The first recording today is actually a radio programme, as part of Big Bang Day, celebrating the switching on of the Large Hadron Collider in Cern.
It’s part of a series where Simon Singh talks to scientists about various subatomic particles.
Big Bang Day: Five Particles
Media Centre Description: The Quark: Second of five programmes in which Simon Singh examines the significance of subatomic particles. Quarks comprise virtually all visible material in the universe, but why do we know so little about them? They have never been seen as free particles, but recent theoretical advances are finally beginning to reveal their properties.
Recorded from BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday 9th September 2008 15:43
BBC Genome: BBC Radio 4 Tuesday 9th September 2008 15:45
The next recording starts with the end of Nigella Express.
There’s a trail for a new series of The Restaurant.
There’s also a trail for Strictly Come Dancing.
Then it’s time for the final of Maestro – Orchestra.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The three finalist have to conduct two pieces each, before one of them is voted off by the orchestra, after which the remaining pair both have to conduct the first movement of the Theme to Maestro (or Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony as it’s sometimes called).
Judge Simone Young can’t be here, because she’s being presented with a prestigious conducting prize in Germany. But to stand in for her they’ve got the violinist and conductor Maxim Vengerov, which is a pretty good replacement.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Goldie’s first piece is the final movement of Rachmanainov’s 2nd Piano Concerto (or The Theme from Brief Encounter). I can’t help thinking this is an unfair advantage, but I’m biased as I adore this piece.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
He gets the first tens of the series, scoring 38.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Jane Asher conducts an excerpt of Elgar’s Cello Concerto, also very beautiful, but not quite in the same way as the Rachmaninov.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
She scores 31.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Sue Perkins conducts violinist Tasmin Little in Bruch’s Violin Concerto, a Classic FM favourite.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
She gets good comments from Maxim Vengerov. “Can I ask you one day to conduct me?”
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
She scores 33.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
For their next pieces, the finalists choose the piece they have to conduct. Jane Asher chooses the overture to Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
She scores 33.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Sue Perkins conducts the finale to Stravinsky’s ballet The Firebird.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
She scores 34.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Goldie conducts Nimrod from Elgar’s Enigma Variations, another gorgeous piece.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
He scores 35.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The judges scores leave Jane and Sue in the bottom two. After the orchestra vote to save Sue, Jane leaves the competition.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The two remaining finalists have to conduct the first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, with Goldie going first.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Sue follows.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
As it’s a phone vote, they have to fill time to let the audience vote, so Maxim Vengerov conducts Brahms Hungarian Dance no 5.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Then there’s a rather silly segment where all the competitors take turns in conducting Strauss’s Radetzky March. Here’s Peter Snow.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
David Soul.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Bradley Walsh is taking it seriously.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Alex James looks a lot more relaxed than he has done previously.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Katie Derham comes in a very sparkly dress, and there’s a lot of hip-swaying, presumably poking fun at some of the comments she received during the show.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Then it’s Jane Asher, followed by Goldie.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
And finally, Sue Perkins.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
To fill the final five minutes, head judge Sir Roger Norrington conducts the finale to the William Tell Overture by Rossini.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The winner is Sue Perkins.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Media Centre Description: Clive Anderson presents the live grand final. The three remaining student conductors must conduct a concerto with world renowned soloists as well as a piece of orchestral music of their own choosing. The judges – Sir Roger Norrington, Dominic Seldis, Zoe Martlew and guest judge international violin virtuso Maxim Vengerov – rate their performances before the BBC Concert Orchestra votes one student out. The remaining two contestants both must conduct the 1st movement of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.
Recorded from BBC TWO on Tuesday 9th September 2008 20:28
BBC Genome: BBC TWO Tuesday 9th September 2008 20:30
There’s a trail for the Last Night of the Proms.
A trail for Losing It: Griff Rhys Jones on Anger.
Plus a trail for Casualty.
The recording ends with the start of The Mercury Prize 2008.
