What do we want? When do we want it?

[Vox Humana]

Seriously, what I want is somebody intelligent, well informed and articulate who can enlighten me about the music being played. That's all.

I think that is exactly what the Telegraph correspondent was saying.

Oh,and bring back interpretations on record.

Yes, please.

[EdgeleyRob]

I would disagree I think. Depending on what you're saying ...

Through The Night is ideal for keeping lorry drivers awake and keeping insomniacs company. Would people actually prefer to turf out everything else to have an unbroken stream of classical background music? Might as well have a multi-disc CD player!

Yeah but no but yeah but,probably should have said,as kernelbogey did,the 'through the night' formula.
All of the night and certain times of the day,maybe til noon.

[kernelbogey]

I would disagree I think. Depending on what you're saying ...

Through The Night is ideal for keeping lorry drivers awake and keeping insomniacs company. Would people actually prefer to turf out everything else to have an unbroken stream of classical background music? Might as well have a multi-disc CD player!

The difference is that all of the music is live - I should say 'as live', since it's all recorded, of course. And the intros and back announcements are much more informative than most of what we get on the morning programmes (IMV).

I think you must have a better class of lorry driver in Bristol FF?

[Vox Humana]

I think you must have a better class of lorry driver in Bristol FF?

Impossible. Mrs Humana and I moved away from Bristol nearly 30 years ago and we still use the phrase "Bristol drivers" to voice a particular degree of contempt.

[doversoul1]

I am often surprised that many people seem to think Through the Night is little more than a stream of music. It isn’t It is the way in which the music is introduced by the presenters that makes the programme stands out.

Originally Posted by Flay

somebody intelligent, well informed and articulate who can enlighten me about the music being played

John Shea, Jonathan Swain and Catriona Yong (almost) do exactly this plus subtle humour, with a very few words and their tone of voices.

Originally Posted by kernelbogey

And the intros and back announcements are much more informative than most of what we get on the morning programmes (IMV).

This is definitely my view, too

Breakfast can be less quaint but the same quality. As it is a live programme, it can include a few music related news items and information (not trailers) about forthcoming programmes. No personal matters either of the presenters or the listeners. It could even be specialised in playing short works. Essential Classic can see to symphonies and other substantial works. Ah well...

[amateur51]

I am often surprised that many people seem to think Through the Night is little more than a stream of music. It isn’t It is the way in which the music is introduced by the presenters that makes the programme stands out.

Originally Posted by Flay


John Shea, Jonathan Swain and Catriona Yong (almost) do exactly this plus subtle humour, with a very few words and their tone of voices.

Originally Posted by kernelbogey


This is definitely my view, too.

[french frank]

I am often surprised that many people seem to think Through the Night is little more than a stream of music. It isn’t It is the way in which the music is introduced by the presenters that makes the programme stands out.

It sounds as if you feel the need to defend the programme from criticism. It wasn't being criticised. It was simply saying that if you were to listen to it for 6 hours, and then had the same single programme repeated for a further 6 hours there wouldn't be enough analytical, informative content. The programme is designed to be listened to 'through the night' - and as such it is admirable/ideal. It is precisely NOT what the Third Programme stalwarts like Hans Keller wanted for the Third: they had doubts about any form of extended 'sequence' programming - even a 'Classical Jukebox Plus'. The Early Music Show is more than that - and that's surely what you value about it?

I agree with Flay's comment - and with the further proviso that throughout the day you can offer a variation in format. The Breakfast format would be different - but not like it is now. That, and Essential Classics, are based on a lower level of information, less concentrated listening and 'human interest appeal' but are absolutely designed to do what you want - provide a near seamless, near 6-hour sequence for an audience which is expected to dip in and dip out as their lives dictate. Music on tap.

People criticised the 'formlessness' of afternoons when Afternoon on 3 was started. Have they now become used to that style of programme?

There are more sources of (classical) music around now than ever before: 'live' radio has to be more nuanced than simply a varied selection of music in recordings that you won't be able to hear elsewhere.

All that said, 'Breakfast' in my view should be a whole lot closer to Through the Night than to what it is now. Perhaps we don't disagree all that much . But it shouldn't be the sum total of what Radio 3 offers. I don't see that as guaranteeing the station's survival.

PS I'm reliably informed that there are long-distance lorry drivers who listen to Through The Night (i.e. I read it somewhere) - I wasn't referring to Bristol's drivers in general ...

[doversoul1]

ff
I did want to say that TTN wasn’t a multi-disc CD player but other than that, I agree with everything you say. That was why I didn’t quote your previous post (if this makes sense).

[amateur51]

It sounds as if you feel the need to defend the programme from criticism. It wasn't being criticised.

You did rather disparagingly refer to Through The Night as "classical background music" french frank.

[french frank]

You did rather disparagingly refer to Through The Night as "classical background music" french frank.

I don't know how many people switch on at 12.30am to do some serious listening for an hour or so but would suggest that at 3am they are more likely to be trying to get to sleep. Is that a wrong assumption? (I think the audience is down to about 5K in the depths of the night). It isn't (I would maintain) intended to be 'informative' even if it is, incidentally, so). That isn't to criticise the programme.

[Honoured Guest]

People criticised the 'formlessness' of afternoons when Afternoon on 3 was started. Have they now become used to that style of programme?

For years and years, Radio Times has listed Afternoon on 3 with no timings for the music, so I didn't listen at all.

Just recently, timings have been listed, so I might now occasionally tune in, e.g. to the Peteris Vasks at 2.45 this afternoon.

[amateur51]

I don't know how many people switch on at 12.30am to do some serious listening for an hour or so but would suggest that at 3am they are more likely to be trying to get to sleep. Is that a wrong assumption? (I think the audience is down to about 5K in the depths of the night). It isn't (I would maintain) intended to be 'informative' even if it is, incidentally, so). That isn't to criticise the programme.

Like several others on here and I'd suggest elsewhere, I listen to Through The Night on iPlayer and a great delight it is too at breakfast time - no tweets, no phone-ins and no news or trails.

[french frank]

Like several others on here and I'd suggest elsewhere, I listen to Through The Night on iPlayer and a great delight it is too at breakfast time - no tweets, no phone-ins and no news or trails.

Precisely - if you want that, you can have it on all day anyway. But what goes out on Radio 3 live? More of the same?

[amateur51]

Precisely - if you want that, you can have it on all day anyway. But what goes out on Radio 3 live? More of the same?

In a perfick world Patricia Hughes and her City Slickers, followed by Rob & Jonathan. And no tweets, no phone-ins and no news or trails

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'm just wondering how this topic became attached to a newspaper article on rat poison (aka sodium fluoride).