Internet Radio

[Colin Pykett]

I can't find another topic with this title, though admittedly my skill with the search facility on this forum is not of the highest.

 

Having got really fed up with the variable and sometimes appalling technical quality of other signal streams, I have now settled at least for a while on internet radio. It knocks the others into a cocked hat, at least when listening on my hi-fi system. Classic FM on FM is hopeless because of the gross compression they impose for the benefit of those who listen in cars, and Radio 3 on FM is of variable quality for sundry other reasons to put it politely. DAB in this area likewise cannot be relied on either. In contrast, internet radio is a revelation and it really brings out the superb quality of much of the source material.

 

What really prompted me to write, however, was the unexpected appearance of - wait for it - organ music on today's 'Saturday Classics' on R3. I just managed to avoid fainting with surprise, and so was able to take in Marie-Madeleine Duruflé's rendition of Bach's C major P&F (BWV 547) played on a Gonzalez instrument. I have not heard as much of her as I should like, but her style is similar in at least two respects to that of Helmut Walcha. She adopts a strict tempo throughout (except for a rallentando at the end of the fugue) together with minimal and therefore telling changes of manual and registration. This was followed by various choral works by other composers, which came over with astonishing clarity thanks to the internet.

 

If you haven't tried it yet, maybe internet radio will press your buttons too. It's easy to access from Windows (just Google to find it). On Linux/Ubuntu I had to install the 'gradio' app, but having done so it works equally well. I can't speak for Mac. But to get the best from it you will need to listen using audiophile headphones or a good hi-fi system.

 

CEP

[davidh]

There may be many other sites, but I often listen to http://orgelradio.eu/ in spite of the commercials appearing between some pieces. It offers a good selection of music from CDs and has a 24-hour programme announced in advance.

 

There is also http://pipedreams.publicradio.org/ with 2-hour programmes, each devoted to a specific topic.

 

I would be interested to hear of any other similar sites.

[Contrabombarde]

There are over forty different classical music genres at http://www.classicalradio.com and the audio quality seems to be very good. One such channel is devoted to organ music

http://www.classicalradio.com/organworks

 

Perhaps the best known 24/7 station is Organlive, which itself has four different genres:

https://www.organlive.com/

http://www.organexperience.com/

http://www.positivelybaroque.com/

plus at Christmas time, there is a dedicated 24/7 Advent and Christmas organ music channel.

 

A wide range of recordings are played; some are of relatively poor audio quality (tape? vinyl) but of merit nonetheless.

[Dee Surtees]

Classic FM on FM is hopeless because of the gross compression they impose for the benefit of those who listen in cars

 

CEP

This is an interesting observation. I had no idea until you mentioned it of the technical reasons involved, but find Classic FM unlistenable, even when they play recordings I would otherwise jump to listen to.

[Choir Man]

I'm a big fan of the BBC iPlayer Radio app which I have on my phone. As well as live streaming you can download programmes and listen to them later when you are off-line. I find this useful for catching up on programmes in the car (with the phone connected to the car's audio system) and am very pleased with the quality of the sound.

 

For example, yesterday I listened to the Easter Day Evensong from Norwich and the the final voluntary was Mulet's Carillon Sortie in which the pedal Bass Trombone was clearly defined with the gravitas that one would expect from this stop and at the other end of the sound spectrum the Cymbelstern was also clearly audible.

[Colin Pykett]

yesterday I listened to the Easter Day Evensong from Norwich and the the final voluntary was Mulet's Carillon Sortie in which the pedal Bass Trombone was clearly defined with the gravitas that one would expect from this stop and at the other end of the sound spectrum the Cymbelstern was also clearly audible.

 

Yes, a fantastic piece especially played on the right sort of instrument. I once had a 7 inch EP of this played on the old Worcester cathedral instrument back in the 1960s or 70s by Christopher Robinson I think. In those days the reedwork was not much changed from when it was first installed by Hope-Jones in 1896, voiced by W C (Billy) Jones - no relation. I lived in Malvern around that time and often went to recitals there, and can confirm that that recording captured the sound pretty accurately.

 

Your post reminds me that I also heard Mulet's 'Tu es Petra' recently, and the biblical text on which this is based makes my hair stand on end just as much as the music! (Matthew 16:18 I think). But I'm not going to get involved in the linguistic-theological issues surrounding this. Fascinating though they may be, you are best referred to a former thread on this forum! See:

 

http://mander-organs-forum.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/2053-mulets-tu-es-petra/

 

CEP