Radio 3's 70 at 70

[french frank]

Main details of the programme plans for later in the year, when Radio 3 celebrates the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Third Programme, including:

Seven composers given their first Radio 3 commission for a 10-minute work, to be performed by either a BBC Performing Group or Radio 3 New Generation Artist
The Visa Affair - a new play inspired by an unpublished Joe Orton short story, written by crime-writer Jake Arnott. Joe Orton sold the Ruffian On The Stair to the Third Programme in 1963 – before any of his plays had been produced anywhere else
Three established composers commissioned to write a significant work marking the 70th anniversary
Three innovative newly composed 45’ music projects conceived specifically for radio, celebrating the broadcasting medium
Winners of the BBC Proms Inspire Young Composer’s Competition 2016 commissioned to write pieces inspired by the musical trends in the lifetime of the Third Programme and Radio 3 - from serialism to musique concrète – filtered through the imaginations of these composers, born in the 21st century
A satirical play called The Present Experiment about the birth of the Third Programme, written by Robin Brooks
An evening of new productions of Samuel Beckett radio plays, recorded in binaural sound with newly composed musical accompaniment
A new production of The Birthday Party by Pinter, who received his first commission from the Third Programme at the start of his career
An international radio co-production Tower Of Babel created by renowned director Robert Wilson
A tribute to Philip French
Radio 3 will be revisiting radio poetry – championed by producers at the Third Programme – with new commissions written for this anniversary

The emphasis still seems to be on new music and literature

[Serial_Apologist]

Sounds a bit of all right!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Sounds a bit of all right!

[french frank]

Tribute to Philip French - and maybe eventually an updated version of Critics Forum?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Somebody pinch me. This is too good to be true.

[french frank]

Somebody pinch me. This is too good to be true.

I think the idea is genuinely to 'recreate' something that the Third might have done.

The drama certainly looks enticing. Interesting thought that this will mostly be in the anniversary month, September, which is the traditional time, post-Proms, for schedule changes. Wonder if there are any substantial changes to the routine programmes in the pipeline?

I think there will be some changes (possibly not much, possibly not significant) at Easter.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

How about a Thirdfeste saturation season, lasting a year or more?

[doversoul1]

I think there will be some changes (possibly not much, possibly not significant) at Easter.

…which, I hope, will include a new Pied Piper, and more attention both in quality and quantity on old (very early) music.

Other than that, what we see now looks good.

[french frank]

…which, I hope, will include a new Pied Piper

"Alan Davey, the controller of the classical network, said that he would introduce a new weekend show that would introduce teenagers to the delights of classical music, in Spring next year."

[Lat-Literal]

Main details of the programme plans for later in the year, when Radio 3 celebrates the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Third Programme, including:

Seven composers given their first Radio 3 commission for a 10-minute work, to be performed by either a BBC Performing Group or Radio 3 New Generation Artist
The Visa Affair - a new play inspired by an unpublished Joe Orton short story, written by crime-writer Jake Arnott. Joe Orton sold the Ruffian On The Stair to the Third Programme in 1963 – before any of his plays had been produced anywhere else
Three established composers commissioned to write a significant work marking the 70th anniversary
Three innovative newly composed 45’ music projects conceived specifically for radio, celebrating the broadcasting medium
Winners of the BBC Proms Inspire Young Composer’s Competition 2016 commissioned to write pieces inspired by the musical trends in the lifetime of the Third Programme and Radio 3 - from serialism to musique concrète – filtered through the imaginations of these composers, born in the 21st century
A satirical play called The Present Experiment about the birth of the Third Programme, written by Robin Brooks
An evening of new productions of Samuel Beckett radio plays, recorded in binaural sound with newly composed musical accompaniment
A new production of The Birthday Party by Pinter, who received his first commission from the Third Programme at the start of his career
An international radio co-production Tower Of Babel created by renowned director Robert Wilson
A tribute to Philip French
Radio 3 will be revisiting radio poetry – championed by producers at the Third Programme – with new commissions written for this anniversary

The emphasis still seems to be on new music and literature

[Gordon]

How about a Radio Times cover devoted to Radio3?

Why not!! That would be in the last week of September to include the 29th [ a Thursday] which was the day it started, part time of course.

Incidentally the official start of BBC TV in electronic "high definition" [black and white 405 lines only, switched off at the end of 1984] was 3rd November 1936 so perhaps an RT issue the week later [it would be a Monday] to recognise 80 years since that too? Admittedly, there was a break for WW2, off the air on 1st September 1939 but the service began again on 7th June 1946 so an alternative date would be this coming June for a 70th re-birthday.

[Stanley Stewart]

Many heart-pang moments for me last night when I recalled the gift for life bestowed on me in Sept '46 when the Third Programme was launched and my pocket money made provision for the Radio Times, price twopence, exquisite woodcut engravings on a black and white cover. I was 15 at the time, WW2 ended a year earlier and John van Druten's play exclaimed. "The winter's over, the rain is past and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land."

Not quite ready to sit in the garden and read but I've taken my copy of The Envy of the World - Fifty Years of the Third Programme and Radio 3 - off the shelves; Humphrey Carpenter's evocative memoir (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1996), for affectionate remembrances, including, appropriately, later exchanges with dear, Pam Snell. "A double blessing is a double grace..."