quite incoherent. Not sure what the answer is - breathing exercises perhaps.

...... but I don't think we're encouraged to 'slag-off' presenters so I better desist

"Normal Service Will Be Resumed As Soon As Possible"

Unfortunately, I fear not.

The man suffers from verbal diarrhoea** which, coupled with a lack of experience and expertise, is more than unbearable.

HS

** defined in Collins Dictionary as " ...frequent and copious discharge of abnormally liquid faecès."

[Nick Armstrong]

I find Service's excitability, as at last night's prom, can get the better of him and, for me anyway, he becomes quite incoherent.

You are not alone, mercs. He has become ludicrous.

The sight and sound of him are firmly banned at Caliban Towers

Carruthers has set the mantraps about the perimeter.