Schubert on 3

[Quarky]

Jumping into this thread without having read the posts, the opening programme 4.30 Friday evening encapsulated my feelings about his music.

An Die Musik is one of his many songs that I know and love, and have made painful attempts to sing myself.

However my problem with Schubert is that I perceive him as a prisoner of the bourgeoisie. A middle class cultural attitude to which I do not readily subscribe.

SMP however appeared to be making a brave attempt to release Schubert from his shackles, and mentioned, if I recollect correctly, that there was going to be a performance or "take" of Schubert by some South Indian musicians. However if that has transpired I assume it was on SMP's late night programmes, and I don't intend to trawl through her programmes to hear this.

[David-G]

However my problem with Schubert is that I perceive him as a prisoner of the bourgeoisie. A middle class cultural attitude to which I do not readily subscribe.

A strange remark! It's just wonderful music. Nothing to do with class of any kind.

As I write, I am enjoying Fierrabras. Last night, Des Teufels Lustschloss was a great discovery. Building a Library this morning was most interesting.

And Caliban, I do agree with most of your post 151 (except that I love some Tchaikovsky!).

[gurnemanz]

However I enjoyed Iain Burnside's earlier selection of Schubert songs. I didn't really expect to, as when he presented a programme of his own he swallowed the end of nearly every sentence, leaving one missing much vital information. But in conversation today he was fine, indeed, almost puckish, with an uncanny resemblance to Graham Norton.

I also enjoyed his varied selection and the obvious delight he took in introducing the ones he had chosen. I think they said that the Elisabeth Schumann "Das Lied im Grünen" was not available but it is on her EMI Icon Box, which I got recently (thoroughly recommendable, by the way). I also find her "old-fashioned", now unacceptable swoopings quite appealing. I have always been a bit unsure about Elisabeth Schwarzkopf in Schubert but, like him, I loved her "junge Nonne" with Edwin Fischer. I shall probably go and to seek it out.

[Roehre]

The Beeb on R3 is not only lazy, lacking any sense of what R3 listeners want or really knowledgeable anymore.

It is straightforwardly incompetent in planning too: how is it possible that a work taken from CDs (Fierrabras in this case), of which the timings therefore are well known in advance, exceeds the end time by ten minutes?

You really don't expect this during live broadcast. But there it obviously is something to take in account - and then the concerts are generally shorter than the time reserved.

But with a recording from 1988 this is straightforwardly RIDICULOUS.].].].].].

[Frances_iom]

The Beeb on R3 is not only lazy, lacking any sense of what R3 listeners want or really knowledgeable anymore....:

my own guess is the slot timings came first then the programmes to fit into them - marketing rules - just be thankful that some (not all) of R3 employees have some knowledge and can select recordings, artists etc - just imagine the situation if the woman with the knowledge of Hovis adverts was in charge

[hackneyvi]

Jumping into this thread without having read the posts ...

SMP however appeared to be making a brave attempt to release Schubert from his shackles ...

The Beeb on R3 is not only lazy, lacking any sense of what R3 listeners want or really knowledgeable anymore.

It is straightforwardly incompetent in planning too: how is it possible that a work taken from CDs (Fierrabras in this case), of which the timings therefore are well known in advance, exceeds the end time by ten minutes?

You really don't expect this during live broadcast. But there it obviously is something to take in account - and then the concerts are generally shorter than the time reserved.

But with a recording from 1988 this is straightforwardly RIDICULOUS.].].].].].

I have a sense that Radio 3 is attempting to release itself from shackless, also, and I think it's right to try. I have been listening to R3 output more often in the last few months and can't imagine what other radio station I might listen to in the morning if not R3. The sort of lollipops that many here find sickly in the morning are palatable to me as I wake, make breakfast and get myself ready for work.

