Annoying R3 Trailers

[Roger Webb]

Very little extraneous chat. 85 minutes in, and still only 1 trailer, I think.

But how are we supposed to know Radio 3 is '......the home of classical music'?

[LMcD]

How did they fill the yawning* gap? Bit of music? Bit of chat?

*I call this the 'yawning hour'...before my first hit of espresso 😩

Very little extraneous chat. 85 minutes in, and still only 1 trailer, I think.

[Roger Webb]

I had to wait 47 minutes for today's first trailer on 'Breakfast'. Honestly .....

How did they fill the yawning* gap? Bit of music? Bit of chat?

*I call this the 'yawning hour'...before my first hit of espresso 😩

[LMcD]

Well that Saturday morning may not have been 'typical', and Jacko did say in a typical hour. I'm not the one to judge any of the other hours, typical or not, as I no longer listen for extended periods....unless it is the evening concert - switching on at 19.31, of course, to avoid the inevitable advert inserted betwixt 'Mixtape' and Concert, then you're fairly safe for a couple of hours!.....so far no ads in the interval - memories of Pearl and Dean with the choc-ices and Kia-ora.

I had to wait 47 minutes for today's first trailer on 'Breakfast'. Honestly .....

[Roger Webb]

Given the very easy ride that young Jackson was given on Feedback, I'm surprised that the episode in question hasn't been back-trailed on Radio 3.

Well that Saturday morning may not have been 'typical', and Jacko did say in a typical hour. I'm not the one to judge any of the other hours, typical or not, as I no longer listen for extended periods....unless it is the evening concert - switching on at 19.31, of course, to avoid the inevitable advert inserted betwixt 'Mixtape' and Concert, then you're fairly safe for a couple of hours!.....so far no ads in the interval - memories of Pearl and Dean with the choc-ices and Kia-ora.

[LMcD]

Sam Jackson claimed in the Feedback interview that we won't get more than one trailer in any one hour. I've been counting this morning, they occur every half-hour, more or less on the quarter and three quarter.....and this doesn't include any mention of forthcoming events by the T Service.

Given the very easy ride that young Jackson was given on Feedback, I'm surprised that the episode in question hasn't been back-trailed on Radio 3.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Perhaps we are just overthinking this - expecting content and style that is just about extinct on R3 now?

The modern version of travelling seem to be going from one place to another and taking pictures to "share". No analysis or facts required, or indeed wanted, about what happens between A and B, such that one ends up at B rather than anywhere else, so long as the scenery is pleasant and Insta-worthy... This seemed to be the aural equivalent in some respects.
I would be mildly interested to know what a listener without even my limited knowledge of modes might have made of that section, let alone the rest of it. Would they have learnt anything or just enjoyed hearing nice tunes, some of them familiar, and all complete(as long as one doesn't quibble about a single Messiah aria or the Barber) so longer than the bulk of daytime schedule content.

Yes those are pretty much my feelings. It’s pretty superficial stuff drawing a lot of not particularly relevant music to the central map . A recent programme on the chaconne could have included boogie - woogie so wide was the definition. Feeling Good was in there - that descending minor bass line has been used in so much pop , rock and jazz . Is it really a chaconne ? Does it really matter to be honest ?
To be fair explaining modes isn’t that easy . You can say what the notes / scales are simply but exploring the harmonic and tonal implications is considerably more complex. Also interesting why modal music is now so popular - so much contemporary film and gaming music is modal usually employing just four chords. God it’s boring. And yet Miles Davis sometimes employed fewer to better effect.

[oddoneout]

What’s frustrating about the programme is that it’s supposed to explore musical connections but has no real analysis explain those connections. I wouldn’t expect any analysis at all in EC.

Perhaps we are just overthinking this - expecting content and style that is just about extinct on R3 now?

In this sonic journey Sara Mohr-Pietsch maps the piece in a wider musical landscape exploring echoes, fantasies, multiple ensembles, modal harmonies and musical time travel.

The modern version of travelling seem to be going from one place to another and taking pictures to "share". No analysis or facts required, or indeed wanted, about what happens between A and B, such that one ends up at B rather than anywhere else, so long as the scenery is pleasant and Insta-worthy... This seemed to be the aural equivalent in some respects.
I would be mildly interested to know what a listener without even my limited knowledge of modes might have made of that section, let alone the rest of it. Would they have learnt anything or just enjoyed hearing nice tunes, some of them familiar, and all complete(as long as one doesn't quibble about a single Messiah aria or the Barber) so longer than the bulk of daytime schedule content.

[Serial_Apologist]

Yes indeed - and the same three notes ,,,E G A ….At least SOTW has that Bflat to Jazz it up a bit …

I remember at the time of the Animals releasing House of the Rising Sun thinking how Vaughan Williamsy the harmonic progressions were. I knew nothing about modes or modality at the time because it was never explained, although we sang a lot of Tallis sacred music in my school choir. I think my first introduction to the term "modalism" was in connection with Miles Davis and John Coltrane. One of the best talks on modalism was given by Anthony Payne on Radio 3, with him showing the difference between a modal and a diatonic cadence, and illustrations from VW, Rubbra, Patrick Hadley and Howells. Payne made a very telling point about how the British pastoralist composers who used modes were negatively criticised while composers such as Bartok and Messiaen who did likewise were critically praised.

[Ein Heldenleben]

The commissionng brief for Essential Classics made it very clear that that kind of thing was not what was wanted on the programme. I would assume that the same stricture applied to SM-P's programme. She could, but was asked not to? Not on the curriculum for that audience.

What’s frustrating about the programme is that it’s supposed to explore musical connections but has no real analysis explain those connections. I wouldn’t expect any analysis at all in EC.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Actually the bass riff ban was usually another Led Zep: A whole lotta love!

Yes indeed - and the same three notes ,,,E G A ….At least SOTW has that Bflat to Jazz it up a bit …

[Roger Webb]

Also banned the bass riff from Smoke On The Water - another modal classic…

Actually the bass riff ban was usually another Led Zep: A whole lotta love!

[french frank]

S M-P had 90 minutes and has plenty of relevant knowledge so should have been able to achieve the same.

The commissionng brief for Essential Classics made it very clear that that kind of thing was not what was wanted on the programme. I would assume that the same stricture applied to SM-P's programme. She could, but was asked not to? Not on the curriculum for that audience.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I worked in several music shops selling guitars, and, yes, if a customer dared to play the opening arpeggios of the Led Zep, the charity box was waved under their nose.

Later when I owned my own CD shop one or two pieces were banned from being played: Officium, the best-selling (its sales paid off a considerable part of my mortgage!) ECM disc and the 'Cat Duet' with Ann Murray and Felicity Lott - this made no contribution to the mortgage as no one ever bought it, they just came into the shop to hear it, have a laugh, and walk out.

Also banned the bass riff from Smoke On The Water - another modal classic…

[Roger Webb]

..............the legendary Jimmy Page guitar break in Stairway to Heaven*

* a solo banned in guitar shops globally.

I worked in several music shops selling guitars, and, yes, if a customer dared to play the opening arpeggios of the Led Zep, the charity box was waved under their nose.

Later when I owned my own CD shop one or two pieces were banned from being played: Officium, the best-selling (its sales paid off a considerable part of my mortgage!) ECM disc and the 'Cat Duet' with Ann Murray and Felicity Lott - this made no contribution to the mortgage as no one ever bought it, they just came into the shop to hear it, have a laugh, and walk out.