"Jurassic FM"

[kernelbogey]

Kennedy said the “culturally prejudiced” decision amounted to “musical segregation”, with the station he now calls “Jurassic FM” preferring him to play Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in Wednesday’s show.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/20/violinist-nigel-kennedy-cancels-concert-after-classic-fm-stops-hendrix-tribute

[oddoneout]

And we think Auntie is bad...
I realise that the article won't be telling the whole story but enough comes out from it to make me wonder what planet CFM is on - and what the profile of its "desired audience" is.

[Bryn]

Kennedy said the “culturally prejudiced” decision amounted to “musical segregation”, with the station he now calls “Jurassic FM” preferring him to play Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in Wednesday’s show.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...endrix-tribute

I recall attending a Kronos Quartet concert in the mid-1980s where, a an encore following Cage's 30 Pieces for String Quartet, they played the Steve Riffkin arrangement of Hendrix's Purple Haze. It did not go down well with the leading improving musicians I attended with. Not because they felt the Hendirx work out of place but because they felt the approach the Kronos Quartet took traduced the essential musicallity of the work. For what it's worth, I was not so critical of their performance on that occasion but certainly found Kennedy's version far more in the spirit of Hendrix than that offered by the Kronos Quartet. I find it quite ironic that 'Car Sick' FM should baulk at the proposal to include the Hendrix piece in the planned concert. Good for Nigel Kennedy that he took this stand. If the Guardian piece accurately reflects Chi-chi Nwanoku's stance, I dont think it refects too well on her position in this dispute.

[oddoneout]

I recall attending a Kronos Quartet concert in the mid-1980s where, a an encore following Cage's 30 Pieces for String Quartet, they played the Steve Riffkin arrangement of Hendrix's Purple Haze. It did not go down well with the leading improving musicians I attended with. Not because they felt the Hendirx work out of place but because they felt the approach the Kronos Quartet took traduced the essential musicallity of the work. For what it's worth, I was not so critical of their performance on that occasion but certainly found Kennedy's version far more in the spirit of Hendrix than that offered by the Kronos Quartet. I find it quite ironic that 'Car Sick' FM should baulk at the proposal to include the Hendrix piece in the planned concert. Good for Nigel Kennedy that he took this stand. If the Guardian piece accurately reflects Chi-chi Nwanoku's stance, I dont think it refects too well on her position in this dispute.

Yes I was puzzled by that, but I think it may be one of those instances of needing the complete version of what she said in order to decide.
Quite apart from the Hendrix aspect I was also struck by the CFM implication that Kennedy is only worth having on the programme if he plays Vivaldi 4 Seasons - and even then not his own conductor-less version.

[LHC]

And we think Auntie is bad...
I realise that the article won't be telling the whole story but enough comes out from it to make me wonder what planet CFM is on - and what the profile of its "desired audience" is.

I do find this odd; Classic FM often play pop and rock music in ‘classical’ arrangements, so I’m not sure why the specific objection to an orchestral version of Little Wing.

Perhaps it was because he wanted to play this instead of the Four Seasons, and Classic FM have been advertising the concert as a chance to hear him play the Four Seasons for months, and so refused to change the advertised programme at such short notice.

Edited to add that it’s a Gubbay-style concert of popular classics including Rachmaninov 2nd PC as well as the Four Seasons and which ends with the 1812 Overture accompanied with ‘lights and fireworks’. I can see why Classic FM might think that Little Wing might not be a good fit in that context, particularly given that the concert has been advertised and sold as including the Four Seasons.

[BBMmk2]

Just goes to show, doesn’t it?

[kernelbogey]

I thought this worth posting if only for the 'Jurassic' witticism!

[french frank]

On the other hand, there might seem to be a bit of hypocrisy in the "segregation" remark in this context. As a classical musician he is often 'widening the horizons' of classical audiences (well done - people don't have to listen if they don't want to), but any segregation is still massively by the non-classical world. Ironically, the Kennedy concert would have fitted well with the Proms. But Classic FM don't have a whole season like the Proms. If they were at were at fault (and they were!), it was in not making clear the kind of programme they wanted for their audience.

