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[Daring Tripod]

I thank this Mozart Fest because by turning it off most of the time it opened up for me a whole lot of riches I found with the European Internet Classic Music Stations which I will not forgo when the Fest is finished!
The first thing the BBC should have done was to list all the K. numbers, the works and the date and time they would be broadcast, as a guide for us to plan our listening for the items we wanted to hear.
I love some of Mozart but even geniuses cannot compose great works all the time time and we all reach saturation point sometime or rather. This happened with me when all the works of Tchaikovsky were played.
The whole idea is just wrong and 12 days are just far too many.

[Gordon]

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole 12 days and have listened to more R3 this past couple of weeks than the whole of 2010. The concentration in this block of programming enabled me to get a much better grasp of his development and style from youth to adulthood - it even made made get the book of his letters which wasa real boon to add to the appeal of the series.

I do however understand that many will not agree and that such concentration is anathema. In all, 12 days is about 3% of the station's annual output which would easily be accomplished by spreading it more evenly through the year as one might do in an anniversary year. 3% of a week is about 5 hours [ie 24hr days] and I wouldn't be surprised that this is about what R3 puts out for Mozart in any week anyway! A couple of symphonies and quartets and the odd opera and you're nearly there.

The long Bach event a while back was fine but I don't see that Haydn's output being as manageable. What happened to the old R3 practice of a Haydn quartet or symphony every week? Or similarly the old Suday morning Bach cantata as a regular programming feature? Easily added to Sunday Breakfast?

[Stillhomewardbound]

Radio 3 has had similar composer festivals previously and some of them have been very successful and well received, however, I can't help that thinking that this was a flawed idea from the start.

On paper, the 12 day span would have been a flag to the BBC that this was a risky enterprise. It's a bit like someone coming across a very fine example of flock wallpaper and deciding that they will redecorate their entire home, garage and garden shed included, with the one paper. It's no wonder that even die hard fans were palling.

Remember in the 80s when the BBC decided that they would record the entire Shakespeare canon?

No? Well, exactly. Just because something can be done is never, on its own, a good enough reason to do it.

However, the biggest flaw of all, was the quite grotesque branding operation that went with this exercise. Not only was it absurdly gaudy, but the whole pitch seemed to saturate the presentation as well.

On the tin it clearly said 'The GENIUS of Mozart' and we were reminded of this at every possible moment, and few pieces were played without a gush and a rush of ra-ra enthusiasm. I honest feel that each time I ventured to turn on the radio to get an interval of music, it was only seconds before someone butted in to remind me just how thoroughly FAB Mozart and every note he wrote was.

I suspect some of the team will have to take time out before the rictus grin lock they have lapsed into can subside. With time and counselling I can only hope that they make a full recovery. Who knows? They may even be able to return to radio and broadcast as real people, rather than the automatons they have become.

It's almost over now, but you can be sure that like the aftershocks of an earthquake, they'll still be harping on about it for the next week or so.

[tony yyy]

I have to agree that any merit there might have been in the idea has been marred by the lack of information about playlists, even after the programmes have been broadcast. Someone at R3 must have a list of what's been played when, even if only to check that "every note" has been played. Surely it wouldn't have been difficult to publish it. Because of this I've listened to very few of the programmes, at least so far. Whenever I've switched on at random, which hasn't been very often, there's either been one of the trailers or something vary familiar - I caught snatches of at least two Exaltate Jubilates.

I never did find the glass harmonica quintet and ended up looking through the score instead.

[Lion-of-Vienna]

I have to agree that any merit there might have been in the idea has been marred by the lack of information about playlists, even after the programmes have been broadcast.

Agreed. I see that on Monday we were treated to a performance of Mozart's "Symphony in D" - very helpful. This lunchtime we had a performance of the "Clarinet Concerto No27 in A" - I can't wait to hear the other 26 for the first time.

[kernelbogey]

[...] However, the biggest flaw of all, was the quite grotesque branding operation that went with this exercise. Not only was it absurdly gaudy, but the whole pitch seemed to saturate the presentation as well[....]

It was also clear from the start that this exercise was designed by people who think in terms of brands: "Mozart is one of the most mythologised composers in musical history, his name one of the biggest brands on the planet." - from the blurb for 'Desperately Seeking Mozart', 2 January.

One might have hoped that Radio Three would think of Mozart as, first and foremost, a composer.

