# Radios; Good or Bad?



## AY Goat (May 26, 2021)

I was wondering how you rate classical music radios. By radio I mean radios with a host, real radios or internet radios like Classic FM or BBC.
I'm not personally a big fan of radios, since I find them distracting. First of all, music changes from artist to artist all the time. When I've just warmed up, the piece is over.
Secondly, they usually play single movements which will never be enough if you want to really get through the work.
Thirdly, ads
But, the good thing about them is that you find some new works you haven't heard before, also you may come to something you've listened to a long time ago, and you'll get kind of a nostalgic feeling.
With all that said what's your opinion on radios?


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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

Try my hometown station - WFMT

https://www.wfmt.com/

You can listen online and for the most part they play complete compositions.

As an added bonus, what few ads they have are read by the announcer - no jingles - just straightforward ad copy.

Here's the playlist for Saturday, June 19th -

https://www.wfmt.com/schedule


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

Sunburst Finish said:


> Try my hometown station - WFMT
> 
> https://www.wfmt.com/
> 
> ...


That is a good playlist-- I'm impressed. It is encouraging to see a lot of music that is not standard repertoire.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Out in Nashville, we're down to one classical station broadcasting out of Kentucky. I listen to it at night when I'm trying to sleep. What's frustrating is, if they play something new, I don't remember the name of the composer: "That was a piece by Kathryn . . . " z-z-z-z.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

When I was getting into classical music (in the mid 1980s), I used to listen to the Dutch classical music radio on Sunday afternoon, in a programme where experts were listening to new CD releases, and had to guess which composers were played and what they thought of it.

Nowadays, if I'm not in the mood to play one of my CD's, I can always explore new composers on YouTube. I have not listened to radio for decades.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

I love radio and that comes from my early days of being a HAM radio operator. When I drive, I listen to radio more than CDs. When I walk the dog or ride a bike, a portable radio is always with me. There are two classical radio stations I can pull in. The closer station, KBAQ, is horrible. They rarely play complete works anymore - although listener complaints finally forced them to playing a full symphony or concerto in the morning - the daily masterwork. The rest of the time it's excerpts and selections from the Classical-100. No live concerts, only the MET opera. The endless and endlessly boring Sunday Baroque. I don't contribute to the station at all.

But I can also pick up KUAT from Tucson thanks to a repeater. Brilliant programming. Not one bit afraid of contemporary or more difficult music. Several orchestra relays: San Francisco, New York, Chicago and several excellent national programs like Fiesta! Great station run by people who really love classical. I donate to this station significantly. 

Listening to radio, with live hosts, creates a bond with the listener that is emotionally fulfilling in ways that a cd can't be. You feel connected with others in some way, however tenuously. It that human contact that will keep radio alive. Long live radio!


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> Nowadays, if I'm not in the mood to play one of my CD's, I can always explore new composers on YouTube. I have not listened to radio for decades.


Same here. I see no reason to listen to music programmed by others when I can easily listen to music programmed by myself.


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

mbhaub said:


> I love radio and that comes from my early days of being a HAM radio operator. When I drive, I listen to radio more than CDs. When I walk the dog or ride a bike, a portable radio is always with me. There are two classical radio stations I can pull in. *The closer station, KBAQ, is horrible.* They rarely play complete works anymore - although listener complaints finally forced them to playing a full symphony or concerto in the morning - the daily masterwork. The rest of the time it's excerpts and selections from the Classical-100. No live concerts, only the MET opera. The endless and endlessly boring Sunday Baroque. I don't contribute to the station at all.
> 
> But I can also pick up KUAT from Tucson thanks to a repeater. Brilliant programming. Not one bit afraid of contemporary or more difficult music. Several orchestra relays: San Francisco, New York, Chicago and several excellent national programs like Fiesta! Great station run by people who really love classical. I donate to this station significantly.
> 
> Listening to radio, with live hosts, creates a bond with the listener that is emotionally fulfilling in ways that a cd can't be. You feel connected with others in some way, however tenuously. It that human contact that will keep radio alive. Long live radio!


Totally! KBAQ plays way too much baroque and classical for my tastes. Presumably to turn off as few of their supporting listeners as possible by avoiding more challenging music. I find the Music Choice Classical Masterpieces channel on COX cable far more listenable.


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## WNvXXT (Nov 22, 2020)

One of two stations that I listen to while driving; classical or oldies.


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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

I generally dont listen to radios when I drive. I listen to CD or MP3.


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## Flippo63 (Aug 14, 2018)

What station? I hated it when npr in nashville went away from classical


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## AY Goat (May 26, 2021)

I was listening to ClassicFm the other day but, I couldn't stand the ads. R&B ads in classical radio...Yuck!


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

AY Goat said:


> I was wondering how you rate classical music radios. By radio I mean radios with a host, real radios or internet radios like Classic FM or BBC.
> I'm not personally a big fan of radios, since I find them distracting. First of all, music changes from artist to artist all the time. When I've just warmed up, the piece is over.
> Secondly, they usually play single movements which will never be enough if you want to really get through the work.
> Thirdly, ads
> ...


