Consultations on the BBC

[french frank]

I hope you realised that I wasn't intending you or anyone else to take everything I wrote too literally.

I am a literalist, Dave. Open tin and stand in saucepan of boiling water …

Isn't the whole point that the presentation (or recommender, whoever it is) is very well aware of who is being addressed? Suggesting the quirky, the new or the off the beaten track is fine for one audience. For another, it will be 'if you like Mozart, try Haydn'. Too much for the latter annoys the former.

[Dave2002]

Surprisingly, perhaps, very "old school" performances - until you get to the cadenzas!

Haven't got that far yet, but looking forward to it. I checked out the opening of the D major flute concerto thanks to NML and my local library. That's Naxos Music Library and access is via the library page and the login turns out simply to be my library card number. So far seems very pleasant, perfectly respectable playing. Mozart flute concerto plus Haydn trumpet concerto. Didn't expect that from KS.

[Dave2002]

I am a literalist, Dave. Open tin and stand in saucepan of boiling water …

Love that one.

Another, from a BBC R4 programme years ago. Mens toilets - "These toilets are out of order. Please use the floor below."

[vinteuil]

... I'm not sure why people are so miffed at amazon's "if you liked this, you might like this" facility.

I have found it v useful when they flag up, fr' instance - "you liked vol 15 of the Scarlatti sonatas, you might like vol 16 of the Scarlatti sonatas".

Acts as a useful prompt / shopping list for me...

[Richard Tarleton]

... I'm not sure why people are so miffed at amazon's "if you liked this, you might like this" facility.

Indeed, its Instrumental Early Music prompts can be very useful. they've put me in the way of John and Robert Johnson lute music discs, Mudarra's Tres libros de musica en cifras para vihuela by Hopkinson Smith, several obscure collections by Paul O'Dette - it knows exactly what I'd like In the old days I might have tripped over these whilst browsing in one of the Oxford St HMV shops....but living in the sticks it's very useful.

[french frank]

I'm not sure that anyone is miffed about Amazon's suggestions (though sometimes baffled). And I doubt they'd be particularly miffed if Radio 3's playlist had loads of suggestions for additional listening. But on-air programming that's framed on the basis of what can feel like a 'teacher/pupil' relationship: 'Now, children, Haydn is really not too far away from Mozart in time and style, so if you enjoy this piece of Mozart you may well like to try …' Not all Radio 3 presenters can get away with the 'trusted guide' role.

[gradus]

The Amazon prompts can be helpful - never found them annoying.

[Dave2002]

I'm not sure that anyone is miffed about Amazon's suggestions (though sometimes baffled).

I am having to reword this post, having written the last paragraph, as I think there are several aspects. Hints, based clearly on my buying I don't really mind. However I don't like the pop up adverts, because it feels as though that company and some others are stalking me, and in fact I really think they are. Years ago I went to a business exhibition about this kind of thing - including so called "CRM - customer relationship management". While some of it is to a point a good thing - getting customers, keeping them happy, providing good service etc., some is decidely dodgy IMO, and includes selling on databases (or buying into them) about customers. Apparently that's really big business, and some companies are really not at all ashamed to be involved with it. Even then (it might have been 10 years ago) there was recognition that the "business community" already had vast amounts of data about households and individuals in the UK which they don't let on about.

I like some of Amazon's hints, but not the adverts which look as though they've been spying on my browsing and emails. I think they must have done a deal with Google.

[Richard Tarleton]

I like some of Amazon's hints, but not the adverts which look as though they've been spying on my browsing and emails. I think they must have done a deal with Google.

Mind you I also get messages from a different part of the computer of the "As you have shown an interest in classical music you may like Katherine Jenkins/AlfieBoe/Paul Potts" variety

[french frank]

The main point about Amazon is that there's no secret about them: you go on their site - they want to sell you something while you're there, and they don't really care what it is. Anything they throw at you has to be accepted on that basis, or, as the the doctor said to the man who'd broken his arm in two places: well, just don't go to those places any more.

[subcontrabass]

I think the announcers/presenters are somewhat negligent. As an example, I'm currently listening to the rather splendid performance of Mendelssohn's 3rd symphony (Scottish with Gilbert and the BPO yet in over 55 years of listening to radio I really can't remember anyone informing me that this was really Mendelssohn's last symphony, or discussing why it was published as number 3.

I note that the same work (with different performers) was broadcast again less than 12 hours later. Does the left hand not know what the right hand is doing?

[Dave2002]

I note that the same work (with different performers) was broadcast again less than 12 hours later. Does the left hand not know what the right hand is doing?

I almost don't care, as I really like that symphony. One would have had to wait until 2 in the morning to hear it, though of course iPlayer allows us to hear it after that. The BBC SO performance is also worth hearing - no obvious problems, and Belohlavek's conducting is very lively. I recommend listening to that one as well!