Recent content by GavinA

Spring has sprung! (Finally!)

He should have followed the old rhyme: I always eat peas with honey, I’ve done it all my life. They do taste kind of funny, but it keeps them on the knife!

More amazing bargains! The 3 Tchaikovsky ballets, complete, by Previn and the LSO, 7 CDs for under £16. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01GQWSWGO?tag=pinkfishmedia-21 Also the Dvorak symphonies and 3 concerti which has just come down from £22 to £18 for 7 CDs by Belohlavec and the Czech...

As the programme started, I said to my wife, Karajan has been the touchstone for 50 years and is likely to be the choice today. In the event, runner up, by the closest of margins according to the reviewer. It’s still my favourite. I also used to like the Barbirolli, Scotto version which I had...

After one of my surgical experiences I was given a self administered morphine driver, and the nurses emphasised that I should not wait for the pain to be evident but should try to forestall it. At the next visit, the nurse said you’ve used a lot! What I remember was amazing waking dreams. One...

An ident is R3 telling you (too often) that you are listening to R3 which you already know having listened to it for 60+ years. The other new annoyance is ads for particular programmes on R3 - not a bad idea in itself unless repeated (as they do) a dozen times in short order. The worry is that...

But I do listen on good ol’ steam radio (Audiolab 8000) and the SQ is great but the idents and adverts for telly programs are not.

Nice. Love the scarf!

Is anyone else annoyed by recent changes to Radio 3? They have introduced more ‘idents’ telling you that you are listening to Radio 3 (I know!) and adverts for other programmes on the channel, and now adverts for tv programmes ‘Call the Midwife’ and the Six Nations rugby. I find it really...

I was initially gobsmacked by your choice because my view of him was that gained from many years of mainland news presentation. But your second para was a new perspective on him, and cause for reconsideration. But like you, I would rate John Hume higher, ever since seeing him on tv being...

No. Large Edwardian house now split into 3 flats.

Listening to Symphony of Psalms on R3 via my elderly Audiolab 8000. Sounds great! Whatever the Beeb engineers do, it works for me.

I haven’t noticed the difference between FM broadcast and subsequent iPlayer transmission, perhaps because there’s usually a lapse of time. But it would be a pity if the latter is less good, because if an FM broadcast is really good I record it later from iPlayer, and so end up with the less...

I think we’re in a golden age for CDs, at least for classical reissues. Multi box sets are often amazingly cheap and tempt the completist in me. The Tchaikovsky symphonies by Mariss Jansons was well received in the 90s and I bought them as they came out. I don’t recall what I paid but I would...

A couple of days ago the accompanying adverts here included tyres for a Mamod toy steam traction engine. The tyres on this Aston look remarkably similar, at least in sidewall depth.