FMS-Blog : The Wildly Whimsical, Mostly Musical WebLog
Friday, July 28, 2006
Classic FM TV
I know that a lot of classical music buffs poo-poo the commercial radio station ClassicFM on account of it pandering to popularism and, so, being a bit on the vulgar side. And, to some extent, they're right - ClassicFM do only tend to broadcast short excerpts of very famous classical pieces and these sections tend to be the ones containing the big tunes that everyone knows, like Nessun Dorma and the like. But, it's also got to be said that this is a radio station that has become a national commercial success, reaching out to many groups who would prefer to listen to a bit of the overture to The Marriage of Figaro (without necessarily sitting through the numerous arias and recitatives that follow for several hours) than to much of the output of most other mainstream stations. Even the commercial breaks are geared towards a more delicate listening taste, often using classical pieces as background music and usually advertising charities or expensive luxury cars.
All this said, ClassicFM does tend to cut pieces short and only play short sections of classical compositions that the average bod on the street is likely to recognise. But, at least it plays classical music, unlike this company's other venture : ClassicFM TV, as seen on Sky channel 359. I can honestly say that this was the sole biggest disappointment I had when we first got digital television because it simply doesn't do what it says on the tin!
Not only does ClassicFM TV fail to play full classical works, but even the short snippets it broadcasts are mostly arranged in what can only be described as the most horrifically shiny, over-produced fashion. If you've never had the displeasure to watch this channel, I'll try to help you imagine what it's like : think of the most relaxing, slow and calm pieces of classical music your memory can muster up (I've got Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis in mind), put it through an effects unit to strip out any very high or very low frequency sounds, add an electronically generated drum beat and sprinkle in a few blips and string noises from a Casio keyboard (manufactured circa 1981) and you're getting close to the aural experience. If you can bear to open your eyes, you'll be treated to a visual representation of a very similar ilk : usually a collection of stills taken off the Greek coast or of ruined European abbeys, again filtered to allow that 'dreamy' look and often intentionally over-exposed. There's no other word for this kind of trash than utterly "dire"! How the makers of these programmes can get away with calling it's content 'classical music' I'll never know - it certainly bears no resemblence to the huge variation and complex beauty I know to be the qualities of what most people refer to as classical music. Seriously, if it's not over-produced piano sounds it's Hayley Westenra... I'm not being snobby here : this TV Station just pumps out cheaply made rubbish and targets its marketing in the direction of people who like to tell their friends that they're into classical music (but who wouldn't actually know one end of a bassoon from the other). Beam me up, Scotty!!
No, if you want to watch anything vaguely to do with classical music on your digital television I'd steer well away from ClassicFM TV and go for either the newly free-to-view Artsworld (Sky channel 267) or the Perfomance Channel (Sky channel 271). Better yet, switch the telly off and tune into BBC Radio 3!!
All this said, ClassicFM does tend to cut pieces short and only play short sections of classical compositions that the average bod on the street is likely to recognise. But, at least it plays classical music, unlike this company's other venture : ClassicFM TV, as seen on Sky channel 359. I can honestly say that this was the sole biggest disappointment I had when we first got digital television because it simply doesn't do what it says on the tin!
Not only does ClassicFM TV fail to play full classical works, but even the short snippets it broadcasts are mostly arranged in what can only be described as the most horrifically shiny, over-produced fashion. If you've never had the displeasure to watch this channel, I'll try to help you imagine what it's like : think of the most relaxing, slow and calm pieces of classical music your memory can muster up (I've got Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis in mind), put it through an effects unit to strip out any very high or very low frequency sounds, add an electronically generated drum beat and sprinkle in a few blips and string noises from a Casio keyboard (manufactured circa 1981) and you're getting close to the aural experience. If you can bear to open your eyes, you'll be treated to a visual representation of a very similar ilk : usually a collection of stills taken off the Greek coast or of ruined European abbeys, again filtered to allow that 'dreamy' look and often intentionally over-exposed. There's no other word for this kind of trash than utterly "dire"! How the makers of these programmes can get away with calling it's content 'classical music' I'll never know - it certainly bears no resemblence to the huge variation and complex beauty I know to be the qualities of what most people refer to as classical music. Seriously, if it's not over-produced piano sounds it's Hayley Westenra... I'm not being snobby here : this TV Station just pumps out cheaply made rubbish and targets its marketing in the direction of people who like to tell their friends that they're into classical music (but who wouldn't actually know one end of a bassoon from the other). Beam me up, Scotty!!
No, if you want to watch anything vaguely to do with classical music on your digital television I'd steer well away from ClassicFM TV and go for either the newly free-to-view Artsworld (Sky channel 267) or the Perfomance Channel (Sky channel 271). Better yet, switch the telly off and tune into BBC Radio 3!!
