A View From The Sidelines

[Hornspieler]

Over the past few weeks, I have become increasingly aware of a marked change in the content of the FoR3 forum.

1) A lack of interest in what I understood is the primary objective of this forum – the Music and Arts output of Radio 3.

2) An escalation of Political and Social discussion, leading to unpleasantness, argument, sarcasm and invective.

I want no part of this, so I have decided to stand aside from posting any views or comments on any of the subjects under discussion.

So, like Sunday morning, no posts from me. However, I shall retain my full membership, enabling me to see what is going on, in the hope that things may settle down and that the forum will revert to it’s original aims.

I am happy to receive Personal Messages from forum members with News or Queries but, for the time being, that will be the limit of my involvement.

My best wishes to you all.

Hornspieler

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Well, HS, for what it's worth, I hope you will reconsider this decision. We seem to disagree about everything; from what Music is and how it should be performed - and your political ideas often seem as muddle-headed to me as mine must appear to you.

But your comments on the Horn, its history, repertoire and "mechanics" have been invaluable, your memoirs always entertaining and illuminating - and I don't think there has ever been a better Thread on the Forum than your memories (with otherwise unavailable photographs) of being taught by William Golding.

So I hope "for the time being" proves to be a short break before you contribute again, and, until then, best wishes to you, too.

[Richard Tarleton]

HS, please don't go too far away because I am greatly looking forward to hearing your views on the upcoming Bruckner 8, which I shall be attending, and not least on the horns (and Wagner tubas) of the VPO. And, like many other members, I find the extracts from your memoirs a joy to read.

[Roehre]

Please reconsider your decision Hornspieler.

Though you and I sometimes don't agree, I think your contributions are very valuable to these boards and they were a lesser place without you. Opinions are opinions and just that - but reading about the horn, your personal anecdotes and stories - many first hand- , your comments regarding the performance of the broadcasts you listenend to, I most certainly would miss all that.

[antongould]

Please reconsider your decision Hornspieler.

Though you and I sometimes don't agree, I think your contributions are very valuable to these boards and they were a lesser place without you. Opinions are opinions and just that - but reading about the horn, your personal anecdotes and stories - many first hand- , your comments regarding the performance of the broadcasts you listenend to, I most certainly would miss all that.

Well said Roehre .....please reconsider HS.

[Sir Velo]

As someone once said in another context: "don't let the bastards get you down!"

A piece of friendly advice: give the Politics threads a wide berth and don't listen to Radio 4. Life's too short!

[edashtav]

What a shame - you've been a contributor with a wealth of relevant experience, many tales to tell, and somebody who cared for the core function of this forum. Whilst I've not been constant presence, as you have been, I have noticed that the burden of the posts have moved this summer away from music and the arts to more divisive social matters. Indeed, I have contributed to social posts in small measure but have been reluctant to become over-involved because many posters holding entrenched positions have been generating more heat than light.

Your absence on the music front will exacerbate the trend. That'll be a great pity, so I do hope that the tenor of discussions will moderate, enabling you to return early and often to active service.

[amateur51]

Oh is it that time of the year already?

[Ferretfancy]

Oh is it that time of the year already?

Hornspieler, I'll be be very sorry to miss your posts.

I think you have identified a real problem. So often someone starts an interesting thread, getting good replies, and then it degenerates into trivial interruptions and name calling. I'm just as guilty sometimes, and often regret it later. It's easy to be drawn in and score points.

A good example is the current thread on homophobia, which has now descended to sterile arguments about definitions.

Perhaps we need an equivalent of " this correspondence is now closed" but I would regret that.

There certainly seems to be a dearth of musical discussion at present, apart from consideration of the Proms, but this usually improves when Summer is over.

Whatever your decision I can only wish you the Very Best

Warm Regards

Ferret

[salymap]

Hornspieler, I'll be be very sorry to miss your posts.

I think you have identified a real problem. So often someone starts an interesting thread, getting good replies, and then it degenerates into trivial interruptions and name calling. I'm just as guilty sometimes, and often regret it later. It's easy to be drawn in and score points.

A good example is the current thread on homophobia, which has now descended to sterile arguments about definitions.

Perhaps we need an equivalent of " this correspondence is now closed" but I would regret that.

