BACK AND FORTH

A long time ago, during the last century in fact, I used to listen to BBC Radio 3 as the only classical music station in a country of 70 million people. (Other countries are not doing much better).

Then came Classic FM, and it was like a breath of fresh air. The two stations were not in direct competition. Radio 3 would broadcast full-length compositions, whereas Classic FM introduced their listeners to the vast world of composers by playing short passages. Up to you, after that, to download the complete work or buy the CD.

I therefore found myself listening almost exclusively to Classic FM. To make matters worse, Radio 3 often seemed to favour shunting train symphonies or concertos for rusty hinges.

Then Classic FM changed : more and more commercials, more and more insipid choice of music and a detestable habit of mumbling the names of composers at full speed. If a name is not instantly familiar, you don't get a chance to catch it.

So, back to BBC Radio 3, if not all the time, at least some of the time.