OK I give up

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

(What’s happened to mercia’s last post? I didn’t delete it by accident?.

I don't think anyone other than an Administrator or a Host can do this, so don't worry.

[gurnemanz]

(What’s happened to mercia’s last post? I didn’t delete it by accident?)

Radio 3 works as a lead or a signpost for me. Whilst there is infinite amount of music available on CDs and online these days, I wouldn’t know what to look for without programmes like those that Roehre mentions PLUS Early Music Show.

I am far from satisfied but further from giving it up all together.

That sums up my view. I don't tune in before midday any more and have become very fond of RAI 5 which just plays music, but what is so deplorable about CotW or Lunchtime concert for example? (I nearly always listen to the Lieder recitals on offer.) It is easy to make jibes about the presenter's style but, generally speaking, Afternoon on 3 is perfectly fine by me and nowhere near as appalling as what you get on CFM, which I never touch. It is irrational to reject the whole channel because there are some things we dislike. I am also dubious about the Golden Age Argument.

[cloughie]

That sums up my view. I don't tune in before midday any more and have become very fond of RAI 5 which just plays music, but what is so deplorable about CotW or Lunchtime concert for example? (I nearly always listen to the Lieder recitals on offer.) It is easy to make jibes about the presenter's style but, generally speaking, Afternoon on 3 is perfectly fine by me and nowhere near as appalling as what you get on CFM, which I never touch. It is irrational to reject the whole channel because there are some things we dislike. I am also dubious about the Golden Age Argument.

Oh I don't know - there used to be loads of good stuff on these boards - there's not much I want to read these days!

[Flosshilde]

I don't think anyone other than an Administrator or a Host can do this, so don't worry.

And the person who posted.

[aeolium]

That sums up my view. I don't tune in before midday any more and have become very fond of RAI 5 which just plays music, but what is so deplorable about CotW or Lunchtime concert for example? (I nearly always listen to the Lieder recitals on offer.) It is easy to make jibes about the presenter's style but, generally speaking, Afternoon on 3 is perfectly fine by me and nowhere near as appalling as what you get on CFM, which I never touch. It is irrational to reject the whole channel because there are some things we dislike. I am also dubious about the Golden Age Argument.

I suppose people notice the really irritating things more (and probably would have done so 30-40 years ago, although they would have been different irritating things). While I agree with you about the Lunchtime Concert, I don't like the fairly recent change to construct "concerts" out of a mixture of different recorded concerts so that one no longer hears a lieder recital, a string quartet concert or a piano recital but a mixture of different genres (apart from the live Wigmore Hall concert). This change has meant I don't feel as keen to listen to the Lunchtime Concert as I formerly did. There are still good live concerts as well as programmes like the EMS and CD Review but the time I spend listening to R3 has significantly reduced from what it was 10-15 years ago.

I also do not subscribe to the idea of a former Golden Age, but in respect of the spoken arts I'm in no doubt that the R3 of the 1970s and 1980s was much better than it is now.

[remdataram]

I don't listen to R3 live much, I prefer to use the iPlayer.
Apart from the inane breakfast and the not much better In Tune and Essential Classics, which have become an absolute non-go-area for me, there still is much to enjoy.
If you are interested in the war-horses, you are well served.
But didn't we all have to "learn" and appreciate these before we started to develop out further tastes and interests?

As far as "classical music" is concerned: CotW, the lunch concerts, Ao3, the evening concerts and especially H&N and TtN offer regularly other music than these war horses too.

That keeps me listening to R3.

I have to admit however, that for me most of the time my own music collection provides me with the music I am interested in at that moment

Roehre very much sums up my sentiments. There's a great deal to enjoy on R3, together with hundreds of Classical stations worldwide via the Internet. I very much 'listen to the music rather than 'have the radio on' - for me music demands my undivided attention so mornings are generally 'no go'. iPlayer provides fantastic flexibility in selecting evening listening from the R3 schedules.

Despite all the criticism R3 provides a wide choice for a minority audience.

[edashtav]

I'm with Roehre, too.

Radio 3 no longer dominates my listening but it still provides a vital element.

My world would be a worse place were the remains of R.3 to perish

[Lento]

the real needs of the audiences of 20 or 30 years ago are being met, or perhaps being seen to be met elsewhere.

Yes, it’s not all bad. People can listen selectively to R3 if they so wish, the schedule being freely available. Many of the internet radio alternatives do not have a published schedule as such (though some obviously do), so it’s “pot luck”. On the other hand, radio being what it is, some people often want to be able to listen easily and casually while on the move, say, without being put off by content aimed at listeners who probably prefer Classic FM anyway. If a listener feels there is a good chance of having to switch off after the first few minutes, they may lose the radio habit, and opt for the iPod or similar. Perhaps a core audience for casual listening just doesn't work for this kind of channel.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Yes, it’s not all bad. People can listen selectively to R3 if they so wish, the schedule being freely available. Many of the internet radio alternatives do not have a published schedule as such (though some obviously do), so it’s “pot luck”.

Unfortunately, the schedule is largely a waste of time. Look in the Radio Times and then tell me what you will hear during the morning and in the late afternoon. As you've absolutely no idea, you are likely to listen only if you've nothing else to do. Do they honestly think people are prepared to spend hours on end listening to Radio 3, based upon guesswork (except as background music)?

[Pianorak]

Haven't bought the Radio Times for years - but the online R3 Schedule usually has full details.

[Sir Velo]

Yes, it’s not all bad. People can listen selectively to R3 if they so wish, the schedule being freely available. .

I know what you mean and this is standard R3 management response and their Facebook lackey response but this is useless when you're listening on FM, digital, in the car etc, or if you haven't linked up your internet radio with the main hifi and want to listen in HiFi sound.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Haven't bought the Radio Times for years - but the online R3 Schedule usually has full details.

Full details? Take a look at this and tell me what is going to be played between 6.30 a.m. and 12.00 noon. Brahms' 1st Piano Concerto is there and………………………………. ?

It's the same every weekday morning.

Next, tell me what you will hear between 4.30 p.m. and 6.30 p.m.

Compare that with Through the Night, which has a detailed schedule and no-one to listen to it.

[Lento]

Unfortunately, the schedule is largely a waste of time.

I would agree that the gaps in the published schedule probably lead to people missing items they might have enjoyed, or, worse, listening in hope and finding nothing satisfactory. It seems that the choices of Essential Classics’ featured guests are posted post broadcast so they can be added to Playlister for subsequent listening. Having segments or whole programmes focussing on guests and their musical tastes plus the increased use of shorter pieces/excerpts links in to all of this.

[antongould]

I'm with Roehre, too.

Radio 3 no longer dominates my listening but it still provides a vital element.

My world would be a worse place were the remains of R.3 to perish

I agree - my world would be a much sadder place without it. It will never, like so much more, be what it was in days gone by but with the iplayer and the relative cheapness of CDs and downloads it ain't IMHO all bad.

[Sir Velo]

I would agree that the gaps in the published schedule probably lead to people missing items they might have enjoyed, or, worse, listening in hope and finding nothing satisfactory.

I think it's the second experience which tends to lead to the first...