While everyone spells out doom and gloom about the state of classical
music radio throughout the country, I wanted to point out that there
are exceptions, one of them being right here where I live in Columbus,
OH. Unfortunately, from traveling and living in another market recently
(Philadelphia), I do know that this is just an exception, but I suspect
there must be more stations like this, since I can hardly believe Columbus
is a cultural heaven of any kind.
The station is listener-supported. They are affiliated with Ohio State
University, but say that they only get about 10% of their funding from
it. The station has a fairly strong signal, and has 4 satellite stations
throughout the surrounding area. As a result, I can hear it for most of
my trip to Cleveland (~130 miles).
They somehow happen to do everything just right. There is an almost
perfect (to my ears) balance between popular and unknown/eclectic music,
the announcers do just that: announce the music without much in mannerism
and "cutesiness", but do give the label and performers on the recording.
I wish they did a little more modern music programming, although they do
a bit, but I don't believe I ever heard an atonal piece as part of regular
programming (as opposed to concerts and other syndicated programming).
There is, however, a locally produced weekly show called "new dimensions",
which is an hour of modern music where the rules from above are not
followed.
Here is how the programming works: in the morning (6-9AM), the shorter
pieces and single movements from larger works are broadcast around traffic
reports and headline news. However, this is not straight baroque all
morning. A Mahler movement is not too rare, nor is a short piece written
in the last decade. 9AM-4PM is daytime programming consisting of complete
works. 4-6PM is the same type of programming as the morning. 6-7PM, it's
back to complete works. At 7PM, it's time for Karl Haas' Adventures in
good music, at 8PM--a broadcast concert. From then on, it's back to
complete works again till midnight when they broadcast WFMT Beethoven
Satellite Network's programming which also consists of complete works.
Weekends have much more syndicated programming. Broadcasts from various
orchestras, chamber music festivals, MET, Chicago Lyric, Houston Grand
Opera, etc. galore.
Just to make my point a little clearer, here is the announced program
for today's complete works programming. They don't list programming for
neither of the rush hour periods, nor for the period after 9:30PM (after
syndicated concert)
9AM "Morning Favorite"--Strauss Der Rosenclavier suite
10AM-2PM
Damase Flute and Harp Sonata
Gliere Symphony no. 2
Mozart Piano Concerto no. 22
Khachaturian Gayane Suite
Franceschini Sonata in G for 2 violins and continuo
Saint-Saens Suite algerienne
Soler Fandango
Bruckner String Quartet
2-4PM
Glazunov Saxophone Concerto
A. Rubinstein Nocturne
Shostakovich Pirogov Suite
Vanhal Symphony in D
Rheinberger Horn and Piano Sonata
Sibelius Rakastava
6-7PM
Martucci Theme and Variations
Punto Horn concerto no.5
Drigo La esmeralda: pas the deux
Impressive, isn't it?
Igor Grobman [log in to unmask] [log in to unmask]
|