Surprises from Classic FM

[Guest]

The subject of R3 falling to the presentational level of Classic FM has been thoroughly discussed. I wonder if Classic FM might be raising its standards in some areas and perhaps providing something superior to R3 at times.

My late morning car journey coincided with something banal on R3, so I turned to Classic FM. Not for the first time, I found John Suchet to be engaging and well-informed. His links between the music were brief and mostly interesting; he is, of course, a well-known "fictional biographer" of Beethoven. What he also revealed was a genuine commitment to concert-going (he referred to several concerts he had been to this week) and also a real life-long enthusiasm for music (he mentioned busking Verdi on the trombone as a student).

Does anyone else share my appreciation of his style? It's certainly more bearable than many R3 people I could think of.

[Bryn]

I have no particular complaints to make re. John Suchet's presentation style. It's the horrible dynamic compression on Classic FM that keeps me away from it.

[VodkaDilc]

I have no particular complaints to make re. John Suchet's presentation style. It's the horrible dynamic compression on Classic FM that keeps me away from it.

I was listening on my car radio, where that is less of a problem. It's not something I would do at home!

[Curalach]

I was listening on my car radio, where that is less of a problem. It's not something I would do at home!

Certainly not in front of the servants!

[Flosshilde]

I thought Classic FM was for the servants.

[Old Grumpy]

In between the adverts Classic FM can be quite good - as with VodkaDilc, I tend to listen in the car if there is nothing on R3 that I fancy. Evenings and weekends are best - the frequency of adverts declines.

My servants watch television!

[Stillhomewardbound]

... well it saves them from being sullied and corrupted by the likes of Lady Chatterly's Lover!

[Norfolk Born]

My servants watch television!

'What is "televison"?'

[Flosshilde]

Rubbish, for the most part. Designed to keep the lower orders in their place.

[3rd Viennese School]

I have found myself turning Radio 3 over to Classic FM evening concert in a complete panic when Radio 3 are playing the inevitable Wigmore Hall/ Elgar/ Opera etc.

Sometimes it pays dividends.
Especially if you like Rachmaninov symphony no.2 mvt 3 again!!
But Classic FM even played Shostakovich symphony no.12 once.
But this was in 1998!

Unfortunatly you have to put up with those awful adverts!



Let one give one an example. Last Monday night. Neighbours playing drum and bass.
Radio 3 on. Elgar



Then Monteverdi. Some ok but then singing which actually became unbearable

So onto classic FM.

Contempary composers. Unfortunately the compositions were cheesy waltzes aka J. Strauss which became very unbearable !!

Back to Radio 3. Saved by the talking!

3VS

[Nick Armstrong]

Unfortunately you have to put up with those awful adverts!

Well no - not in the evenings, it seems. I just cycled home after a dinner. I started out and plugged in the headphones at 10:07 and arrived home at 10:48. Didn't fancy chat so tried Classic FM.

Not a single advert in that time, and the only complaint was the rather soupy voiced announcer repeating a 'relaxing classics' mantra. But she was brief, and the music was just what I wanted, and no problem that it was individual movements: the irregular time movement from Bernstein's "Divertimento", a nice performance of the slow movement from LvB's First Piano Concerto (I think Lenny nicked the Divertimento tune from that movement in fact!) played by François-Frédéric Guy, the Agnus Dei from Paavo Järvi's new recording of the Fauré Requiem, a Tartini violin concerto movement and a lovely Salieri flute and oboe concerto.

So apart from the presenting style, no complaints at all really - just what the doctor ordered (and it's not the first time I've called on Classic FM on trips home post 10pm - but I thought they've had ads before... Maybe their policy has changed?)

[3rd Viennese School]

These adverts were in the evening concerts betwixt 8pm and 10pm. having elvis played at full volume with someone shouting over the top followed by Specsavers isn't a good way to bridge the gap betwixt classical pieces.
Can you imagine that in the concert hall!

3VS

[barber olly]

These adverts were in the evening concerts betwixt 8pm and 10pm. having elvis played at full volume with someone shouting over the top followed by Specsavers isn't a good way to bridge the gap betwixt classical pieces.
Can you imagine that in the concert hall!

3VS

Frankly yes!

[Nick Armstrong]

having elvis played at full volume with someone shouting over the top followed by Specsavers isn't a good way to bridge the gap betwixt classical pieces.
3VS

When they happen, they're intolerable I agree. Hence my delight at their absence after the 10pm watershed...