"...this is Classic FM" Your opinions on the station

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  • Phil AnderPhil Ander Posts: 1,556
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    The problem I have with Classic FM is hearing the same music repeated over and over again. I know it's a good commercial format so that's why they do it but I wish for a bit more variety.

    I sometimes listen to RTE's Lyric FM which at least has live presenters.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,470
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    If you want your music to last for a long time on a certain theme (not a bad thing at all) then Radio Three is the place but if it is short sharp bits that mean you can opt out of when when ever then Classic FM is the place. Not a competition but a very fine choice that suits the listener's need at almost any time, two fine stations with both sides of the same coin.
  • Glenn AGlenn A Posts: 23,794
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    While Radio 3 does a good job with whole symphonies and more obscure classics, Classic FM has really popularised a form of music that is often misunderstood by making it accessible and using a DJ format.
  • 882657882657 Posts: 533
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    Great to drive trough mid Wales and spot the different Clissic FM transmitters RDS trying to provide the programme.Some many miles away, but most of mid Wales is covered.
  • CynicalGnomeCynicalGnome Posts: 105
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    I personally hope Simon Callow returns, replacing Mrs. Green on Sundays. My favourite presentor has to be the lovely Bob Jones; live show, idyllic atmosphere and listener interactivity.
  • InkblotInkblot Posts: 26,889
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    Have actually gone back to Classic FM after several years. Although it suffers from meaningful-link-itis (John Suchet was going on about how much he likes cider the other day, still not sure why) the speech content is just about right during the daytime and the music is enjoyable.

    Looking at the playlist the main concern is still the repetition, though it's not always simply the same pieces over and over. Wednesday morning we had the third movement of Concierto de Aranjuez. This afternoon we had the second movement. Why play two excerpts from the same piece in such a random way?
  • CynicalGnomeCynicalGnome Posts: 105
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    Please rid of the pretentious Myleene Klass and her collegue Merry Margherrite - who seems to be ravished by every bloody piece; they're all her favourite. Smooth Classics overall is in need of some new presentors, but thank god they became rid of that "with the Amazon Kindle"...

    It appears as though everything, bar the early hours and breakfast, on the weekends is pre-recorded. I pray that someone can prove me false.
  • nightdriver155nightdriver155 Posts: 89
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    For me,Classic FM is now a very dull station compared to the one that launched over 20 years ago and sparked my interest in classical music.Only John Suchet and Nicholas Owen make me want to listen,and the books show with Alexander Armstrong on Sundays. The rest of the time I'm grateful for my Internet radio,and particularly enjoy Venice Classic Radio,and WQXR 105.9 from New York
  • soulboy22soulboy22 Posts: 484
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    For me,Classic FM is now a very dull station compared to the one that launched over 20 years ago and sparked my interest in classical music.Only John Suchet and Nicholas Owen make me want to listen,and the books show with Alexander Armstrong on Sundays. The rest of the time I'm grateful for my Internet radio,and particularly enjoy Venice Classic Radio,and WQXR 105.9 from New York

    Thanks for the alternative stations there. If you American stations then you should really check out WFMT from Chicago. An excellent Classical station
  • RiderOnTheWheelRiderOnTheWheel Posts: 999
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    Classic FM is a shadow of the station of the 1990s. There were a lot different shows, quite interesting programmes like "Masterclass" and of course Classic News Night.

    I think at once point back then they had Radio 2 a little rattled as a certain portion of the R2 audience disappeared off to Classic FM. Classic FM is the only commercial station to have been granted a national FM licence and I often think that that came about because the powers that be figured that it probably wouldn't last 20 months let alone 20 years so wouldn't be much of a threat to the BBC.

    Despite its watering down in recent years I suspect a lot of those ex R2 listeners have stayed as if you are in the older demographic and don't like pop music and the presentation that tends to go with it then, in music terms, there ain't a lot of choice for you on the radio these days.

    I listen to Radio 3. It's become a bit dumbed down but it plays a much wider range of music, the presenters know their stuff and there are plenty of live concerts.

    These days Classic FM is mere wallpaper and if I listen it will be late at night when I'm finding Late Junction just a bit too way out. However, I am really not keen on the lady presenter who seems to have to gush after every track. I hear that catching "Aachhhhh - wonderful..." or some other superlative and I cringe.
  • FrankBTFrankBT Posts: 4,216
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    Like all Global stations Classic FM treats its audience like morons unlike the early days when it was at least a genuinely intelligent music station with presenters who bothered to turn up in the studio at weekends and do a live proramme, and who knew their stuff. Today it's pure wallpaper - just something to have on quietly in the background sounding vaguely orchestral with the same tracks being repeated every few hours. May as well listen to a tape loop or watch the test card. Oh, they've stopped that now.
  • Andy2Andy2 Posts: 11,942
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    When Radio 3 gets a bit heavy, I often click over to Classic FM. I don't usually stay long, as the almost non-stop ads, promos and offers drive me nuts. Then there are the unctuous, patronising presenters (John Suchet is overbearingly cosy), the gushing e-mails and the repetetition of certain pieces like Jupiter and bloody Sheherazade. And much as I love the Spitfire prelude & fugue, I think they have it permanently glued on a player, ready for action.
    And oh God, the 'relaxing tunes' and the friggin' hall of fame and the dreaded Katherine blimmin' Jenkins.....
  • hyperstarspongehyperstarsponge Posts: 16,563
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    I think saying Classic FM looks very weird on a digital radio and online.
  • ohglobbitsohglobbits Posts: 4,479
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    FrankBT wrote: »
    Like all Global stations Classic FM treats its audience like morons unlike the early days when it was at least a genuinely intelligent music station with presenters who bothered to turn up in the studio at weekends and do a live proramme, and who knew their stuff. Today it's pure wallpaper - just something to have on quietly in the background sounding vaguely orchestral with the same tracks being repeated every few hours. May as well listen to a tape loop or watch the test card. Oh, they've stopped that now.
    Actually I think it's got better under Global. Great signings for the weekend shows such as howard goodall, David Mellor and even Alex Jones from Blur.

