An interesting day's programmes

[french frank]

I wonder what people feel about this? Looking at the schedule for Sunday 11 March, some people might feel there's not enough of what they would like (i.e. not enough classical music ), but, that aside, if each programme is up to its top standard it seemed to me to embody exactly what R3 should be. Several programmes I wouldn't personally listen to but that seems entirely right for the best part of an entire day's programming (not forgetting the previous TTN). Any thoughts?

13:00
The Early Music Show: Bach in Leipzig
Lucie Skeaping explores the time Johann Sebastian Bach spent working as cantor in Leipzig (see The Choir later)
14:00
Sunday Concert: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic: Music Nation
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic under Christian Lindberg in Nielsen, Grieg and Sibelius.
16:00
Choral Evensong: Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
From Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford.
17:00
The Choir: St Thomas Boys' Choir, Leipzig
Aled Jones marks the 800th anniversary of the St Thomas Boys' Choir in Leipzig.
18:30
Words and Music: The Haunting
Texts and music on the theme of haunting, with readings by Emilia Fox and Jamie Glover.
19:45
Sunday Feature: Swansea's Other Poet
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, on the poetry of Vernon Watkins.
20:30
Drama on 3: Chowringhee
Mani Shankar Mukerji's gentle comedy set in a grand Calcutta hotel in the late 1950s.
22:00
World Routes: World Routes Academy, 2012, London Programme
Lucy Duran with a session by World Routes Academy protege and accordionist Jose Hernando.
23:00
Jazz Line-Up: Kit Downes and Special Guests
Julian Joseph presents concert music from pianist Kit Downes and special guests.

[Don Petter]

It does look fairly civilised (though too much human voice for me).

[french frank]

It does look fairly civilsed (though too much human voice for me).

I think this is something about Sundays in general at the moment. A reasonable point to make. I liked the linking of The Early Music Show with The Choir. The programme about Vernon Watkins a rare 'serious' talk on poetry, and I hope Williams will be illuminating.

[mercia]

I'm sure I shall enjoy Breakfast, Sunday Morning and Private Passions on that day too

[french frank]

I'm sure I shall enjoy Breakfast, Sunday Morning and Private Passions on that day too

Martin Handley, James Jolly and PPs guest Trevor Peacock. So could be worse - no playlists for any of the programmes yet.

[mercia]

there's a programme about St Thomas's Leipzig on Radio 4 Tuesday 6th March too. (11:30am) - repeated Saturday 10th, 3:30pm.
are they celebrating an anniversary or something ? answer, yes they are <doh>

[antongould]

Martin Handley, James Jolly and PPs guest Trevor Peacock. So could be worse - no playlists for any of the programmes yet.

Oh no - not more anti (oh my Darling) Clemency and (once favourite Uncle) Rob feeling surely.......

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

.... and Jazz Library in the middle of the night features Paul motian a very talented jazz drummer with many fine recordings ...

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

and then again ....

Some of the UK's leading orchestras and choirs are taking part in more than 100 performances across the UK to mark Music Nation weekend.

Violinist Nicola Benedetti and singer and composer Rufus Wainwright are among those featured in the countdown event to the London 2012 Festival.

It will see 18 new works performed, with more than 10,000 participants across the country, as part of the Cultural Olympiad.

It will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

Highlights include:

The UK premiere of Rufus Wainwright's setting of five of Shakespeare's Sonnets, performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
The Ulster and RTÉ Concert orchestras collaborating for the first time on stage in Belfast.
A Sporting Fanfare, performed by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and featuring violinist Nicola Benedetti in Glasgow.
The world premiere of Swansea-born composer Karl Jenkins' Songs of the Earth, performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
The world premiere of John Joubert's Cello Concerto, played by the Northern Chamber Orchestra.
Seth Lakeman, the BBC Concert Orchestra and the Devon and Cornwall Family Orchestras and Choruses will perform at the Plymouth Pavilions.


Controller Roger Wright said Radio 3 would be "clearing its schedule" to cover the "unique UK-wide musical event".

"From Brahms to Rufus Wainwright, we'll be bringing our millions of listeners a riveting mix of the weekend's important orchestral programming as part of the London 2012 celebrations."

did we miss this or was i not paying any attention at the back?

[french frank]

did we miss this or was i not paying any attention at the back?

I was just reading about that. Radio 3 appears to be the BBC's 'Host Broadcaster' ("As the host broadcaster for Music Nation").

[cloughie]

I wonder what people feel about this? Looking at the schedule for Sunday 11 March, some people might feel there's not enough of what they would like (i.e. not enough classical music ), but, that aside, if each programme is up to its top standard it seemed to me to embody exactly what R3 should be. Several programmes I wouldn't personally listen to but that seems entirely right for the best part of an entire day's programming (not forgetting the previous TTN). Any thoughts?

13:00
The Early Music Show: Bach in Leipzig
Lucie Skeaping explores the time Johann Sebastian Bach spent working as cantor in Leipzig (see The Choir later)
14:00
Sunday Concert: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic: Music Nation
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic under Christian Lindberg in Nielsen, Grieg and Sibelius.
16:00
Choral Evensong: Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
From Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford.
17:00
The Choir: St Thomas Boys' Choir, Leipzig
Aled Jones marks the 800th anniversary of the St Thomas Boys' Choir in Leipzig.
18:30
Words and Music: The Haunting
Texts and music on the theme of haunting, with readings by Emilia Fox and Jamie Glover.
19:45
Sunday Feature: Swansea's Other Poet
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, on the poetry of Vernon Watkins.
20:30
Drama on 3: Chowringhee
Mani Shankar Mukerji's gentle comedy set in a grand Calcutta hotel in the late 1950s.
22:00
World Routes: World Routes Academy, 2012, London Programme
Lucy Duran with a session by World Routes Academy protege and accordionist Jose Hernando.
23:00
Jazz Line-Up: Kit Downes and Special Guests
Julian Joseph presents concert music from pianist Kit Downes and special guests.

Well some of it is OK!

[french frank]

Well some of it is OK!

'OK' (or 'not OK') in what respect?

[Lateralthinking1]

This schedule looks good to me - and "Music Nation" too. Nice that there are things to be able to say "yes" to.

I still feel that Jazz Library should be returned to its former slot. I don't think I have seen any comment on the site in support of the current Saturday afternoons.

It is also unhelpful that World Routes - the flagship - is the main victim of the plays at varying length. Personally, if I really had to sacrifice a bit of non-classical music for that reason - and obviously I wouldn't be keen to do that in an ideal world - I would run any longer play a little into one of the episodes of Late Junction.

[cloughie]

'OK' (or 'not OK') in what respect?

It is an interesting selection - when i say some of it is OK, for my personal tastes there's not a lot I would stay in for or take time out on iplayer to catch up on, but it is good solid programming and appears free from celebrity choices and phone-ins.

[french frank]

I still feel that Jazz Library should be returned to its former slot. I don't think I have seen any comment on the site in support of the current Saturday afternoons.

I specifically asked RW whether there was a prospect of giving JL another daytime slot but it seems the current strategy - to push 'classical music to the broader audience' - has replaced the earlier strategy to promote R3 as 'not just a classical music station'. So all the non-classical music that was being heavily promoted ten years ago has either been dropped totally or moved into less favourable slots. All part of a Master Plan, against which ... .

The new schedule has moved the play on half an hour so that Words & Music can be brought to the early evening (nothing to be said about that as some people love the idea, others preferred the late night slot).

I'd probably only go, personally, for four of the programmes listed but I still think overall the schedule looks a bit more like a class act.