Essential Classics - a programme surely on the wrong station

[Barbirollians]

This morning Radio 3 was still tuned in on my radio after last night's Chailly concert.

I had the serious misfortune to catch ten minutes or so of this programme. It was like the worst sort of dumbed down schmaltz on Classic FM.

Rob Cowan whilst highly knowledgeable comes across as oily and irritating and there was an absurd " Who am I " segment - with Stephen Johnson doing his impression of the Mystery Voice from I Am sorry i have't a clue and then all manner of gooey e-mails read out about Rossini .

What is this trash doing on radio 3 ?

[arancie33]

Goodness, two whole hours and no reply. All frightened by criticism of the blesséd Rob I'm afraid. Have no fear, Barbirollians, I'm with you 100%. That programme is just awful and should be consigned to CFM, except they probably wouldn't take it as they have better standards of chat and repartee.

[mercia]

so good to see a new thread on this topic
and such a wide variety of interesting opinions to tap into
it couldn't have arrived sooner

[arancie33]

so good to see a new thread on this topic
and such a wide variety of viewpoints to tap into
it couldn't have arrived sooner

Well, if we keep banging away perhaps someone will get the message - even sarcastic comments are grist to the mill.

[Frances_iom]

What is this trash doing on radio 3 ?

Wright wants, or has been told to get, the onetime R2 audience - guess this is a sub CFm-lite group - I commented a couple of years ago that RC would do well on hospital radio, sounds as tho RW has put him into a tailor made slot - only on Sats is there anything worth listening to on R2.5 pre noon

[teamsaint]

have to agree. RC is a wonderfully knowledgeable man, and i love his enthusiasm......but there is no edge at all. Just too cfm now.
just let him play his favourite stuff for 3 hours. Easy.

[amcluesent]

I feel embarrassed for the man, unlike the vulgarian Trelawny you feel Cowan knows how shaming R2.5 is.

[Wallace]

There is a positive aspect to the pre-noon dumbing down. It is so awful and so depressing to listen to that I have decided to enhance my CD collection so I can listen to music the car. I just bought the complete Beethoven string quartets by the Artemis Quartet. The recordings are a delight and I have begun what is proving to be a real education. Without the advent of the drivel that is now broadcast from 0630 to mid-day I would not have done this. Well done Radio 3. One less listener to the station (in the morning anyway) but one happy Wallace!

[VodkaDilc]

There is a positive aspect to the pre-noon dumbing down. It is so awful and so depressing to listen to that I have decided to enhance my CD collection so I can listen to music the car. I just bought the complete Beethoven string quartets by the Artemis Quartet. The recordings are a delight and I have begun what is proving to be a real education. Without the advent of the drivel that is now broadcast from 0630 to mid-day I would not have done this. Well done Radio 3. One less listener to the station (in the morning anyway) but one happy Wallace!

I have revived my Michel Thomas German Course to listen to in the car. Thanks to Mr Wright I might be able to listen to Bach and Wagner without a translation to hand in a few years!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Goodness, two whole hours and no reply.

That could because we've all switched off from morning listening now that Radio 3 has become so utterly crass at this time.

My question to Roger Wright is: "What is the point in having 2 x Classic FM?"