Presentation of 'The Apostles'

[secondfiddle]

The broadcast of Elgar’s The Apostles last Thursday afternoon was to some extent spoiled for me by the totally inappropriate style of presentation. This announcer always gabbles her words as if holding an excited conversation in a wine bar, occasionally mispronounces names, and too often makes rather silly comments that - especially on this occasion – added nothing of interest to the understanding of the work. This same presenter often likes to refer to the conductor as ‘the maestro’. This is the sort of naïve presentation that – lacking in any sense of authority or feeling for the occasion – one has to tolerate on Classic FM but, one would hope, would find no place on Radio 3. The broadcast of a large work like The Apostles is surely an occasion of some importance and should be treated as such by the announcer. This ‘sense of occasion’ was something that was totally lost when R3 unwisely chose to drop live concerts (thankfully restored), but one only has to compare the rushed announcement on Thursday with the style of presentation of years ago when the announcers spoke clearly and informatively, adding a feeling of some excitement to what one was about to listen to. One felt they knew what they were talking about . . .

[LeMartinPecheur]

The broadcast of Elgar’s The Apostles last Thursday afternoon was to some extent spoiled for me by the totally inappropriate style of presentation. This announcer always gabbles her words as if holding an excited conversation in a wine bar, occasionally mispronounces names, and too often makes rather silly comments that - especially on this occasion – added nothing of interest to the understanding of the work. This same presenter often likes to refer to the conductor as ‘the maestro’. This is the sort of naïve presentation that – lacking in any sense of authority or feeling for the occasion – one has to tolerate on Classic FM but, one would hope, would find no place on Radio 3. The broadcast of a large work like The Apostles is surely an occasion of some importance and should be treated as such by the announcer. This ‘sense of occasion’ was something that was totally lost when R3 unwisely chose to drop live concerts (thankfully restored), but one only has to compare the rushed announcement on Thursday with the style of presentation of years ago when the announcers spoke clearly and informatively, adding a feeling of some excitement to what one was about to listen to. One felt they knew what they were talking about . . .

Welcome secondfiddle: from the views you've expressed here I confidently predict you'll find friends here..

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The broadcast of Elgar’s The Apostles last Thursday afternoon was to some extent spoiled for me by the totally inappropriate style of presentation. This announcer always gabbles her words as if holding an excited conversation in a wine bar, occasionally mispronounces names, and too often makes rather silly comments that - especially on this occasion – added nothing of interest to the understanding of the work.

The presenter, Katie Derham, was of course talking utter rubbish on this occasion. She said that there work had its premiere at King's College Cambridge in 1906. So the 1903 Birmingham performance was a figment of the imagination. She compounded the error a few moments later by repeating it.

[Frances_iom]

The presenter, Katie Derham, was of course talking utter rubbish on this occasion. ..

Now that is what is known as real charity to the woman - implying as it does that there are occasions in which pearls of wisom are cast before her audience. Does she rely on researchers or is this work absent from her CD collection (or maybe the Beeb has cut back on her subscription to online Groves ?)

[Wallace]

The broadcast of Elgar’s The Apostles last Thursday afternoon was to some extent spoiled for me by the totally inappropriate style of presentation.

Strange you should mention it. I finished listening to this broadcast on the iplayer about an hour ago and thought exactly the same. The forum is full of details of the damage done when she opens her mouth. The knowledge that she is presenting is usually enough to send me off elsewhere but I did want to listen to this piece so I put up with it. It did not enhance the broadcast. I think she would have preferred it if there had been lots of performers with foreign names that she could wrap her tongue around. She does love doing that. Yes, an excited conversation in a wine bar sums it up. Unbearable in a wine bar and completely out of place on Radio 3 except from 0630-1200 which is already off limits for the discerning listener.