We are very lucky in NZ we have a dedicated radio station "The Concert Program" No advertising and only complete works I listen every night from 10pm to midnight on top of that they give a free pod cast each month of complete works played by NZ artists. The National party (right wing) tried to shut it down or make it exist by taking on advertisers but there was too much opposition that they gave up, however there is always a threat...


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## Wilhelm Theophilus (Aug 8, 2020)

I believe some pieces should not be played on the radio. When you hear an amazing piece of music being played quietly in the background and it cannot be properly listened to or appreciated and is often talked over, or is competing with other sounds, it seems wrong. Its not the right setting for this music. I understand that might sound sort of pompous to some.


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## WNvXXT (Nov 22, 2020)

Sunday has a few great programs.

Sunday Baroque 5 hours

Hearts of Space 2 hours

Pipedreams 2 hours


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

Wilhelm Theophilus said:


> I believe some pieces should not be played on the radio. When you hear an amazing piece of music being played quietly in the background and it cannot be properly listened to or appreciated and is often talked over, or is competing with other sounds, it seems wrong. Its not the right setting for this music. I understand that might sound sort of pompous to some.


Then you are listening to the wrong program.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I really like radio listening. Yes, I have a large music collection, but sometimes it’s easier to turn on a station and also learn about unfamiliar works. My 2 favs are WFMT in Chicago and Radio Venice


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I hate all radio. I don't need to listen to any music I don't like or am bored with when I have so much at home to get through. If I want to listen to something new I listen on Spotify or youtube.


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## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

I learned quite a lot about classical music from radio back in the day, when I was a kid, so I certainly won't hate on it, but I know substantially more about music, classical repertoire from all eras, and recordings than most radio announcers, and simply prefer to make my own choices and direct my curiosity elsewhere. Let's face it, even the best radio program choices stay very firmly on the safe side.

For live concert broadcasts, Internet streaming is my choice.

ETA: I don't generally keep music on in the background—music is for attentive listening—and while driving my preference is generally for podcasts, or I'll select something off of the USB drive that lives in my car.


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

I find listening to classical when driving too frustrating as road noise makes soft passages impossible to hear.


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## Open Book (Aug 14, 2018)

There's a serendipity factor to the radio for which there is no substitute. I hear things that are new (to me) all the time and of high quality and I often go and chase down the CD so I can own the music. Or I hear performances of familiar pieces that are satisfying. 

I'm lucky to live in range of a good radio station, I guess. It mostly matches my tastes yet challenges me just enough. Oh, and it publishes its daily playlist online, it's available for at least a week afterward for later reference.

If I were to search composers on my own they would be just names I had heard with no guarantee the music would be rewarding. Even youtube is a radio station of sorts, it has built-in playlists. Pieces come up automatically after the music you have searched for if you have it set that way.

So, I like radio. As long as they don't play single movements.


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## Trev Edwards (May 3, 2014)

Without BBC Radio 3 I'd never have discovered the music I like. I particularly like their live concerts, of which we usually get three a day, often more. BBC Radio3 in the modern era has a facility to listen to any broadcast from the last month on the "Sounds" page. Each programme page within that list the music played.

In a morning as I go about my work be it actual paid work or doing things around the house I find the Breakfast and morning shows to be good entertainment. I like having someone choose music for me some of the time.Then the lunchtime and afternoon concerts are great as well. I often miss the evening concerts but if it is a good one I'll listen to it later.

I've also caught some of the American NPR channels. Sunday Baroque is excellent for example.


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## Open Book (Aug 14, 2018)

The radio is 95% responsible for my becoming a classical music listener. There was no internet when I was in my formative years. I wasn't exposed to classical music in any other way except a couple of live performances in all of my grade school years.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

I differ a bit from mbhaub and progmatist above in that I enjoy KBAQ a lot. I am still discovering works and performers I have not heard before on the station. I do most of my radio listening in the car at night, so they are more apt to play complete works during that time.

I don't blame any public radio station for playing what their donors like. Even with unlimited funding, no radio station is going to be all things to all listeners. I'm happy that they have picked a lane that allows them to survive, and there are other avenues to hear newer or more experimental offerings.


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## Symphonic (Apr 27, 2015)

I find that classical radio stations let themselves down by catering too closely to the canon.

Although it is reasonable that a radio station will blare Mozart's Symphony No. 40 and Pachelbel's Canon more frequently than others, I think they could do more to intersperse some lesser known works.

Nevertheless, I grew up listening to Classical FM constantly. And for that, I owe them.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> I have not listened to radio for decades.


Sounds like me. It's been 20 years (maybe longer) since I was actually interested in listening to the radio or it provided me with knowledge of something that I didn't already know. Classical music radio has never been interesting, because like rock, jazz or country radio, it's all about the 'hits' and not for the musically curious or inclined. It's a dead medium as far as I'm concerned.


