Classic FM

[plastic penguin]

For about half an hour this morning, I listened to this station (bored rigid for 30 mins) and wow! what a sound. If you don't mind the hiss of a less than adequate signal, the classical stuff really does test the dynamics of your amp and speakers.

I was suprised just how good the Arc is at changing very quickly from a crescendo to a triangle chiming. Very impressed, although classic stuff won't be a regular listen.....

 

[Anonymous]

Up until about 10 years ago, I thought the same about classical as you. However, after my mother bought me a couple I started buying them and have about 60 now. The genre is so wide you would find something you would like.

Classic FM is a great introduction and broadcast with a decent signal.

Quite often I can switch from Pixies (off to Glasgow SECC tomorrow - can't wait!) to Einaudi (crossover), Grieg or Vaughan Williams.

 

[matthewpiano]

The 'classical' label, in its mainstream usage, is very broad and quite often not all that helpful. As Graham suggests there is likely to be something within that vast umbrella that you would find interesting.

If you want to explore a little further a disc of Wagner orchestral extracts would be a great place to explore the more exciting side of things. Extracts such as 'The Ride of the Valkyries' and 'The Entry of the Gods into Valhalla' would certainly get you going more.

 

[plastic penguin]

They were playing some obscure Russian stuff - nearly all of which I've never heard. Still the system seems about on the money....

 

[Andrew Everard]

Good magazine, too...

 

[chebby]

plastic penguin:If you don't mind the hiss of a less than adequate signal, the classical stuff really does test the dynamics of your amp and speakers.

I get the Classic FM signal from the same transmitter as the BBC radio stations (Rowridge) so my rooftop FM aerial just happens to be optimal for both.

Does Classic FM come from a different transmitter (to BBC Radio) in your area PP? Just wondering, why the hiss?

I suspect Classic FM 'process' their output though. Always sounds a bit 'lusher' and fruitier than R3.

 

[plastic penguin]

chebby:

plastic penguin:If you don't mind the hiss of a less than adequate signal, the classical stuff really does test the dynamics of your amp and speakers.

I get the Classic FM signal from the same transmitter as the BBC radio stations (Rowridge) so my rooftop FM aerial just happens to be optimal for both.

Does Classic FM come from a different transmitter (to BBC Radio) in your area PP? Just wondering, why the hiss?

I suspect Classic FM 'process' their output though. Always sounds a bit 'lusher' and fruitier than R3.

We live on the North Downs and most of radio and digital tv signals seem to be rather hit'n'miss. A friend of the family, live two roads away can't get standard digital at all. They have to subscribe to cable for all their av needs.

So can't really give you a firm answer on that one, Chebby.

 

[plastic penguin]

Andrew Everard:Good magazine, too...

There's obviously a huge following, Andrew, so I usually limit it the occasional late night sessions - the wind-down period.

 

[matthewpiano]

For anyone getting going in classical music Classic FM magazine is a decent enough starting point although it does cover a fair amount of crossover stuff and 'opera singers' like Katherine Jenkins who aren't really opera singers and have never performed a full operatic role on stage.

For more in-depth articles BBC Music Magazine and Gramophone magazine are FAR superior. The BBC Music cover CDs are excellent.

 

[chebby]

plastic penguin:
We live on the North Downs and most of radio and digital tv signals seem to be rather hit'n'miss. A friend of the family, live two roads away can't get standard digital at all. They have to subscribe to cable for all their av needs.

So can't really give you a firm answer on that one, Chebby.

North downs? Then Wrotham would seem to be the logical one. Crystal Palace is low power for FM and only high power for UHF/TV and Croydon only does local stations whereas Wrotham is high power for FM radio.

But as you say, topography can be a bit of a bu##er for reception if you are on the 'wrong' side of a hill.

It still might be worthwhile getting a professional aerial guy around to install something better for your FM or check it is actually pointing at Wrotham rather than just pointing the same way as the TV aerials which would be wrong.

 

[plastic penguin]

As we live on the Guildford side of the Downs, I naturally assumed that either Crystal Palace or Reigate would more appropriate when it came to FM signal? Wrotham is NW Kent and the geographics (and logic) seems to rule out kent.

When we Bought our IDTV we asked the the shop assistant what our area was like for digital. She checked our post code and said, according to her data, we had strong reception. But our post code is the same as Epsom and Kingston, they don't seem to suffer the same topographic issues as we do.....hey-ho.

 

[Andrew Everard]

matthewpiano:For anyone getting going in classical music Classic FM magazine is a decent enough starting point although it does cover a fair amount of crossover stuff and 'opera singers' like Katherine Jenkins who aren't really opera singers and have never performed a full operatic role on stage. .

You can't say bad things things about KJ and her amazing vibra-u-a-u-a-u-a-u-a-u-a-u-a-u-a-u-a-u-a-u-a-u-a-u-a-u-a-u-a-u-a-to!

matthewpiano:For more in-depth articles BBC Music Magazine

(insert picture of Peter Cushing as Van Helsing making sign of cross with two candlesticks here)

matthewpiano:The BBC Music cover CDs are excellent.

