Classis FM ugh!

[betty swollocks]

That's it: I'm never going to listen again.
I have it as my default station on my bedside digital radio: Classic FM in the vain hope that they wil, at some time, play something I don't know, instead of churning out all the usual classical dross over and over again. And then there's the adverts repeated time and time again......hernias, traffic jams, cashing in your endowment mortgage etc etc.
Anyway, this morning I reached over and pressed the on switch and in that dream-filled half-awake time, strains of a tune I thought I knew trickled into my brain and the two tried to mesh. Eventually they did and I woke with a jolt, coming to the startling realisation that what I was listening to was a classical version of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' complete with treacly Mantovani-like strings and aahhhh-ing choir in the background.
After too long it finished and the female announcer announced that it was played by the LSO and the London Voices - shame on them! She further revealed that when Freddie Mercury's mother heard this, she is purported to have cried.
This does not surprise me: I nearly did too.

 

[Fab Foodie]

R3.

 

[zimzum42]

Since Freddie Mercury's mother lives in penury in Zanzibar and refuses to give interviews to the media (with a couple of notable exceptions), I find it hard to believe that she heard the thing, let alone commented on her reaction to it.

Farouk left his family at a young age and never returned, and his overt homosexuality further distanced him from them, not least owing to the fact they live in a deeply conservative Islamic society.

 

[Mr Pig]

I was listening to was a classical version of 'Bohemian Rhapsody'

That is bad..

 

[Lardyboy]

Any other "classic" radio station other than R3 should be classed as "classic lite" as the colonies would call it!

 

[rich p]

They don't even play the whole piece usually; just the well known bit. It's drivel. R3 for me even if some bits are hard to listen to.

 

[HelenD123]

I gave up on Classic FM years ago. It's not just the music, it's the syrupy voices of the presenters that makes my skin crawl as well.

 

[feckless]

Since Freddie Mercury's mother lives in penury in Zanzibar

Life in Zanzibar must be pretty expensive these days, Freddie Mercury left his parents well over £1.5 million in 1991.

Farouk left his family at a young age and never returned, and his overt homosexuality further distanced him from them.

Didn't stop them from giving him (and attending) a full Zoroastrian funeral though.

Perhaps his mum doesn't share the local political disquiet over his sexuality.

None of which alters the fact that Classic FM is complete botty-gravy (and the LSO cover of B Rhapsody merely appropriate output).

f

 

[zimzum42]

Well, I don't know what conditions were placed on access to the cash, cos she's certainly not living it up out there.....

 

[yenrod]

I've always wanted to hear something I DO know on ClassicFM!

 

[bigwheel]

Wait for the adverts...works for me!

 

[girofan]

Ever since the Classic FM franchise dropped TheJazz from the ether one knew the intellectual pygmies were in control!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[girofan]

TheJazz is still there (well it is on satellite anyway). I'm listening to it right now.

I know that Uncle, thanks. The point I'm making is that instead of running a station for the listener market, they only look at what is profitable and produce a station accordingly. Even though Classic FM was easily able to subsidise a mass market jazz station!

 

[twowheelsgood]

If you want something a little more substantial than PlasticsFM but not as heavy as R3 and you can get it on satellite or internet try German channel Bayern 4.

http://www.br-online.de/bayern4klassik/index.xml

 

[User169]

Since Freddie Mercury's mother lives in penury in Zanzibar and refuses to give interviews to the media (with a couple of notable exceptions), I find it hard to believe that she heard the thing, let alone commented on her reaction to it.

Farouk left his family at a young age and never returned, and his overt homosexuality further distanced him from them, not least owing to the fact they live in a deeply conservative Islamic society.

Is this a joke or did you simply make it up?

Mercury's family came to the UK from Zanzibar in '64 (when he was 17) and his mother was living in Nottingham until at least 2006. He never left his family (unless you count being sent to boarding school in India) and his parents were, by all accounts, extremely proud of him.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co...tainment/whats_on/listings/article1085151.ece

Back on topic, I would have thought the danger of being exposed to the Lark Ascending (for the umpteenth time) would lead discerning listeners to eschew Classic FM.