However, the ways in which the presenting has changed and the banality of the studio/audience interactions - by phone, twitter and text - seem very unimaginative and even dated. Request shows and letters from listeners. The 'Play Schubert for Me' strand is vaguely revolting in its idiocy. "Ring us up with a dedication and if you don't know enough music to be able to make a request, we'll make up the request for you", it grovels. The ambition to modernise R3 is sound and positive but some of the execution is simply cheap.

It's as if R3 sees itself as an entertainment service, nothing more. If that's so, for me, it's quite unclear to me why I need it's DJs. I'd rather spend time following my nose on Spotify.

The extent of the change suggests an awareness of a problem but I don't see evidence of real thought which might lead the audience somewhere; more, a sort of desperate and vacuous survivalism which also feels like suicide.

A sort of morality and dignity which governed R3 actions has vanished altogether. But then morality and dignity have gone from almost every area of public life. Maybe these qualities in some way put it at risk?

[David-G]

It is straightforwardly incompetent in planning too: how is it possible that a work taken from CDs (Fierrabras in this case), of which the timings therefore are well known in advance, exceeds the end time by ten minutes?

I also thought that this was particularly incompetent.

They said that this performance was recorded at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna in 1988 (if I heard aright). But the cast seems to be the same as the CD set. Was the CD made from this live performance? Does anybody know?

Phil, your post is thoughtful and very well put.

[Roehre]

I also thought that this was particularly incompetent.

They said that this performance was recorded at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna in 1988 (if I heard aright). But the cast seems to be the same as the CD set. Was the CD made from this live performance? Does anybody know?

The DGG 2CD set was made from this performance. That's what makes me angry - just reading the timings (and check them with the displayed times on the CD-player) and fit the work into a correctly sized slot.

[Norfolk Born]

I tuned in just after 7.00 a.m. with what I believed to be an open mind, only to be confronted with a series of nutrition-free fragments interspersed with glutinous trails. I gained the impression that poor old Martin H was desperately trying to pad out his 2-hour 'slot' so as to leave enough Schubert for the rest of the week.
Tuned out just after 7.45 a.m.

[amateur51]

I wouldn't mind if a huge amount of work (and love of Schubert) had clearly gone in to preparing this week's extravaganza - y'know sourcing 'live' performances, finding a recording of Schnabel playing D.958, Paul Robeson singing Erlkonig etc, but I don't hear/see much evidence of this.

However it's early days and Hope springs eternal ....

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I wouldn't mind if a huge amount of work (and love of Schubert) had clearly gone in to preparing this week's extravaganza

Believe me, a great deal of work has gone into this. They must have spent hours on getting the presenters to speak with such alluring accents in the trailers. Real dedication, I'd say.

[MrGongGong]

Let me know if they play any of this
which has such a strong Schubertian relationship IMV ( thematically, lyrical content and harmonic language etc etc )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrH_iq540QI

and this also

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmm2giqiLkw

Rock without the blues indeed ........

[gurnemanz]

I switched on Radio 3 after the footie late last night to hear the slow movement of D960 playing. After it, SMP's voice cut in with: "Well, how do you follow that?" The question had surely been answered by the composer himself when he wrote another two movements.

I have mainly been interested in listening to some of the Lieder. Ian Burnside's selection yesterday was interesting. Today, I'm looking forward to Henk Neven and Christine Schäfer coming up in recitals.

[kernelbogey]

I switched on Radio 3 after the footie late last night to hear the slow movement of D960 playing. After it, SMP's voice cut in with: "Well, how do you follow that?" The question had surely been answered by the composer himself when he wrote another two movements.[...]

I hope someone in R3 takes note of the extent to which the way the Schubertfest is being presented causes so much offence.

[Nick Armstrong]

I switched on Radio 3 after the footie late last night to hear the slow movement of D960 playing. After it, SMP's voice cut in with: "Well, how do you follow that?" The question had surely been answered by the composer himself when he wrote another two movements.

Fantastic, gurnemanz!! That will surely be one of the best comments of the Schubert week!!!