Great Orchestral Bake Off

[greenilex]

The Beeb has quite a good record on suggesting hobbies for its audience. Not everyone follows the amateur music scene, so the suggestion may be welcome...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Not only is "she" in it, but it's her photo that fronts it - as usual.

I watched for a few minutes, with the annoyingly inappropriate canned music, noted the typically blinkered BBC method of shortlisting - and switched off.

[makropulos]

Not only is "she" in it, but it's her photo that fronts it - as usual.

I watched for a few minutes, with the annoyingly inappropriate canned music, noted the typically blinkered BBC method of shortlisting - and switched off.

Ah - nothing like a bit of real enthusiasm to kick off the weekend... :)

[oddoneout]

Concertos next week. Do you think ballet/dance might be another challenge? Otherwise, as has been previously suggested, a choir I suppose.
Very taken with Lauren Fagan's singing on the opera challenge tonight.

[Barbirollians]

I felt rather sorry for the People's Orchestra - they played with a great deal more spirit than the very cautious North Devon Sinfonia .

[oddoneout]

I felt rather sorry for the People's Orchestra - they played with a great deal more spirit than the very cautious North Devon Sinfonia .

And Paul Daniels seems to have a soft spot for them - but he did say that they had not fully dealt with the issue he wanted them to address, so perhaps he's being strict about meeting the particular challenges set each week. Perhaps he'll keep in touch with them - he did say that they encapsulate everything that's good about amateur music making, or words to that effect.

[Sir Velo]

Essentially this is another vehicle for Katie Derham, although quite what musical expertise she brings to the party is open to question. I think what gets on my personal goat is that every single excerpt is cut short for, cue, another shot of KD gurning and more faux tension building moments.

What would have made this programme so much better would have been for it to have concentrated on the musicianship, the difficulties faced by amateurs in playing complex music and an opportunity to actually hear enough of their performances to judge their musical standards (I mean we already had symphonies whittled down to one movement, how much less could they piossibly play?). However, that sort of intelligent programme making clearly belongs to a different age.

[Flay]

I watched for a few minutes, with the annoyingly inappropriate canned music, noted the typically blinkered BBC method of shortlisting - and switched off.

Stick with it, Alpy. I've just watched the first episode thanks to the heads-up from this thread. I too couldn't understand why they were using canned pop music in the links - but later in the programme this was dropped in favour of orchestral music. Perhaps somebody realised it was inappropriate.

I enjoyed it. They did feature certain characters who were followed through but I thought they were well chosen. KD wasn't too intrusive. However the programme succombed to the stupid manufactured "suspense" when announcing the losers.

I don't understand why some here seem to object to the presence of retired professionals. Surely they provide the backbone, and give encouragement to younger, newer members.

[Mary Chambers]

I enjoy seeing the orchestras and appreciate the people in them. The range of ages is impressive, and it's reassuring to see so many people playing good music. I just wish it wasn't a competition.

[Flay]

I just wish it wasn't a competition.

Absolutely! I would prefer be able to follow one orchestra each week and watch how it can progress with the help of professional coaching, without the degradation of "losing."

[ahinton]

I enjoy seeing the orchestras and appreciate the people in them. The range of ages is impressive, and it's reassuring to see so many people playing good music. I just wish it wasn't a competition.

But didn't you know, Mary? - everything's a "competition" these days! - dancing, baking, sewing, cooking - they've all got Britain's talent X-factored in and at least half involve seemingly compulsory hysterical real or canned audience noise.That said, it's invaded the music profession for decades before any of the televised variety and there seems no sign of it diminishing. I blame that Walther meself, although it was already around before even then.

[kernelbogey]

...everything's a "competition" these days! - dancing, baking, sewing, cooking...

Isn't this the genre that was invented by Big Brother? (Let's put Beckmesser aside for now .)

[Alain Maréchal]

I blame that Walther meself, although it was already around before even then.

Praise him in the sound of the trumpet : praise him upon the lute and harp.

Praise him in the cymbals and dances : praise him upon the strings and pipe.

Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals : praise him upon the loud cymbals.


Rather like Young Musician of the Year - how is One expected to compare the entrants in different categories? (the percussion round was well-represented).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

... and Slaithwaite is pronounced SLAWIT.

[ahinton]

... and Slaithwaite is pronounced SLAWIT.

Leominster (in Herefordshire) is pronounced "Lemster".

In each case, however, I ask why?, as I wonder how many people from outside the counties concerned (never mind from outside the country in which they're situated) could possible guess; it's Cholmondeley and Featherstonehaugh all over again...