The next recording starts with a trail for After You’ve Gone.
Then it’s episode three of Mutual Friends, which is the only other recording I have apart from the first one.
The recap of the last episode tells us that Carl, who killed himself at the start of the first episode, died leaving a lot of debt, and a whole other secret house. Martin seems to have had a breakdown, and Jen tells him he can come back home.
Is the director trying to make a point about the kind of car Patrick drives?
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Leigh and her family have been evicted from their house. They move in with Jen and Martin until they can find their own place.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Patrick and Liz have a surprise hook-up, which he thinks is proof that they’re getting back together, but she says was just an ill-advised one night thing.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Martin is getting hassle at work because his boss thinks Patrick’s case against QCumba is a good earner, but Patrick wants to start a new business. Oh, and Patrick is also sleeping with Martin’s boss. Martin tries to reassure her that Patrick has big plans for his business, multinational marketing, etc. But then Patrick arrives with his new business plan. “I’m going to sell boxer shorts from the back of a van.”
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Dev works at the council housing office, so he tries to find Leigh a home.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Patrick is convinced he’ll get Liz back. He’s been carrying around a cactus. “Do you remember this?” “The cactus?” “Yeah, the cactus. Yes, the cactus Liz bought for me when we moved in together. She said I’d never be able to keep it alive. Hopeless at taking care of things, that’s me. Only I have taken care of it. It’s alive.” But later, Liz tells him it wasn’t a cactus it was a spider plant.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The new house for Leigh isn’t promising. “It’s a bit musty, isn’t it?” “Yeah, it has gone a bit mouldy, hasn’t it? You know, the previous tenant, he died in here six months ago.” “It’s plenty of time for a clean-out.” “Not really. They only found him on Monday.”
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Dev and Anita throw a party for their anniversary so all the friends are there. Martin and Jen haven’t been having sex since he went back home, but all of a sudden Jen’s in the mood. She even suggests they might try for another baby.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Back at home, Martin and Jen’s son is with Leigh’s three, the oldest of whom is a psychopath. Their babysitter runs out on them, so the psycho son is repeatedly putting the same toast in the toaster and turning it on, while staring at him. I find psycho kids quite disturbing.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Liz gets upset with Harry. Not before time, as he’s such a pantomime villain you’d wonder what she sees in him.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Patrick, having been knocked back by Liz, returns his van to the rental office. “What do you do in Poland when you’ve utterly screwed your life up?” “We play cards, drink vodka or we have sex.” “I think I may have some vodka.”
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Liz now thinks maybe she should give Patrick another chance. But this idea is torpedoed when she finds Marika already there.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
I’m actually relieved that this is the last episode of this I’ve got recorded. I haven’t been enjoying it a lot. It has that problem a lot of “Comedy Drama” has in that the drama isn’t really that dramatic, and the comedy is almost non-existent. Coupled with it being a story about dysfunctional people meaning every single person in this show behaves in the most stupid ways just makes it grating to watch. It’s definitely not for me.
Media Centre Description: Comedy-drama series following the lives of a group of old friends. Martin leaves hospital and is reconciled with Jen – but with frustrating results. Things go from bad to worse when Jen invites Leigh and her three young sons to stay after their house is repossessed. To let Jen, Leigh, Liz and Anita have a boozy girls’ night in, Patrick and Martin take Dan and Leigh’s troublesome eldest son to a snooker club with unfortunate consequences.
Recorded from BBC ONE on Tuesday 9th September 2008 21:00
BBC Genome: BBC ONE Tuesday 9th September 2008 21:00
After this there’s a trail for a new adaptation of Tess of the D’Urbervilles with Gemma Arterton and Eddie Redmayne.
Then the recording ends with the start of the Ten O’Clock News, which has rather a bad presentation glitch, as the audio is missing and there’s just a constant tone running. There’s only a few seconds of the start, so I don’t know if they fixed it quickly.