Howard Goodall on BBC Two

[MrGongGong]

interestingly he claims that it is his view of the history of music, not classical music .... in which case i find it deficient [ did you catch the repeat of Ravi Shankar biographical programme on BBC 4? ... ]

I think this "issue" would be simply solved by the addition of the word "Western" in the title
i do wonder whether there was a debate about this during the making of the programmes

[Roehre]

I watch practically no TV but when I do, it's the BBC4 listings I scan (after BBC HD or Sky Arts2). Can't remember the last time I looked on BBC2.

Makes two of us (and I include PBS)

[Mr Pee]

I am much less inclined to watch programmes if they are not in HD these days. I am always dissapointed that every year the BBC shows so few of the Proms in HD.

[amateur51]

I am much less inclined to watch programmes if they are not in HD these days. I am always dissapointed that every year the BBC shows so few of the Proms in HD.

Does 'the other broadcaster' show as many Proms in HD, Mr Pee?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I am always dissapointed that every year the BBC shows so few of the Proms in HD.

This could change when BBC HD is placed by BBC2 HD.

[Mr Pee]

This could change when BBC HD is placed by BBC2 HD.

Let's hope so!

[teamsaint]

Does 'the other broadcaster' show as many Proms in HD, Mr Pee?

I think you have to pay another £30 a month or so., Ams...and to be fair for a lot of the programmes on SKY, HD would surely just make it worse?

[Mr Pee]

I think you have to pay another £30 a month or so., Ams...and to be fair for a lot of the programmes on SKY, HD would surely just make it worse?

[teamsaint]

Some inaccuracy in my post, Peester?

[Mr Pee]

Some inaccuracy in my post, Peester?

Accurate...inaccurate....High Def.....standard def.. 10.00 extra....30.00 extra....as if you care.....just so predictable......and I didn't even mention Sky......hence:-

[teamsaint]

Accurate...inaccurate....High Def.....standard def.. 10.00 extra....30.00 extra....as if you care.....just so predictable......and I didn't even mention Sky......hence:-

I have SKY at the moment. Free. If it was worth the money, to me, I would subscribe, moral scruples or no !
Incidentally, when I took up the free 4 month offer , I was genuinely disappointed by the stuff currently on Sky Arts, but perhaps I was just unlucky.

anyway, as a goodwill gesture, try THIS for nothing

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/artsheritageandlibraries/librarieshome/libraryonlineresources.htm

go to the Naxos link and enjoy the Naxos Catalogue, advertisement free, courtesy of Wiltshire Council.

I think other councils do this too. Try not to nod off like your smiley though !!

[Mr Pee]

go to the Naxos link and enjoy the Naxos Catalogue, advertisement free, courtesy of Wiltshire Council.

I think other councils do this too. Try not to nod off like your smiley though !!

Thank you! I shall do my best to keep awake.

Edit:- I was doing really well until I accidentally selected some Berlioz:-

[anotherbob]

Don't see what all the fuss is about with HD TV? I've looked in showrooms, usually at screens the size of which would represent a significant saving on wallpaper, and I can see a difference, but my domestic TV is a Sony 22" LCD and so why would I bother?

[vinteuil]

Sam Wollaston in 'The Guardian' -

"Instead he tries very hard – too hard sometimes? – to make classical music accessible. Which he does by constantly searching for links with popular culture. "Chord sequences beloved of composers around 1700 are still the top harmonic sequences mined by composers of all styles today," he says. And he demonstrates by morphing Bach into Procol Harum, the Moody Blues, Bob Marley and Billy Joel. So not really today, then, but the 1960s and 1970s, nearly half a century ago. He gets closer to the present – though arguably not much cooler – using a Keane song to demonstrate another pleasing chord sequence. He did this in the first one too: found the origins of X Factor (Epsilon Factor) in ancient Greece; and introduced the stave by notating Bruno Mars, using chocolates as notes.

It's not just Goodall who does this. Classical music is always looking for a bigger, younger audience, by trying to be cool and associate itself with pop music. It has "gigs", and series called "Handel Unplugged" (when was Handel ever plugged in?), it goes scruffy and spikes its hair. And I don't think it makes any difference at all. The same people go to classical concerts and the opera. Gaga's Little Monsters aren't going to become Little Monsterverdists (ouch, sorry), just because Howard finds similar chords in L'Orfeo and Poker Face. Actually, he doesn't do this, but I bet he tried. Classical music should relax, be itself, a different – some might say often better – thing to pop music. People will come to it when, and if, they're ready, not because they're told it's just like Keane."

[Mr Pee]

Don't see what all the fuss is about with HD TV? I've looked in showrooms, usually at screens the size of which would represent a significant saving on wallpaper, and I can see a difference, but my domestic TV is a Sony 22" LCD and so why would I bother?

On a 22" screen you wouldn't see much difference. I have a 38" screen and the improvement over SD is dramatic; but you really need at least a 32" to make it worthwhile.