Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[french frank]

And I was trying so hard not to name names.

The name of the presenter - symptom rather than cause - is irrelevant. It's the mandated format that is so right [sic] for today's R3. Discrimination is overlooked if you're discriminating against a group which is not so much unimportant as postively undesirable, not fit for purpose.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yet again December’s Breakfast , Essential Classics , and increasingly Classical Live are dominated by Carols , Rutter , dodgy orchestral arrangements of carols , sentimental American Songbook Xmas songs. It’s almost unlistenable. I was looking as the Genome Radio Times for 1990 even in the few days before Xmas there was only the odd Carol . Largely it was made up of canonic Western classical music from 1650 to 1950 .
Now the whole “festive music “ period starts with the Advent Carol service at the beginning of December . It’s complete overkill and a betrayal of R3 ‘s supposed “home of classical music “ claim.
Todays EC is a “festive “ special with yet another mention of Christmas shopping . The producers are apparently Christmas “elves” . And there’s more to come in Saturday Live. The word Christmas is rarely mentioned of course - it’s all “festive.” It’s literally become Radio 2 circa 1985.

[LMcD]

Yet again December’s Breakfast , Essential Classics , and increasingly Classical Live are dominated by Carols , Rutter , dodgy orchestral arrangements of carols , sentimental American Songbook Xmas songs. It’s almost unlistenable. I was looking as the Genome Radio Times for 1990 even in the few days before Xmas there was only the odd Carol . Largely it was made up of canonic Western classical music from 1650 to 1950 .
Now the whole “festive music “ period starts with the Advent Carol service at the beginning of December . It’s complete overkill and a betrayal of R3 ‘s supposed “home of classical music “ claim.
Todays EC is a “festive “ special with yet another mention of Christmas shopping . And there’s more to come in Saturday Live. The word Christmas is rarely mentioned of course - it’s all “festive.” It’s literally become Radio 2 circa 1985.

Christmas seems to start earlier every year, and I guess Radio 3 doesn't want to miss out on all the fun. Where it used to lead, it now follows.

[Pulcinella]

Yet again December’s Breakfast , Essential Classics , and increasingly Classical Live are dominated by Carols , Rutter , dodgy orchestral arrangements of carols , sentimental American Songbook Xmas songs. It’s almost unlistenable. I was looking as the Genome Radio Times for 1990 even in the few days before Xmas there was only the odd Carol . Largely it was made up of canonic Western classical music from 1650 to 1950 .
Now the whole “festive music “ period starts with the Advent Carol service at the beginning of December . It’s complete overkill and a betrayal of R3 ‘s supposed “home of classical music “ claim.
Todays EC is a “festive “ special with yet another mention of Christmas shopping . The producers are apparently Christmas “elves” . And there’s more to come in Saturday Live. The word Christmas is rarely mentioned of course - it’s all “festive.” It’s literally become Radio 2 circa 1985.

Only almost?

[french frank]

Where it used to lead, it now follows.

I had reason to look up the Wiki article on John Drummond only yesterday. He's quoted as saying: "[The BBC] has been an organisation which has seen itself as leading society, not following taste. If it no longer wishes to be that, I can't see any reason for its existence."

[James Wonnacott]

I don't know why they don't just rename it "Inessential chatter".

I can't help wondering why, when so many countries have radio stations that play continuous, or almost continuous, music (just what it was, who played it) all radio stations iin this country have to employ jabbering idiots on very high salaries to talk absolute tripe between snippets of music.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I had reason to look up the Wiki article on John Drummond only yesterday. He's quoted as saying: "[The BBC] has been an organisation which has seen itself as leading society, not following taste. If it no longer wishes to be that, I can't see any reason for its existence."

That would be discrimination in the literary sense of the word, and therefore elitist and absolutely anathema to the current regime who clearly believe John Rutter to be of equal value to Haydn if the hours devoted to each are to be believed. Drummond is right of course - without aiming for the very best the BBC has no point.

[LMcD]

I don't know why they don't just rename it "Inessential chatter".

I can't help wondering why, when so many countries have radio stations that play continuous, or almost continuous, music (just what it was, who played it) all radio stations iin this country have to employ jabbering idiots on very high salaries to talk absolute tripe between snippets of music.

Perhaps music interrupted by chat from people who've already been paid is cheaper than playing music uninterruptedly - or perhaps the powers-that-be are worried that we'll forget which station we're listening to.

[James Wonnacott]

Perhaps music interrupted by chat from people who've already been paid is cheaper than playing music uninterruptedly - or perhaps the powers-that-be are worried that we'll forget which station we're listening to.

Well, whatever the reason, other than listening on "Sounds" to TTN when Penny Gore is presenting, Radio 3 has lost my "company" completely.

[oddoneout]

It strikes me as a lost opportunity - they could have set up at least part of the airtime as a respite from festive overkill and marketed it as vigorously(blow to the head/relentless repetition approach) as it does its other 'wellbeing' offers, but with the crucial difference that the playlist is real music played in full. Any seasonal allusions should be far distant from what passes as festive 'music' elsewhere, and presenter input confined to strictly necessary information only. In other words a version of TTN.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Christmas seems to start earlier every year, and I guess Radio 3 doesn't want to miss out on all the fun. Where it used to lead, it now follows.

Absolutely correct. Classic FM is the template.

Yesterday I posted a comment on Facebook about the decline of Radio 3, and I was rewarded with a “like” from Kiri te Kanawa.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Absolutely correct. Classic FM is the template.

Yesterday I posted a comment on Facebook about the decline of Radio 3, and I was rewarded with a “like” from Kiri te Kanawa.

To get a like from Dame Kiri I’d almost consider posting on Facebook ..