Umm,

, yes, they are rather. But then they have an enormous effectively free archive to draw on. Damn!

 

[matthewpiano]

LOL! I have to say though, Andrew, that for reviews Gramophone is still by far the best. I think James Jolly has done an incredible job of modernising the magazine without losing any of its depth and credibility. There is always plenty to read and there is a real sense of musical knowledge and expertise underpinning the magazine. I also like the fact that it avoids getting dragged into articles of the 'Top 100 Divas of All Time' nonsense. I've been a subscriber for some years and look forward to receiving the magazine every month.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Good to hear: I've been on the magazine for 10 years, in fact since Haymarket bought it, which rather scarily makes me the second longest-serving member of current staff - after of course the double-J.

 

[pwiles1968]

chebby:
plastic penguin:If you don't mind the hiss of a less than adequate signal, the classical stuff really does test the dynamics of your amp and speakers.

I get the Classic FM signal from the same transmitter as the BBC radio stations (Rowridge) so my rooftop FM aerial just happens to be optimal for both.

Does Classic FM come from a different transmitter (to BBC Radio) in your area PP? Just wondering, why the hiss?

I suspect Classic FM 'process' their output though. Always sounds a bit 'lusher' and fruitier than R3.

I have allways found during testing Classic FM in the midlands to be a poorer transmission to that of the BBC transmissions for mobile reception (In Car) even though the transmissions come from the same location and at the same power, it seems far more susceptible to things like multipath and RF interference.

With respect to the content It has been a while but I used to listen to Classic a lot, my nearly 7 year old son loves Classic FM, he goes to sleep listening to it.

 

[Andrew Everard]

pwiles1968:he goes to sleep listening to it.

Yes, unfortunately it can have that effect...

 

[plastic penguin]

Andrew Everard:

pwiles1968:he goes to sleep listening to it.

Yes, unfortunately it can have that effect...

Doesn't it just - as mentioned earlier in the thread, in small doses it's fine (or as background music), other than that.......

 

[matthewpiano]

BACKGROUND MUSIC????!!!!

If they are playing Einaudi perhaps, but there are many many works out there that couldn't possibly be background music.

Try sleeping when the canons are going off at the end of Tchaikovsky's '1812 Overture' or when the brass in Mussorgsky's 'Night On A Bare Mountain' commands your attention. Then there is the rhythmic pounding in Stravinsky's 'The Rite of Spring' and the incredible range of colours and moods in 'Symphonie Fantastique' by Berlioz. Listen to Alfred Brendel spin the most elegant melodic lines in Schubert's 'Impromptus' for piano, or the great tenor Carlo Bergonzi showing all his might in 'Se quel guerrier io fossi...' before singing a beautiful love song in 'Celeste Aida' from Verdi's opera 'Aida'.

There is such a broad range of amazing music out there and, quite often, Classic FM is too focused on pop-classical artists like Bond and The Planets to give any sense of what the real stuff has to offer.

 

[plastic penguin]

That is a general appraisal, based on what's played on the radio. When usually listen to it, it is normally very late as I'm tidying up and getting ready to 'hit the sack'.

 

[Andrew Everard]

matthewpiano:BACKGROUND MUSIC????!!!!

I think the comment was about Classic FM, not classical music as a whole...

 

[chebby]

You up working/watching JP GP too?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Yes, yes and packing.

 

[Anonymous]

A lot of "classical music" buffs can be quite sniffy about Classic FM, and yes ok they do play a lot of crossover music but if they introduce more people to classical music whats the harm.

It certainly introduced me to it and now I rarely buy mainstream CDs mostly classical music now, I just purchased Hubays violin concerto's by young Cloe Hanslip. very good indeed, now a few years ago I would never have even heard it, so for me it worked and some of their full works programmes are excellent...........

 

[matthewpiano]

Hi Mensicus. I agree with you and I'm sorry if my post came over that way. It wasn't intended to come over like that. It just occured to me that PP might have heard the station at its sleepiest and I didn't want him to be completely put off on that basis.

As far as I'm concerned any way into appreciating and enjoying great music is worthwhile. I just think the crossover stuff can put more people off that might actually be turned on by hearing some full-blown 'classical' pieces.

 

[plastic penguin]

matthewpiano:Hi Mensicus. I agree with you and I'm sorry if my post came over that way. It wasn't intended to come over like that. It just occured to me that PP might have heard the station at its sleepiest and I didn't want him to be completely put off on that basis. As far as I'm concerned any way into appreciating and enjoying great music is worthwhile. I just think the crossover stuff can put more people off that might actually be turned on by hearing some full-blown 'classical' pieces.

I think cross-over music is good - when I first heard Punk back in 76, I thought "what in God's name.....?"then New wave emerged and loved the Jam, Costello. After which I back tracked and started to listen to authentic Punk (whatever that means).

The same with Jamie Cullum. I've always liked big band Jazz and Marching music and hearing JC made me dig out my old big band stuff.

Cross-over?