[oddoneout]

I do find this odd; Classic FM often play pop and rock music in ‘classical’ arrangements, so I’m not sure why the specific objection to an orchestral version of Little Wing.

Perhaps it was because he wanted to play this instead of the Four Seasons, and Classic FM have been advertising the concert as a chance to hear him play the Four Seasons for months, and so refused to change the advertised programme at such short notice.

Edited to add that it’s a Gubbay-style concert of popular classics including Rachmaninov 2nd PC as well as the Four Seasons and which ends with the 1812 Overture accompanied with ‘lights and fireworks’. I can see why Classic FM might think that Little Wing might not be a good fit in that context, particularly given that the concert has been advertised and sold as including the Four Seasons.

I got the impression they could still have had him as "4 Seasons Kennedy" if they hadn't insisted on it being conducted

According to Kennedy, he finally decided to pull out after being told that he would not receive adequate rehearsal time, alongside Classic FM telling him how to perform The Four Seasons.He said: “They were telling me that I had to do it with a conductor, which I’ve never done.

[oddoneout]

I thought this worth posting if only for the 'Jurassic' witticism!

Yes, that's going to stick in my mind.
Looking through the listings for this morning's Breakfast I wonder how much of it would get through the (management perceived) CFM audience filter. Rather glad to think that having heard and enjoyed the programme that probably means I'm not CFM's "desired audience".

[cloughie]

Yes, that's going to stick in my mind.
Looking through the listings for this morning's Breakfast I wonder how much of it would get through the (management perceived) CFM audience filter. Rather glad to think that having heard and enjoyed the programme that probably means I'm not CFM's "desired audience".

Perhaps that’s why Petroc came back to the BBC all those years ago. I bet Robert Johnson wouldn’t get a look in on CFM! (Essential Classics this morning).

Interesting though I don’ think we should big up the Beeb on Hendrix’ music. Rarely gets played nowadays as it was pre 1970 and thus considered too old!

[Old Grumpy]

Yes, that's going to stick in my mind.
Looking through the listings for this morning's Breakfast I wonder how much of it would get through the (management perceived) CFM audience filter. Rather glad to think that having heard and enjoyed the programme that probably means I'm not CFM's "desired audience".

Obviously not relaxed or smooth enough!

[Dave2002]

Maybe we don't know all the details, but from what I've read here I'm with Nige 100%.

[oddoneout]

Perhaps that’s why Petroc came back to the BBC all those years ago. I bet Robert Johnson wouldn’t get a look in on CFM! (Essential Classics this morning).

Interesting though I don’ think we should big up the Beeb on Hendrix’ music. Rarely gets played nowadays as it was pre 1970 and thus considered too old!

Don't think anyone was? It would be interesting to know how Kennedy's proposal might have been received by the Beeb though, especially if Chineke! was actually on board.

[french frank]

Reading the article again, I don't have much sympathy with Kennedy. We may not have all the facts, but are we to understand that two days or three days before the concert, Classic FM were unaware that he 'intended' to play the Hendrix work? As far as Chineke! was concerned, Chi Chi Nwanoku said it 'wasn't up to us' to decide what they played: it was for Classic FM, since it was their annual concert. Given the amount of airtime they'd given to playing Kennedy's Four Seasons, no wonder that was what they'd engaged him to play.

Not sure what to make of the conductor business: Chineke! were happy with him directing - not exactly unheard of for a violinist to play and direct. We're only given Kennedy's side of the story since Classic FM 'declined to comment'. The 'Less said, soonest mended' approach? Some exaggeration in his "Hendrix is all right in the Marquee Club, but not in the Albert Hall" comment. Nothing to do with being in the Albert Hall, was it?