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## WNvXXT (Nov 22, 2020)

Lately it's either music or the (AAA) ball game.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Radio was an important part of my early years of listening to classical music and jazz. At the time, I had few recordings or music books, so I made many discoveries on radio. I looked at program listings in the newspaper and listen to music that I was interested in. Sometimes I would tape and also make requests. I have fond memories of listening to _Adventures in Good Music_ with Karl Haas and enjoying the music and his commentary.

Nowadays, I still listen to radio on a daily basis, especially as I do things like cooking and having a meal. The local stations playing classical have varied programs, including some jazz. There are programs ranging from new releases to those which focus on specific eras, genres or performers.

Having culled about two-thirds of my classical collection, I know more music than I have on disc. If something that I no longer have is played on radio, I listen to it with fresh ears. It is like bumping into an old acquaintance. The memory comes back and what would otherwise be boring (or even a chore) to listen to is in a sense made special by the chance encounter.


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

Dan Ante said:


> I find listening to classical when driving too frustrating as road noise makes soft passages impossible to hear.


That would be one redeeming quality of radio stations, at least here in the States. They tend to use audio compression to even out the volume. The soft passages don't get quite so soft.


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## AlexD (Nov 6, 2011)

I love radio. 

I'm more into BBC Radio 3 as that seems to have a wider mix (and there's no ads) and it plays longer pieces. I've listend to shows and bought music off them and learnt how to appreciate a wider range of jazz and classical music.

Record Review is great, Building a Libray and the Jazz and poetry programmes too.

Classic FM is OK, but the playlist seems to be limited.


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

progmatist said:


> That would be one redeeming quality of radio stations, at least here in the States. They tend to use audio compression to even out the volume. The soft passages don't get quite so soft.


Actually I should have mentioned that it was from CDs that are loaded in the player.


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

When I'm in the car I'll either listen to *KUSC*, the Classical Music station, or *KCLU*, an *NPR* station. When either of them get annoying, I'll switch to CD.

*KUSC* has a rather eclectic playlist. Given their target demographic, I'd say their playlists are almost perfect.

They'll play the Old Chestnuts, sometimes entire symphonies, sometimes movements. They'll play NEW works, but only once in a while.

Here's a link to their playlist page: https://www.kusc.org/radio/playlist...LeuXIrMGc45gYTfMlL0N1kc2HtrKzd8kaAoMMEALw_wcB

On the top of their playlist page is a button to stream their broadcast. The advertising is, I think, most passive.


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## WNvXXT (Nov 22, 2020)

Tecsun is by go-to radio. I've got a PL-880 and the PL-990 (with mp3 player). Both have passive radiator speakers, so the sound is impressive for a portable.


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

I confess to not listening that often to radio anymore, although occasionally I will listen to the local NPR affiliate and occasionally to the internet stream of BBC Radio 3, but I do have fond memories of listening to the BBC World Service through both Short Wave as well as AM radio in the 1970s and 1980s, before immigrating to the USA in 1990. Living at the time in a country where Classical Music was not mainstream (not that it is mainstream even in the west), the BBC World Service provided a welcome coverage of a genre of music I enjoyed. I have fond memories of listening to Proms broadcasts, Composer of the Month and Record Reviews, although at the time I certainly could not afford any of those records. Finding myself in London for a week in September 2018, I finally attended three live Proms concerts, including surprisingly the last night of the Proms (somebody returned their ticket and I snagged it online); ironically one of the concerts was by the visiting Boston Symphony Orchestra, which I consider one of my two "local bands"! I live about 40 minutes from Tanglewood and about one and a half hours from Boston Symphony Hall. So I traveled halfway around the world to hear my "local band" play! Boy, do I miss Tanglewood.


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## Open Book (Aug 14, 2018)

haziz said:


> I live about 40 minutes from Tanglewood and about one and a half hours from Boston Symphony Hall. So I traveled halfway around the world to hear my "local band" play! Boy, do I miss Tanglewood.


As you probably know, Tanglewood is back in business this summer, although with some modifications for COVID-19. We're trying to decide if it's worth it.

https://www.bso.org/brands/tanglewood/contact-us/safe-in-sound.aspx


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

BBC Radio 3 Internet Stream:

Times listed are in GMT

Suzy Klein - Monday
Essential Classics

Suzy Klein plays the best in classical music, with familiar favourites, new discoveries and the occasional musical surprise.

0915 Playlist starter - listen and send us your ideas for the next step in our musical journey today.

1010 Song of the Day - harnessing the magic of words, music and the human voice.

1030 Playlist reveal - a sequence of music suggested by you in response to today's starter.

1100 Essential Five - the first of our selection of five outstanding fandangos this week.

1130 Slow Moment - time to take a break for a moment's musical reflection.

...............

*P.S. I was trying to post this on the "Currently Listening" thread, but posted it here by mistake. It is not entirely inappropriate for this thread. I do wish the BBC had continued Short Wave broadcasts directed at North America, but I understand the rationale and the compressed audio internet stream is still miles ahead of Shortwave in terms of sound quality.*


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

Sunburst Finish said:


> Try my hometown station - WFMT
> 
> https://www.wfmt.com/
> 
> ...


Fellow Chicagoan here... WFMT is well worth a listen.


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