There certainly seems to be a dearth of musical discussion at present, apart from consideration of the Proms, but this usually improves when Summer is over.

Whatever your decision I can only wish you the Very Best

Warm Regards

Ferret

Well said, Ferret,old friend.

[Roehre]

Hornspieler, I'll be be very sorry to miss your posts.

I think you have identified a real problem. So often someone starts an interesting thread, getting good replies, and then it degenerates into trivial interruptions and name calling. I'm just as guilty sometimes, and often regret it later. It's easy to be drawn in and score points.

A good example is the current thread on homophobia, which has now descended to sterile arguments about definitions.

Perhaps we need an equivalent of " this correspondence is now closed" but I would regret that.

There certainly seems to be a dearth of musical discussion at present, apart from consideration of the Proms, but this usually improves when Summer is over.

Whatever your decision I can only wish you the Very Best

Warm Regards

Ferret

[amateur51]

Surely this thread is built on a misapprehension and there is in fact more musical discussion with all the Proms concerts up for review, far more than at other times of the year.

And why someone should think of leaving because of activity on threads to which he does not contribute, I cannot imagine.

That's my four pennorth

[jayne lee wilson]

Surely this thread is built on a misapprehension and there is in fact more musical discussion with all the Proms concerts up for review, far more than at other times of the year.

And why someone should think of leaving because of activity on threads to which he does not contribute, I cannot imagine.

That's my four pennorth

Absolutely, ams, yes - I'm just pleased that I called that now notorious thread The Homophobia Championships, great to see that pop up every day! I don't think it became sterile, though some contributors were certainly stubborn! I seemed to end up saying a lot about skylarks...
But don't forget that a discussion about HIFI and Sound Quality (which I posted on) also became very heated and personally abusive (HiFi!?), I think people ended up throwing mud at Venice... no, let these endless threaded melodies ramble on in their complex colourful and temperamental way. Freedom of speech is the freedom to be...bored, etc.

Anyway, I seem to make some people cross when I discuss music at length, so it's probably all my fault. At this point I was going to adapt a certain G&S rhyme, but it would be probably be a bit too naughty, and I'm sure it won't be missed!

[Stillhomewardbound]

Well, it could be said to have always been thus. Not sure where I got this from but I originally posted it on the BBC Radio 3 boards about five years ago. It applied then and still applies today.


How many forum members does it take to change a lightbulb:


1 to change the light bulb then post about it

14 to share similar experiences of changing light bulbs and how the light bulb could've been changed differently

1 to move it to the Lighting folder

2 to argue and then move it to the Electrical folder

7 to point out grammar/spelling errors in post about changing light bulbs

5 to flame the spell checkers

3 to correct spelling/grammar flames

6 to argue whether it's a light bulb or lightbulb

2 industry professionals to inform the group that the proper tern is Lamp

15 know-it-alls who claim they were in the industry, and that "light bulb is perfectly correct

19 to post that this forum is not about light bulbs and to please take the discussion to the lightbulb forum

11 to defend the posting to this forum saying that we all use light bulbs and therefore the posts are relevant to this forum

36 to discuss the dangers of changing light bulbs without a professional opinion

5 to post a disclaimer that they are not light bulb experts, nor do they play one on TV and that anyone planning on changing their own light bulb should consult a professional

7 to post URLs where one can see examples of different light bulbs

4 to post that the URLs were posted incorrectly and then to post the correct URLs

3 to post about links they found from the URLs that are relevant to this group which makes light bulbs relevant to this group

13 to link all posts to date, quote them in their entirety including all headers and signatures, and add, "Me too."

5 to post to the group that they will no longer post because they cannot handle the light bulb controversy

4 to say, "Didn't we go through this already a short time ago?"

13 to say, "Do a Google search on light bulbs before posting questions about light bulbs."

1 forum lurker to respond to the original post 6 months from now and start it all over again

[teamsaint]

and one to remind people that Haitink's 1972 lightbulb changing is unlikely to ever be equalled.

Oh, I WAS in lighting, and Lamp Is the proper term, but loads of insiders call them bulbs anyway.
Just to annoy the Lamp specialists. And because a lamp is not JUST a thing that shines, it is also the thing into which it is fixed.
Sometimes.