Radio 3 on Sunday evening played a new, eight hour piece by Max Richter called Sleep, composed “in consultation” with David Eagleman, the author of Sum: Tales From The Afterlife.
I have not listened to all eight hours of this. But what I have heard is great and any Eno fans here should dip in. So my question is name me an organisation that would, first of all, commission anything like this, and then, secondly, make it so widely available?
There are some people (looking at you Noel Edmonds and you, several tory MPs) who think Radio 3 should not exist. This, and The Proms, proves them wrong.
The tories are sniffing round the BBC like jackals at the moment. We all have our own favorite bits of the BBC. However various bits of it escape us. I hope I have helped bring a wee bit you have missed to your attention and made you quietly happy.
This piece has made me quietly happy.
You are a brave man Mr G! Beeb defending is a dangerous pastime on here!
I’ve listened to most of Sleep of and on over the last couple of weeks (available here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/sleep/id1017067859?app=itunes&ign-mpt=uo%3D4) and it’s really excellent, very Eno in places, Perhaps don’t drive while listening!
And yes this is why we should defend the BBC from the Tories.
And don’t forget with Get_iPlayer this is available to download and keep for more than 30 days.
Sleep sounds very promising.
And more power to you Gangle for sticking up for the Beeb.
Not saying it’s anywhere near perfect but Public Service Broadcasting should be cherished. It’s a cornerstone of European values.
I fully agree that is marvellous that things like this are broadcast. But I don’t think that is necessarily an argument for the status quo. It does not mean, for example, that the BBC could only continue to do this if they have a budget of £4bn plus. Nor does it justify a regressive tax.
Not living in the UK, one gets a very different picture of the BBC. Here in Sweden, SVT buy in the better programmes so one gets the deceptive impression that the overall quality is very high.
You often hear people say the same of US television and I don’t suppose that European t.v. is all to the standard of the dramas occasionally picked up in the UK. Lots of US PSB radio shows seem tremendous to me ( and often much better than their BBC equivalents) but then I concede I am cherry picking podcasts.
I was in the US last year and tried to listen to a lost of PSB radio. Sadly it was during pledge weeks, so on thre grounds that I don’t think it’s a great idea for the Today Programme to consist of a lot of begging for money from listeners, then I have to say I disagree with you.
I really like Max Richter’s music. In my view, he’s released three of the greatest ambient albums ever made:
Memoryhouse,
The Blue Notebooks, and
Songs From Before.
I’m not quite so keen on his ‘recomposition’ of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons,’ though. I couldn’t really see the point. What a cheat! Antonio Vivaldi’s lawyers should sue.
As regards “Sleep,” I’ve just ordered the one-hour excerpt from the work on CD, entitled “From Sleep”. am looking forward to it.
Still better, in my view,, than funding via a regressive tax that places an equal charge on people who will never be able to afford to travel to the US.
I rarely listen to Radio 3 but the idea that people wish it gone is completely alien to me.
When it comes to personalities/celebrities voicing an opinion, all the ones who are pro-Beeb are the ones I might have a bit of time for, all the ones who are trying to destroy it are the ones I can’t stand!
I thought Conservatives were meant to be conservative, i. e. people who like to ‘conserve’ things.
The licence fee was fair enough when the Beeb was the national source of entertainment and information. But times have changed.
I watch sport exclusively on Eurosport & Sky, watch films and US TV on Netflix, watch light-ent primarily on Channel 4 and listen to music on Spotify.
Why should I have to pay – under threat of prison – for you lot to listen to classical music?
You’re not paying for “us lot” to just listen to classical music. You’re contributing to an organisation which provides a service for nearly everyone, for a relatively small cost in the same way that you contribute to the NHS, even if you have private healthcare and never go near A&E or a GP.
Healthcare & entertainment are apples & oranges.
But I don’t want to contribute to Tax breaks for Sky, ITV, Channel 4 and the rest* but I do because it probably the right thing to do.
I’ll chip in for your viewing if you do for ours, deal?
*The BBC through independent productions benefit as well
I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I doubt it’s morally equivalent.
Doesn’t anyone else in your house watch or listen to BBC programmes?
No.
You never watch the news? Never listen to the radio? Never check out their website? Never use any BBC products at all?
Then yes sir, you are indeed persecuted. I suggest you chuck your telly in Boston harbour in protest.
I don’t recall saying I was persecuted. I was just pointing out that I disagree with the mandatory licence fee in this day & age.
And no, I don’t watch the BBC and could quite happily live without it, as do many thousands of people. We often talk on this board about how tough the working poor have it, and yet you’re happy for them to stump up £150 a year – the same as a millionaire – to pay for things they may not use.
I have tried it the last two nights on the iPad.
Probably not the best way to experience it but the music felt different both nights. Less Brian Eno last night.
The 7 hours kip I try to get felt a lot longer and woke up more refreshed and my dreams have certainly been ‘different’.
Need to hook up a better system in Club Duvet but promising.
BBC – GREAT
Max was one of my best friends at school between the ages of 13 – 17. I would often stay round his house as his entire family were warm, welcoming sorts and I didn’t much like being round mine at that age (who does?). He introduced me to bands like Kraftwerk, Yes, Pink Floyd and Brian Eno as well as Chopin, Mahler and Mozart. He was by no means a brilliant pianist/composer at that time but he had belief in spades and a great work ethic.
Some interesting (though non-invasive) facts: I recall he bought the first Asia album when it first came out then took it back the next day saying it was utter bilge .. and he was kind of right wasn’t he? We went to see Slade at one of their Christmas concerts in about 1981 (I think) .. something that would probably cause him a few blushes if it were revealed to his current fanbase.
He’s one of the good guys and I’m so pleased and proud of his success.
I bought the first Asia album when it came out as well. He was more than kind of right when he said it was utter bilge!
He’s gone down in my estimation if he’s embarrassed about liking Slade, mind.
Now available some great remixes.
Perhaps not as good for nodding off but really interesting.