University Challenge

[VodkaDilc]

The combined older and supposedly wiser heads of the Christmas UC teams - including luminaries such as Robin Lane Fox - were scarcely more impressive than their youthful counterparts at classical music.

In the Christmas Eve edition, even Paxman scoffed when composer Hannah Kendall (who she? Ed. ... she was announced as having featured on Composer of the Week - presumably the portmanteau week on women composers) thought Bach's B minor Mass was by Handel. Having said that, the Magd. Coll. Oxon lot (esp Louis Throux) did guess some random Saint-Saens and spot the obvious Vivaldi Gloria

I've only seen one of this Christmas series, but I was stunned by a weatherman's suggestion that it was Churchill who conducted annual concerts at Broadstairs.

[Nick Armstrong]

I've only seen one of this Christmas series, but I was stunned by a weatherman's suggestion that it was Churchill who conducted annual concerts at Broadstairs.

Yes, I was unnerved by that concept.

Also in the Christmas Eve one, I've just remembered, I was astonished that none of the combined brains knew that the concerto whose performance on BBC on Christmas Day 1971 featured 'all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order' was Grieg played by Eric Morecambe. I thought any fule no that - but it seemed to come as a complete novelty to them (Theroux in particular).

[mangerton]

Quite. Their lack of knowledge in a number of areas - not just music - has been startling.

[Historian]

Also in the Christmas Eve one, I've just remembered, I was astonished that none of the combined brains knew that the concerto whose performance on BBC on Christmas Day 1971 featured 'all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order' was Grieg played by Eric Morecambe. I thought any fule no that - but it seemed to come as a complete novelty to them (Theroux in particular).

In fairness, Louis Theroux would have been about 18 months old when it was first aired.

[VodkaDilc]

In fairness, Louis Theroux would have been about 18 months old when it was first aired.

….though considerably older when the many repeats were broadcast.

(I don't think M and W's humour is ageing well. I think many younger people must wonder whatever we saw in them.)

[Serial_Apologist]

….though considerably older when the many repeats were broadcast.

(I don't think M and W's humour is ageing well. I think many younger people must wonder whatever we saw in them.)

I'm 70 now, but I'd always thought them overrated, frankly. And the various tribute acts emerging since. Pete and Dud, OTOH, a very different matter.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

(I don't think M and W's humour is ageing well. I think many younger people must wonder whatever we saw in them.)

And yet ... as was shown in a recent Back in Time For Christmas Dinner, the teenaged children showed how at least three of these "younger people" found them very funny on their first exposure to them.

[Nick Armstrong]

Big zeros all round again for the classical music questions this week to Nottingham and St Cats Cambridge... (Nottingham receiving a Paxo broadside about needing to 'brush up on classical music, you were absolutely hopeless' at the end...)

Having said that, I'm not sure I'd have got 'Abdelzar' had I not happened to come across it the other day; and to my shame, I didn't spot Peer Gynt (never heard the bit they played)... But the contestant's guess that 'Egmont' was by Mussorgsky was a little eccentric...

Bit of Saints action in the football round though, teams!

[Beef Oven!]

... But the contestant's guess that 'Egmont' was by Mussorgsky was a little eccentric....

Euphemism of the month!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I was hoping Notts would win until one of the team didn't know the difference between Beethoven and Tchaikovsky!

[Richard Tarleton]

The rambling, time wasting discussions among the Cats team were infuriating - I think Paxo should be quicker to cut them off.

[gurnemanz]

The rambling, time wasting discussions among the Cats team were infuriating - I think Paxo should be quicker to cut them off.

I agree. Bamber Gascoigne used to come in quite snappily with his: Have to hurry you ....

[MrGongGong]

I was hoping Notts would win until one of the team didn't know the difference between Beethoven and Tchaikovsky!

Dead men

[Pabmusic]

Dead men

At least there's some progression! A few years back that might have been "dead white elitist males".

[MrGongGong]

At least there's some progression! A few years back that might have been "dead white elitist males".

Surely the difference is that only one of them snogged Glenda Jackson on a train?