BBC Music Magazine

[cloughie]

The really shocking thing in that article was the news that the Symphonie fantastique now has only four movements. I've asked them to specify which one we should leave out when we play old CD versions

They probably cut the Scenes aux Champs as being too long for the concentration span.

[richardfinegold]

I switched to the BBC Music Magazine from Gramophone.

I'm unsure of whether to continue, as it seems to be written by journalists who don't check their facts, or by others who have been weaned in the R3 talking down mode.

A brief glance at the September 2018 issue gives us a BaL in every Record Review, including the first two Saturdays when the Proms are still in full flow.

Venus is described as an icy hostile planet.

The Building a Library feature compares recordings of Tchaikovsky's "Manfred". I thought I was reading a child's pop-up book when I read the following:

"Turn the page to discover the best recording of Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony."

I’ve taken out a subscription to Gramophone recently. I think it’s much better than a few years ago. I rarely by the BBC Music mag, but occasionally dip in. The CDs no longer entice me, as they are usually competent but not exceptional performances of repertoire that is abundantly part of my collection. I make an exception when the Conductor is Dausgaard.
I also like to read some of the articles that are on topics that are being discussed on the Forum here, since I don’t actually listen to Radio3, which is only available here in painfully low bit rate.
And yes, while Gramophone seems to have upped its game, BBB Music has lowered their bar.

[Bryn]

O.k., I know it was around 17 years ago, but we have had Prokofiev's 5th Symphony as the main BBC Music Magazine cover disc before. Could they not have found a work not previously featured? In 2003 it was the BBCPO/Nazeda:



Now, the August 2020 cover disc has the BBCSO/Oramo. Very different 'fill-ups' though.

Still, at least there is not the sick-making misapplication of Cyrillic letters, this time.

[Pulcinella]

O.k., I know it was around 17 years ago, but we have had Prokofiev's 5th Symphony as the main BBC Music Magazine cover disc before. Could they not have found a work not previously featured? In 2003 it was the BBCPO/Nazeda:

...

Now, the August 2020 cover disc has the BBCSO/Oramo. Very different 'fill-ups' though.

Still, at least there is not the sick-making misapplication of Cyrillic letters, this time.

I too wondered why the duplication (something that doesn't happen that often).
OK, it was a Proms performance, as are the other items, but apart from that, there seems no reason for the choice of pieces.

[cloughie]

I too wondered why the duplication (something that doesn't happen that often).
OK, it was a Proms performance, as are the other items, but apart from that, there seems no reason for the choice of pieces.

What are the couplings?

[LMcD]

Bryn, I also gave up for similar reasons a few years ago, and have indeed picked up a few of the discs for 50p or £1, occasionally inadvertently duplicating through memory lapse, but at least the charity benefited. Over the years there have been some gems on the MM label.

My 'star' charity shop find of recent years has been the MM CD of Boult's Proms recording of Elgar's 1st symphony. Occasionally these CDs get donated in batches - one of the reasons for my regular sweeps of the numerous charity shops in the high street. The same thing sometimes happens with Naxos recordings.

[Pulcinella]

What are the couplings?

The couplings are:
Malcolm Sargent: An impression on a windy day (Proms Last Night, 9 Sep 2017)
Elizabeth Maconchy: Proud Thames (Proms Last Night, 14 Sep 2019)
Percy Grainger: Marching song of democracy (Proms Last Night, 14 Sep 2019)

All BBCSO/Sakari Oramo
BBC Symphony Chorus and BBC Singers in the Grainger.

The Prokofiev is taken from a Proms performance on 17 Aug 2018.

[Petrushka]

Unusually, I haven't received my copy yet. Normally had it by the time anyone comments on here about the magazine/CD.

[Pulcinella]

Unusually, I haven't received my copy yet. Normally had it by the time anyone comments on here about the magazine/CD.

Mine arrived yesterday.

Not for the first time, the envelope was ripped, and the whole package had been put into a plastic bag by the PO with their apologies for the state of it.
I rang BBC MM to suggest that their paper envelopes, though more sustainable than the plastic they previously used, were not really up to the job!

[cloughie]

The couplings are:
Malcolm Sargent: An impression on a windy day (Proms Last Night, 9 Sep 2017)
Elizabeth Maconchy: Proud Thames (Proms Last Night, 14 Sep 2019)
Percy Grainger: Marching song of democracy (Proms Last Night, 14 Sep 2019)

All BBCSO/Sakari Oramo
BBC Symphony Chorus and BBC Singers in the Grainger.

The Prokofiev is taken from a Proms performance on 17 Aug 2018.

Thanks Pulc - I like Sakari Oramo - might buy a copy or perhaps wait for the Charity shop appearance whenever!

[Petrushka]

Mine arrived yesterday.

My subscription got into a bit of a tangle a couple of years ago and I'm not sure of the current status. I can easily buy it from the local supermarket/W H Smith if it fails to turn up.

[Bryn]

"Priceless" is a word which might arguably be applied to the BBC Music Magazine's cover discs. However, it does not apply to the November 2020 CD. I was at the Maida Vale concert at which the first item, then programmed as Sinner, Please Don't Let This Harvest Pass, but now given its formal title Concert Overture No. 1 was given. Now it comes accomanies by Price's 3rd Symphony from Hoddinott Hall. The CD is completed with Wallen's Mighty River and Alberga's Arise Athena!. A sensible and rounded compilation.

[Pulcinella]

"Preceless" is a word which might arguably be applied to the BBC Music Magazine's cover discs. However, it does not apply to the November 2020 CD. I was at the Maida Vale concert at which the first item, then programmed as Sinner, Please Don't Let This Harvest Pass, but now given its formal title Concert Overture No. 1 was given. Now it comes accomanies by Price's 3rd Symphony from Hoddinott Hall. The CD is completed with Wallen's Mighty River and Alberga's Arise Athena!. A sensible and rounded compilation.

Preceless?
And 'does not apply'?

Mine has just arrived, and is playing as I type (and mentioned on the What Classical......thread).

[Bryn]

Preceless?
And 'does not apply'?

Mine has just arrived, and is playing as I type (and mentioned on the What Classical......thread).

Duly corrected. Pipped you to the post by 10 minutes.

[Pulcinella]

Duly corrected. Pipped you to the post by 10 minutes.

Possibly because your postman beat mine by 10 minutes, I suspect.

Still not sure if you intended to say that the word priceless does not apply to this CD, though.
Why is it NOT (arguably) priceless?

(Admittedly, it's not really gripped my attention so far, but I'm only into track 2!)