Radio Dignitas?

[Serial_Apologist]

... indeed so : and actually the FT's arts coverage was always pretty good too. I assume you took in The Economist as well as the FT...

In the far-off days when I felt I was a bit of a lefty I still acknowledged that The Daily Telegraph had much the best coverage of international news.


.

Yes - the often correct assumption made by these papers being that lefty prejudices would preclude our even picking them up.

[Serial_Apologist]

There was another one a couple of years back when 6 Music overtook Radio 3's listening figures. Tom Watson MP, deputy leader of the Labour party and a 6 Music enthusiast (natch) suggested that 6 Music and Radio 3 should swap places so that Radio 3 was 'digital only'.

He added that the Radio 3 listeners could be issued with free DAB sets and 'trained how to press the buttons'. I wrote a letter to him which did not receive an acknowledgement. (I think I commented that it was lovely to hear that he was now enjoying the popular songs of my youth, like Waterloo Sunset …)

There's long been a quite strong Zhdanovist strain in the ranks of the Labour Right that chooses to decry all cultural and artistic radical inclinations in left-wing circles as "elitist" and anti-working class "by association".

[french frank]

There's long been a quite strong Zhdanovist strain in the ranks of the Labour Right that chooses to decry all cultural and artistic radical inclinations in left-wing circles as "elitist" and anti-working class "by association".

Maybe so, though in his case I took it to be the reaction of any smarty-pants who happend to like 6 Music's brand of popular music (he described such listeners as musically 'discerning') and had very little clue about anything connected with classical music.

[Bryn]

... In the far-off days when I felt I was a bit of a lefty I still acknowledged that The Daily Telegraph had much the best coverage of international news.

Well of course. They had the great Clare Hollingworth.

[Richard Tarleton]

Well of course. They had the great Clare Hollingworth.

And Richard Beeston

And music coverage - Peter Stadlen.

[Lat-Literal]

"The young", "the old", "the disabled" and probably every other culturally convenient category. The obvious weakness in the argument is that everyone is all these things now at least in the making. It's just that many haven't realised the potential yet of being world citizens on a lifespan. "I'm Every Woman"........it was some progress but it was only halfway there.

(And, yes, having been to the IOW many times in recent years, I can confirm all of those Hendrix hippies are on bus passes wearing trilby hats and knitted floral jumpers - both sexes)

[kernelbogey]

From Saturday's Guardian

"Radio 3 gets the least attention, except during the Proms, but as classical music’s popularity wanes among the young, that’s hardly a surprise. One wag described it as Radio Dignitas".
OG

Hauling us back (I hope) to the OP: I found the quip 'Radio Dignitas', which is a quote, and not the author's words, quite funny.

Isn't the point that 'classical' music - as opposed, say, to that composed by living composers - is an interest of those of us who are - how to put this? - in their latter life stages? My evidence, from very limited attendance at live concerts and recitals in this part of the world, is of a predominantly silver-haired audience.

Perhaps not too flattering to be dubbed gatherings on the banks of the River Styx, but it is, surely, an uncomfortable truth?

[french frank]

Perhaps not too flattering to be dubbed gatherings on the banks of the River Styx, but it is, surely, an uncomfortable truth?

That doesn't stop it pigeon-holing all listeners to Radio 3 and to classical music, a stereotype which is more of a problem than the music itself. People are repelled by the sterotype as much as the music. Remember the younger Duke of Cambridge saying, "Heaven forbid that I should listen to classical music!" (I am only 28, after all.) That is what is annoying.

Stigmatising as well as stereotyping. If all music is just music, how can that be defended?

[kernelbogey]

I admit I didn't see that angle - of course you're right there. It is a vicious cycle and self-fulfilling stereotype. I'll go on thinking about this. The thread had drifted away from what I believe is an important issue.

[Bryn]

Not wishing to get too political, but despite the reference to CFM, I wonder if someone with views on music such as:

"“I’ve got to ’fess up here: I’m not very musical but I love music. When I’m at home late in the evening I have Classic FM on or I have Radio 3 on or I put some music on of other sorts. I listen to a whole range of things. I do love much classical music; I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Mahler, actually. I think this is going to get groans all round the room as I speak now, but I also like folk music, I like listening to some jazz, I like listening to world music as well. Because, essentially, music is very interesting history.”

Might be offer a fresh set of taste buds at the top table.

[teamsaint]

Not wishing to get too political, but despite the reference to CFM, I wonder if someone with views on music such as:

"“I’ve got to ’fess up here: I’m not very musical but I love music. When I’m at home late in the evening I have Classic FM on or I have Radio 3 on or I put some music on of other sorts. I listen to a whole range of things. I do love much classical music; I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Mahler, actually. I think this is going to get groans all round the room as I speak now, but I also like folk music, I like listening to some jazz, I like listening to world music as well. Because, essentially, music is very interesting history.”

Might be offer a fresh set of taste buds at the top table.

Is it a quiz question ?

Alan Johnson?

Oh, and FWIW, I think all of this age banding, target audience marketing stuff that the BBC seems so keen on for its radio stations is absolute nonsense. As was that Guardian article.

[Bryn]

Is it a quiz question ?

Alan Johnson?

Oh, and FWIW, I think all of this age banding, target audience marketing stuff that the BBC seems so keen on for its radio stations is absolute nonsense. As was that Guardian article.

No, the engineer, not the binned oily rag.

[Barbirollians]

I think Corbyn has professed a love for classical music has he not ? I like the idea of restoring it to a proper place in a National Education Service .

[David-G]

Isn't the point that 'classical' music - as opposed, say, to that composed by living composers - is an interest of those of us who are - how to put this? - in their latter life stages? My evidence, from very limited attendance at live concerts and recitals in this part of the world, is of a predominantly silver-haired audience.

Perhaps not too flattering to be dubbed gatherings on the banks of the River Styx, but it is, surely, an uncomfortable truth?

Not a truth at all. Classical music has been central to my life since my early teens.

[Barbirollians]

Not a truth at all. Classical music has been central to my life since my early teens.

To mine since mid teens when I borrowed my grandparents record of the Pastoral on their Ace of Clubs pressing - with Erich Kleiber .