    I'm also very glad the unctuous Simon Bates was given the push at Breakfast with John Suchet and nick Bailey an improvement.
  • CynicalGnomeCynicalGnome Posts: 105
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    ohglobbits wrote: »
    Actually I think it's got better under Global. Great signings for the weekend shows such as howard goodall, David Mellor and even Alex Jones from Blur.

    I'm also very glad the unctuous Simon Bates was given the push at Breakfast with John Suchet and nick Bailey an improvement.

    Thank goodness you meant Alex James, as apposed to Alex Jones... *shivers*
  • CynicalGnomeCynicalGnome Posts: 105
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    Suprisingly it seems as though "The Full Works Concert" may not be pre-recorded; Anne-Marie Minhall - cover for Jane Jones (yaawn) - just mentioned that it was exactly 9:15p.m.! What a revolution!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,687
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    I'd like them to play more choral music.
  • CynicalGnomeCynicalGnome Posts: 105
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    The station's growing a little repetitive at the moment, the only excitement being that Anne-Marie seems to always be supervising the chair while they go to the fair... Indeed there's that new Sunday night show, but it's just a pre-record and thus I'm put off!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5
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    Which shows are pre recorded and which are live. I assumed that all the weekday shows are live and the majority of weekend daytime.
  • nightdriver155nightdriver155 Posts: 89
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    Thank goodness you meant Alex James, as apposed to Alex Jones... *shivers*

    Could you imagine Alex Jones on Classic FM ? Might work ha ha ha
  • nightdriver155nightdriver155 Posts: 89
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    ohglobbits wrote: »
    Actually I think it's got better under Global. Great signings for the weekend shows such as howard goodall, David Mellor and even Alex Jones from Blur.

    I'm also very glad the unctuous Simon Bates was given the push at Breakfast with John Suchet and nick Bailey an improvement.

    I very much enjoy John Suchet,I don't consider him at all unctious as another poster said.He's a noted classical music scholar .

    I would put Nick Bailey back on breakfast where he started,he's by far the best ever they've had at that time,and also bring back Henry Kelly and poach Rob Cowan from R3,he started on Classic FM

    Agree Classic FM is well rid of Simon Bates,and Paul Gambaccini is not coming back in a hurry is he? Perhaps the worst ever breakfast presenter they've had is Mike Smith Remember him ?
  • michael1152michael1152 Posts: 1,966
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    What was wrong with Simon Bates on classic- he sounds quite good on smooth..........
  • nightdriver155nightdriver155 Posts: 89
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    What was wrong with Simon Bates on classic- he sounds quite good on smooth..........

    He has a good voice for pop/easy listening music but for me lacked credibility as a classical presenter.He might have been better on a 6-9 am breakfast slot,but 8-12 was imho a bit of lopsided scheduling.But being a classical fan,he drove me to Radio 3,which I love,especially Composer. Of the Week Now Donald McLeod,theres an excellent presenter !±
  • jimbojimbo Posts: 16,233
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    I now find Classic FM boring. My mum likes it and puts it on occasionally, but sadly, while it was brilliant in the 1990s for its wide variety of classical music, now you get far too much repetition.

    You will often hear the same tracks being played over and over again across a number of weeks.

    There was a time when you could actually discover musci with Classic FM. You cannot do it any more. The only music you can discover now are usually durges.

    There was one that I did enjoy abut a couple months ago that I had not heard before but they are few and far between. Sorry but I cannot remember what it was.

    The one I do remember "discovering" on Classic FM was "Autumn" from the Four Seasons - NOT by Vivaldi - but VERDI.

    This is a piece of ballet music if you don't know it and I prefer it to Autumn from the Four Seasons by Vivaldi - it has more of a melody to it, and is a very jolly piece that makes you happy.

    However, try to request it today, even though they used to play it 20 years ago - and you cannot - because they appear not to have it on their playhlist. I did try and was not successful in getting it played.

    The do have a daily Top 10 of favourites, and an annual Hall of Fame of 300 pieces. However, you can only choose from 30 each day to make up the top 10 that is played at lunchtime and these pieces are pre-determined by the management - not chosen by the listener.

    You do have a chance to "vote" for your favourite in the Hall Of Fame - but try putting in a piece the average has not heard of and it is unlikely to appear.

    Given there is so much repetition, I just wonder whether the Hall of Fame IS their playlist?

    We do not listen to Radio 3 as I am not that familliar with exactly what is broadcast there and we use Classic FM as my mum will occasionally put it on for a few minutes in the kitchen while she is working.

    But in general, I find that Classic FM plays far too much "requiem" type music - don''t mean to offend - but I mean music that is mournful, too slow, in the minor key, sung in plain song in the minor key, or simply music that has a beginning, a very long middle and and end that may come some time in the future - you just don't know when.

    The Birdsong was more interesting!!!

    Seriously - please Global - can we please get back to how the station sounded in the 1990s with its music variety it had back then? Even night-time music now is a durge. When my mum was ill recently, she tried to put Classic FM on at night to take her mind off being ill - and it was just impossible to make you feel jolly - the music was too solum

    While I think on does anyone know the actual answer to the following:

    1: What hours on each day are programmes live and when recorded?

    2: How many pieces are on their playlist? is it really as low as 300 and does that extend only to the Hall of Fame?

    Thanks.
  • CynicalGnomeCynicalGnome Posts: 105
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    What's with the new male voice present upon jingles and advertisements? It's quite irritating and hyperbole...
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