I have just been sent a book to review entitled The Ultimate Classic FM Hall of Fame. For those of you outside the UK or non listeners of this station, this is a 300 long yearly list of fave classical pieces chosen by the listeners to the station and revealed to the nation over the Easter Weekend. And much though I love Classic FM I do think it needs to expand just a tad.
OK first up this station has been going for over twenty years and is highly successful. I remember listening to a discussion when it was first mooted by a bunch of critics who were sceptical and slighting and,in one case, openly contemptuous of its remit as it was going to play 'bits' of symphonies and piano concertos, not the entire works. It comes as no surprise that the general attitude of derision was aired on Radio 3. Now I love Radio 3, well not all of it, but I think it is a fantastic station and has been part of my musical listening for most of my adult life. BUT, and it is a big but, there were times when you felt that the presenters really did not care if anybody was tuned in at all, so far up their own arses were they and so entranced by their intellectual cleverness. There was one critic, Richard Osborne, who I wrote about some years ago here, who was nauseating in his worship of Karajan and his hyperbole was without bounds. Many of the other presenters were the same.
So I was happy with the idea of Classic Fm though I admit the snobby part of me was also a bit sniffy. And at first, it was pretty grim. Most of the presenters were without a classical music background (correct me if I am wrong, I may very well be) and mispronounced composer's names, came in with comments before the piece was finished as they were obviously not familiar with it and at times it was awful. However, as the months passed this was ironed out and things got better. Some of the presenters were better than others - Petroc Trelawney being a case in point. Lovely speaking voice, full of charm, knew what he was talking about and he now hosts a programme on Radio 3 and presents Cardiff Singer of the World. Over the years there have been a mixture of names who have come and gone, some good some bad, but the station has settled down, is confident, knows what it is doing and as I said at the start of this post, is hugely successful.
The Hall of Fame however is my stumbling block. Every year it is trumpeted as being chosen by YOU but really it isn't. The voters choose from a playlist that the station uses the year round. All the popular music played is on the website and when choosing your favourite three pieces you log on and scroll down and click the ones you like. If a piece is not on this list then it has hardly any chance at all of making the cut. There are a few new entries each year, but the basic list stays the same and it is self perpetuating and continues year after year, same old, same old. Now I am more than happy to listen to Beethoven and Mozart and others repeatedly, but familiarity can breed contempt and this is why I now restrict my listening to Classic FM as, quite frankly, if I hear Finlandia, the New World Symphony and Lark Ascending one more time, I shall scream. Now the argument to counter this is one that is used to rebut complaints about the Royal Opera House putting on La Boheme and the answer is that there is always somebody there who is hearing it for the first time. And they are right. There is. But in the case of Classic FM you can hear a piece for the first time in the morning, again in the evening and probably on the breakfast show the next day. Over and over and over.
The Hall of Fame proclaims that Aida by Verdi is in the list. It is not. The Grand March is. The Pearl Fishers by Bizet is one the list. It is not. It is THE famous duet that is. Ditto Slaves Chorus from Nabucco and Ride of the Valkyrie from Die Walkure. There used to be a programme years ago on the station about opera with the story being narrated and illustrative arias and choruses in between. This vanished and I think should be brought back so that listeners can have a chance of listening to Celeste Aida from the opera, O Terra Adio the heartbreaking duet at the end and so on and so on.
Now this book is gorgeous. Beautifully illustrated with a well written cogent piece on each composer and worthy of being on anybody's book shelves. It does not talk down but it is straightforward and, thankfully, free of pretension and waffle. It is an excellent book.
I want to make it clear that I like Classic FM and listen to it a lot. John Suchet's programme in the morning is a particular favourite, I have warmed to Alan Titchmarsh at the weekend, the Drive Time slot is excellent if you are stuck in traffic when listening when I often am, and the full works concerts in the evening are most enjoyable.
I also want to make it clear that I am not saying the station doesn't play music outside the Hall of Fame playlist, it does but I feel it needs to expand a bit more.
And on a final note, if some of the presenters could refrain from hurtling in before the final note has died away with a comment along the lines of Oh isn't that wonderful that was the best thing since sliced bread (about a Mozart piece) I would be eternally grateful. And if a certain lady presenter could refrain from speaking to us as if we were five years old that would be good too....
To sum up -Classic FM is a great station and apart from my moans, and let us face it, you all know by now what a moaner I am, I love it.
