The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[Serial_Apologist]

>>Incidentally, I am new here

Aubade, a warm welcome to this curious place

>>Anyone recognise my nom de pseud

Are you Philip Larkin ?

Aubad does it have to get?

[Aubade]

Nope. But Aubade was the name of "Breakfast" in the late 70s and early 80s. What a wonderfully Third Programme name for a breakfast show! I don't think we still got John Clare poems as interludes but I remember hearing THREE movement concertos (other than Vivaldi — don't get me started). So a question for all you cognoscenti out there.

In the late 70s (according to my great, great grandfather), R3 started at 7.00 am, But, before it started, it played a couple of tracks (as they are now known on CFM) as a sort of musical test card. They were the best possible way to wake up. But what were they? I know they were The Broadside Band but what EXACTLY were those tracks?

Can anyone help? I'm praying that the answer didn't go to hi grave with Cormac Rigby.

Cheers

[french frank]

Can anyone help?

I think this has come up before and I'm not sure that we ever settled it. (And the problem is that if six people answer you'll have six different suggestions).

[kernelbogey]

Nope. But Aubade was the name of "Breakfast" in the late 70s and early 80s. [...]In the late 70s (according to my great, great grandfather), R3 started at 7.00 am, But, before it started, it played a couple of tracks (as they are now known on CFM) as a sort of musical test card. They were the best possible way to wake up. But what were they? I know they were The Broadside Band but what EXACTLY were those tracks?[...]

Welcome, Aubade. Glad to have you, er, aboard.... Thank you for reminding us of this. All that's coming back at the moment is the theme from the Britten Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra - I think this was the prelude to Network Three which came on air at 1800 and which had a specifically educational remit, and was a precursor Radio Three.

There was a sort of musical test card to wake up to - music played with no announcements before the pips. The answer to their identity might be found in Humphrey Carpenter's history of Radio Three, which is a good read.

(Elsewhere on, I think, this thread I reminsced with Marthe about an east coast US station where the wonderful presenter began his morning programme with birdsong followed by one of Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances before he uttered a word. Bliss. I guess you're not short of the birdsong, though.)

[kernelbogey]

Desperate programme this morning. He plays a chunk of Debussy's Reflets dans l’eau, then chips in as soon as it finishes telling us about texting and tweeting, not a breath of information about the piece. Where is the education in all of this? Then we have an interminable fandango, and chatting about Burns and the news (why do we need news on R3 when it is done so much better on R4?). I'm off to work, anything is better than this

I listened to some of this with growing nausea. It seems now to be acceptable to the Breakfast presenters not to announce the music fully but to say (for example) 'and now some Debussy'. We also had idle chatter between PT and the Scottish newsreader about the pronunciation of 'Burns' and the recipe for Apple Brose. This is Radio 2 land, alas. I turned off when that Song of the Auvergne came on; turned back on for a bit, but gave up when Holst's 'Mars' was wheeled out again.

[AndyJW]

Welcome, Aubade. Glad to have you, er, aboard.... Thank you for reminding us of this. All that's coming back at the moment is the theme from the Britten Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra - I think this was the prelude to Network Three which came on air at 1800 and which had a specifically educational remit, and was a precursor Radio Three.

There was a sort of musical test card to wake up to - music played with no announcements before the pips. The answer to their identity might be found in Humphrey Carpenter's history of Radio Three, which is a good read.

(Elsewhere on, I think, this thread I reminsced with Marthe about an east coast US station where the wonderful presenter began his morning programme with birdsong followed by one of Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances before he uttered a word. Bliss. I guess you're not short of the birdsong, though.)

At one time they played a wonderful (IMO) an 18th Century piano concerto in D major by James Hook. Ah those were the days! Andy

[french frank]

At one time they played a wonderful (IMO) an 18th Century piano concerto in D major by James Hook. Ah those were the days! Andy

Indeed they did. And here is the bit they played.

[AndyJW]

Indeed they did. And here is the bit they played.

I've just listened to the same cd. Apart from the James Hook there are concertos by Thomas Rosiengrave, Thomas Chilcot, James Nares, Philip Hayes and a certain Mr George Frederic Handel. An absolute gem on Hyperion. Andy

[Suffolkcoastal]

The CD is a gem, Peter Holman the director was my tutor for a while 25 years ago, a nice fairly quiet spoken chap, we used to get on quite well as I was one of just a few students genuinely interested in the music he introduced to us. He bought the Parley of Instruments to Colchester, at the concert only about a dozen students turned up if I remember, what a waste.

[kernelbogey]

Petroc has now abandoned any pretence of proper announcements and back announcements: he seems to be increasingly playing tracks without any announcement of what we are about to hear. I give up....

[MickyD]

The CD is a gem, Peter Holman the director was my tutor for a while 25 years ago, a nice fairly quiet spoken chap, we used to get on quite well as I was one of just a few students genuinely interested in the music he introduced to us. He bought the Parley of Instruments to Colchester, at the concert only about a dozen students turned up if I remember, what a waste.

How nice to hear this. Luckily Holman and the Parley of Instruments got to do a lot of rare repertoire for Hyperion and I have it all on my shelves! I'm not in the least bit surprised to hear that he was a nice guy...anyone who enthuses over this genial repertoire must be a good sort!

[Frances_iom]

Petroc has now abandoned any pretence of proper announcements and back announcements: he seems to be increasingly playing tracks without any announcement of what we are about to hear. I give up....

why it's only background music isn't it ? - do you expect the muzac in lifts and offices to be announced - I presume it is the intelligent conversation on offer that drags in the crowds.

[Flay]

I presume it is the intelligent conversation on offer that drags in the crowds.

Perhaps they could bring in Chris Moyles as a saviour, like they did for Radio 1?

[cloughie]

why it's only background music isn't it ?

Yes and that's the problem.

[Lateralthinking1]

Tito Paris this morning. No one could criticise the BBC for failing to promote the genuinely excellent BBC cd "World Routes on the Road". Everywhere. Paris is from Cape Verde. That is for the first time ever to rhyme with "bird" apparently.