Interval talks on the radio

[alywin]

Am I imagining it, or is this the first year Radio 3 has included the interval talks in the afternoon Proms repeats?

[Pulcinella]

If so, could this be a consequence of shorter (i.e., less music programmed) concerts, which has been commented on elsewhere? There's now time to fill in the repeat slot.

[alywin]

I was wondering this, certainly. And they have to pad quite substantially at the end, on most occasions. I keep turning it off at the "interval" so I can get on with my work without being disturbed by talking, and then forget to turn it back on again!

[Old Grumpy]

I was wondering this, certainly. And they have to pad quite substantially at the end, on most occasions. I keep turning it off at the "interval" so I can get on with my work without being disturbed by talking, and then forget to turn it back on again!

So, you're working, not purely "listening" to the music! Some forumistas would find that shocking!

[alywin]

I know. Dreadful, isn't it. They'd probably be even more shocked if they knew what I was listening to it on, I guess :)

[LMcD]

So, you're working, not purely "listening" to the music! Some forumistas would find that shocking!

Confession time: I often 'listen' to music while tackling the 'Times' crossword, playing Scrabble, or cooking the supper - which I do every few days so that I don't feel bad about not helping with the ironing. Radio 3 was usually on in the days when I worked in what was rather grandly called my 'office' and is now simply 'the front room'.

[cloughie]

So, you're working, not purely "listening" to the music! Some forumistas would find that shocking!

But then others would think it quite normal!

[Petrushka]

I think that this is the second or third year where the Prom afternoon repeats have included the interval feature. As this often relates to the music heard in the Prom this seems fair enough to me and fits in well with the usual afternoon slot in most cases. The interval slot in the evening is one where I go and water the garden (not needed lately ), have a coffee or go for an imaginary stroll round the corridors of the Royal Albert Hall.

[oddoneout]

I was wondering this, certainly. And they have to pad quite substantially at the end, on most occasions. I keep turning it off at the "interval" so I can get on with my work without being disturbed by talking, and then forget to turn it back on again!

Story of my life - use of mute button(now I have one) for trailers, chat etc, might just as well be the off button on occasion. It's one of the reasons I am so anti the trails; in attempting to avoid the irritation factor I end up missing the good bits.

[Cockney Sparrow]

We need an app which will mute Radio 3 / 4 / "sounds" from a physical button and/or a software button - for a number of seconds which can be set. Trailers are like TV ads now - unreasonably loud, compressed / horrid / harsh toned.

For now, I kill the sound and turn it back on a bit later......

[gurnemanz]

I think that this is the second or third year where the Prom afternoon repeats have included the interval feature. As this often relates to the music heard in the Prom this seems fair enough to me and fits in well with the usual afternoon slot in most cases. The interval slot in the evening is one where I go and water the garden (not needed lately ), have a coffee or go for an imaginary stroll round the corridors of the Royal Albert Hall.

Not relevant to the topic but it reminded me of my annoyance that the bar next to the Arena where we were standing for the Mahler/Glanert Prom last Sunday no longer offers a jug of free water on a shelf at the side for interval refreshment. We were told you have to queue up at the bar and ask for it. Not a major issue but also not an improvement in customer service. A chap next to us said he would be writing to complain. No doubt futile.

[Ein Heldenleben]

The bars at the RAH are approaching national scandal status in terms of both price and service and one reason why I now prefer the relays ..l

[Cockney Sparrow]

Do they prevent you taking bottled water into the RAH? I seem to remember, a few years ago, they were searching bags and the officiousness of the staff was well out of order - but I'm not sure if it was about water. I suppose the answer is to get in early and get supplies at the bar.

I gave booking a miss this year, I might go to something later in August but generally this attitude at the Hall is another factor to add to reasons not to bother. (That is, in addition to the general short measure in the works being played - oh, and the expense of a seat in one of the few areas with half decent acoustics).

[Bryn]

Do they prevent you taking bottled water into the RAH? I seem to remember, a few years ago, they were searching bags and the officiousness of the staff was well out of order - but I'm not sure if it was about water. I suppose the answer is to get in early and get supplies at the bar.

I gave booking a miss this year, I might go to something later in August but generally this attitude at the Hall is another factor to add to reasons not to bother. (That is, in addition to the general short measure in the works being played - oh, and the expense of a seat in one of the few areas with half decent acoustics).

I have only attended one Prom, so far, this season and in my back-pack was milk, a large pack of cherries and a sandwich, all clearly visible as the bag was inspected. There was no problem or even a question. A few years ago they had a try at banning taking your own food or drink in but I seem to recall there was a successful challenge of health grounds.

[alywin]

Do they prevent you taking bottled water into the RAH? I seem to remember, a few years ago, they were searching bags and the officiousness of the staff was well out of order - but I'm not sure if it was about water. I suppose the answer is to get in early and get supplies at the bar.

Not this year - I think in previous years there was concern that people might be smuggling in gin/vodka disguised as water. And anyway, since they provide no alternatives, what are you supposed to do? I miss the days of nipping into the Circle ladies' loos and filling a bottle from the water fountain :( Not sure what's happened to those - whether they've actually been removed, or whether former ladies' are now gents' instead. Nobody's yet complained about me bringing some food in, either, but maybe that's the gallery for you. However, on a couple of occasions this year (only one at the Proms) they've got distinctly officious about my small laptop. I did wonder whether one security guy was actually going to make me switch it on ...