[Mr Pee]

It was also clear from the start that this exercise was designed by people who think in terms of brands: "Mozart is one of the most mythologised composers in musical history, his name one of the biggest brands on the planet." - from the blurb for 'Desperately Seeking Mozart', 2 January.

One might have hoped that Radio Three would think of Mozart as, first and foremost, a composer.

Well if you read that sentence back you'll see that the word "composer" is nearer to the beginning of the sentence than the word "brand", indicating that Radio3 do think of Mozart as, first and foremost, a composer. Besides, I should have thought that was patently obvious.

The fact is that Mozart is also a brand, whether we like it or not. Mozart-Kugeln, Amadeus, the never ending succession of books, tea-towels, mugs and other branded goods that bear his likeness are proof of that, not to mention the whole Mozartean mythology that has grown around him. Just take a wander around Vienna or Salzburg and then tell me Mozart is not a brand as well as a composer.

[french frank]

The fact is that Mozart is also a brand, whether we like it or not. Mozart-Kugeln, Amadeus, the never ending succession of books, tea-towels, mugs and other branded goods that bear his likeness are proof of that, not to mention the whole Mozartean mythology that has grown around him. Just take a wander around Vienna or Salzburg and then tell me Mozart is not a brand as well as a composer.

Well, yes, but I don't think Radio 3 has yet stooped to selling Mozartkugeln, teatowels, mugs and T-shirts ...

'Branding' is with us, unfortunately, out there, in the 'real world'. It is naff, infuriating and, overall, unacceptable on a station that prides itself on being a serious arts and classical music broadcaster. Just my opinion

[kernelbogey]

'Branding' is a commercial term used to indicate that, say, Snickers is the same confection all over the world; or 'David Beckham' lending his name/approval to various goods. That the term has been hijacked to apply to indivduals as distinct from trade name or endorsement - that, say, Jennifer Aniston is of herself a brand - seems to me a linguistic and conceptual distortion, of which Mozart kitsch is an even more distorted example.

[Panjandrum]

Rules:

Only those who were registered members when the poll opened may participate.

I must admit to having mulled over the reason for this prohibition. However, given the late surge for those in favour of the Mozartfest, I think it a wise move to prevent Roger's Band of Merry Men from descending en masse to hijack the results as they did with the Telegraph poll, after an edict from on high!

[barber olly]

The first thing the BBC should have done was to list all the K. numbers, the works and the date and time they would be broadcast, as a guide for us to plan our listening for the items we wanted to hear.
[/QUOTE]

I went for 'Good idea, broadly well done but with some flaws' but really it was a good idea badly executed with many opportunities missed. Play Mozart for me would have fit very well into CFM schedules, maybe it was SMP's audition! Overall too many odd movements were played - no excuse for this in 3 hour Classical Collection programmes and certainly there was no excuse for the sparse information on the Radio 3 schedules. I agree very much with the above as it would have been great to listen to the K gaps in my CD collection to see if I have missed any gems.

[french frank]

Hello barber olly - and welcome to the forum! Technically, as per my first post, you're not qualified to vote as the poll was already open when you joined. The figures showing currently include three new members - I'll issue 'amended' figures at the end. The only reason to set a cut-off date was to prevent any large-scale rigging of the result, either way. In spirit, I think that all the new members are 'entitled' to vote as being Radio 3 listeners with honest opinions but members will be able to compare both sets of figures (currently the new members make no difference).

[2LO]

The first thing the BBC should have done was to list all the K. numbers, the works and the date and time they would be broadcast.

With reference to the above, I've found the unidentified schedules off-putting and triviallising. The Beethoven and Bach 'marathons' were more seriously handled.

[Martin]

There seems to be widespread agreement here that the lack of detailed playlists has been both disappointing and incredibly frustrating, and I have to agree. That is at least disrespectful to R3's core listenership, and one wonders if it was a mistake or intentional disregard. From a marketing point of view it reminds me of Marks and Spencer diversifying from their core merchandise and, I seem to recall, losing a good deal of sales in the process.

That the presentation and jingles and trailers have together brought a CFM or R2 type branding to R3 (in an overt attempt to woo new listeners) would seem to support this view.

It would not have been at all difficult to have provided more accurate playlists which would have appeased the cognoscenti, without upsetting any newcomers, thereby ensuring that the anyone can find out exactly what's going on. Not too much to ask for these days, is it?

[EdgeleyRob]

I love lots of Mozart but I don't care if I never hear another contredanse again !