Classic FM Reviews 316

Generally happy with Classic FM’s music selection - a lot of it isn’t my favourite, but you can’t please everybody all the time. I’ve just got two little niggles which is really why I’m writing this:
1. Whenever they say a particular piece is “next”, you know you’ve got several minutes of ads and self-congratulation before the music actually starts!
2. Adverts are OK in principle (they pay the bills!). But they are the SAME ads every 20 minutes! Memo to people who advertise on Classic FM:- I am so sick of your repetition that as a matter of principle I will NEVER buy your product.

Why must we listen to Alexander Armstrong advertising Airbnb. Doesn't he earn enough by presenting Classic FM.
Too many popular classics repeated ad nauseum
Myleene Klass'speech is indistinct
PLEASE don't start playing Christmas music in November like you did last year

I have been a listener for over 20 years but these days am more than a little bored of the repetitive classics every day. Tim L was wonderful to listen to in the mornings but 'shouty' Dan Walker is a terrible, inappropriate replacement! I don't want to be woken up at 6.30am with somebody shouting at me that 'I've got this'...and then ramble on with inane features which are far more suited to Heart FM or something. Also can't stand the pompous Alexander Armstrong with his vocal acrobatics. Classic FM has definitely lost its class these days. I still enjoy Zeb Soames and the later shows but I now listen to Radio 3 most of the day, the presenters are passionate and knowledgable about the music and there is far more variety. The Radio 3 Unwind show is just sublime...and NO STUPID ANNOYING ADVERTS!

Impossible to listen to on Google device anymore constant adverts and adverts for some country music rubbish now it's part of tune-in. Just get spotify, Classic FM has had its day rubbish.

I can’t listen to Dan Walker in the mornings any more. Some voices are just not made for radio. I now switch over to Charles Nove on Magic Classic.

Overall I am a fan, but I immediately tune to another channel when Aled Jones is on. He never misses an opportunity to promote himself or talk about how wonderful he is.

I used to love Classic FM unfortunately all I hear now is piano piano piano.
Not enough diversity in the music.
Very rarely do I hear classical guitar or choral music.
Nope never going back to it.

In a nutshell Dan Walkers..."laters" and a host of awful supposed to be humorous repartee. There must be someone better.

I only listen to Classic fm. For me, it is the only radio station worth listening to.

However, I am now at a point where I must give some feedback. It has frustrated me for quite a time now.

I maintain that the choices of the music you play needs a review. While this differs as to presenter, I maintain it is generally out of balance.

This lack of balance comes and goes in phases. Sometimes, it can hit an extreme (as of now) when Classic fm appears to be in a complete world of its own .... during which, I tend to turn it off regularly.

These are periods are when it concentrates far too much on a particular, very restricted period of music when faced with the full repertoire on offer;

These periods are when it pushes far too much the turn-of-the-century, largely English composers ... in my humble opinion, those who deserve it least .... Finzi, Sarti, Debussy, Vaughan-Williams and dare I say, even Elgar (Pomp and Circumstance excepted) .... that pre World War 1 contemplative monotony shrouded in utter depression.

Pray, please, where is the balance in the choices made of music? For the highly restrictive period and market in which these composers held sway (1890-1910) and their nationality (largely English), there is such a wealth out there which you could play whom you hardly ever consider.

For example, whenever do you play the wonderfully joyful and amusing Gilbert and Sullivan? - Answer: hardly ever. While you may play occasionally the odd overture, you never play some of their wonderful songs ... ( .... for woke reasons? If so, shame on you! They are the essence of Englishness).

You only pay the occasional, passing acknowledge- ment to the wonderful Guiliani (to whom you introduced me, for which I am hugely grateful). There is so much of his which you could play more regularly.

You never play Ryba (whom the Czechs consider one of their (if not THE) greatest).

While you regularly play Weber's "Invitation to the Dance", you rarely play anything else of his.

There are piles of other examples which you could expose your audience to ... but you choose not to do so.

And yet, you (led especially by Aled Jones) regularly keep pushing the depressing and in my opinion, pretty untalented Finzi and Sarti et al.

I actually find it really sad how restrictive you can be at times.

Even my hero, Alexander Armstrong occasionally finds himself heading in that direction with too heavy an emphasis on such composers.

Indeed, the only presenter who appears to never to descend into these depths, who has a totally balanced approach is Tim Lihoreau. He cheers up my day no end since he clearly displays that he embraces every style and is 100% devoted to making his listeners embrace the day with optimism rather than shrouding them in pessimism.

Please start to expand your playlist and push you turn-of-the=century English composers more to the back-burner where they arguably belong. Fine to push them ... but in moderation on the basis of their limited exposure.

Yours
Charles Moubray

Wonderful station but too many ads. Tried classic fm calm to go to sleep- was just dropping off and a loud advert ruined it. Real shame. Ruins it for me

Just can't stand the repetition of adverts and way too much talking that is so boring. I want to listen to music consistently, and the CFM quality is downgrading. Can someone write and complain?

As with many other long term listeners now finding this radio station extremely boring. Far too much non classical music, especially film music. Some great music but repeatedly played. Radio 3 has much more varied interesting repertoire.

As the other recent reviews have stated Classic FM had become awful but, good news, in the last two weeks it has radically improved and I am back listening to it. Let us hope they continue the good work!
Update: Having enjoyed the revised CFM for a few weeks now there remains two issues. The first is the senseless bable at end of many adverts, which is a painful assult on the ear, and the second is repitition, both of the music and the adverts.

Thought I'd tuned into Talk Radio by mistake.
It's supposed to be a classic music radio station, I'm not interested in hearing about people going away for the weekend with their dogs, oh and the children. I'm not interested if the DJ is power washing his drive either.
Very disappointing station.

There are too many pieces which are repeated day on day. While I don't want to hear discordant 'music' I would love a greater selection of the great composers and more baroque choices.

Not sure what’s gone wrong at Classic FM. Repetitive music, Dan Walker boring us to tears with his obsession with dogs and now DanTDM who has zero presenting skills hired because he’s another random YouTuber. Some excellent presenters who do the channel justice like Aled Jones but getting very bored of this now.

Definitely Classic Fm really gone downhill
Aled Jones really good all the other presenters Dan Walker Johnatoh Ross biggest turnoff in History

Get some new GOOD PRESENTERS PLEASE

I simply cannot stand Jonathan Ross as a presenter. Awful voice ! What does he know? Same applies for Tithmarsh etc

Completely biased news reporting all day long ,irrespective of world news happening.
100% Tory station,100% labour bashing
Unbelievably poor

Too much ramblings by Alex Armstrong's self indulgent comments. I want to hear Music, not his ego trip