Lyric fm's Breakfast show presenter - Marty Whelan.

ntlbell

Tom2010 wrote: »

I completely agree Classical Music needs a restained presenter who does not get in the of the music, Marty Whelan is just aweful, its like a bad Aprils Fools joke on Lyric listeners to have him presenting a program instead of the very bright & classy Liz Nolan. I sometimes listen to BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM through the sattelite and you simply cant imagine them havig a chap like Marty Whelan presenting, why do RTE make a mess of everything, can we launch a campaign to get him out, I wrote a long letter to the head of Lyric Aodán Ó Dubhghaill, my first ever to a radio station of paper., maybe lots of people should follow suit

what's happened with Liz anyhaps? is she gone from RTE or moved to another slot or?

Tzetze

ntlbell wrote: »

what's happened with Liz anyhaps? is she gone from RTE or moved to another slot or?

She's (thankfully) returned to the lunchtime slot that she used to hold before MW came on board. There's simply no comparison between Liz's informed, knowledgable commentary and the inane prattle that dribbles, ad nauseam, from Marty Whelan.

What about the other poor decision making that's been made with regard to programming? It was bad enough that Jazz Alley got demoted to a single weekly show a few years back, but now the 1.5 hour slots given to it and Reels to Ragas and Grace Notes have been reduced to just 1 hour.

What used to be the cream of Irish Radio seems to be on a very slippery slope at the moment.

Dirigent

Tzetze wrote: »

She's (thankfully) returned to the lunchtime slot that she used to hold before MW came on board. There's simply no comparison between Liz's informed, knowledgable commentary and the inane prattle that dribbles, ad nauseam, from Marty Whelan.

I wasn't in control over the radio for a while this morning and had to listen to MW's blather for about half an hour. Is there anything more annoying than a "music" presenter humming the tune he's just played? Liz Nolan's programme used to be an island of calm one could land on for a rest from reality, but Whelan has changed that completely.

paddins

I must agree - I cannot listen to lyric fm in the morning anymore. I used to listen every morning on my way into work. Unfortunately Marty Whelan adds to the stress of my Daily commute. Its painfull listening. Brring back Liz and Trish please!

Cole

The condescending tone of some of the comments here about Marty, sounds like some of you think he's not sophisticated enough for the rarefied confines of Lyric:rolleyes:....just adds to the elitist perception of classical music really.

I'm at my wits end with breakfast radio, so I've listened in to Marty a few times. I've always liked him and the music is just enough of the right mix between classical and 'easy listening', for me. I need something to ease the stress of the moronic driving in the mornings and Marty's show is more soothing than Pantera in the cd player. Good on you Marty.

Condatis

Marty Whelan on radio sounds like a constipated bumble bee and is out of place on Lyric as Kevin Myers would be writing for the Sun.

Dirigent

Cole wrote: »

The condescending tone of some of the comments here about Marty, sounds like some of you think he's not sophisticated enough for the rarefied confines of Lyric:rolleyes:....just adds to the elitist perception of classical music really.

I'm at my wits end with breakfast radio, so I've listened in to Marty a few times. I've always liked him and the music is just enough of the right mix between classical and 'easy listening', for me. I need something to ease the stress of the moronic driving in the mornings and Marty's show is more soothing than Pantera in the cd player. Good on you Marty.

The problem (well, problems) I have with MW include the way he restricts his playlist a small subset of the available repitoire. I like a bit of Bing, Ella and Duke as much as the next man, but for ten years I was able to listen to a much wider pallette. As for his habit of humming something vaguely like the tune he's just played, I fail to understand how his producers allow him to do this, let alone the station management. It's crass and highly unprofessional.

Does that make me an elitist?

MidlandsM

So Humming is Crass? lol

Condatis

MidlandsM wrote: »

So Humming is Crass? lol

Not in the "bee loud glade" it isn't.

TimmyTarmac

Couple of things.... I'm not trying to be condescending in my criticism of Mr Whelan or his show. If Classical music has an eliteist perception, Cole, that's your perception. I love Classical music in most of it's forms from the last thousand years. I'm an ordinary chap on a modest salary that happened to come across it early in life and there are lots of folks like me who listen to it and go to modestly priced concerts and recitals whenever possible. Sir Anthony O Reilly might like some of it too, but thats all someone like him and I would have in common.
Mr. Whelan is now a couple of years presenting on Lyric and he still has major difficulty pronouncing and accurately crediting the classical pieces that he plays ( movement, symphony, sonata etc). If he's dealing with an artist with a difficult to pronounce name, more often than not he'll decend into some kind of 'hilarious' send up of Jonny Foreigner's name to cover the fact that he hasn't a scooby doo. If he's going to play it, it's his job to get a handle on this basic stuff. He is insulting me and others like me by not doing it.
I would contend that it's Marty Whelan who is being condescending.

Cole

TimmyTarmac wrote: »

Couple of things.... I'm not trying to be condescending in my criticism of Mr Whelan or his show. If Classical music has an eliteist perception, Cole, that's your perception.

I didn't think your contribution was condescending Timmy. I don't necessarily think that classical music is elitist but I think it's fair to say that it sometimes suffers from that image, often unfairly I'm sure. I just think that the tone of some of the comments here were not helping that stereotype.

As for Marty, he has the likes of me tuning in....who would not be regular Lyric listeners or classical music fans per se....so he may broaden my already wide musical tastes.

Coriolanus

Cole wrote: »

As for Marty, he has the likes of me tuning in....who would not be regular Lyric listeners or classical music fans per se....so he may broaden my already wide musical tastes.

each to their own of course but it'll be interesting to see how the show performs viewership wise.

Sandwlch

Cole wrote: »

The condescending tone of some of the comments here about Marty, sounds like some of you think he's not sophisticated enough for the rarefied confines of Lyric:rolleyes:....just adds to the elitist perception of classical music really.

I'm at my wits end with breakfast radio, so I've listened in to Marty a few times. I've always liked him and the music is just enough of the right mix between classical and 'easy listening', for me. I need something to ease the stress of the moronic driving in the mornings and Marty's show is more soothing than Pantera in the cd player. Good on you Marty.

I think criticism can be valid without being accused of being condescending. Marty is not sophisticated enough to present classical music in a manner expected by a specialist classical music station. It is not a sin to state so if it is correct. Classical music is elitist and there is nothing wrong with that either. But it is not exclusive or 'exclusionist', which would be a fault.

To expect presenters to be capable of dealing with a sophisticated art from, rather than rank amateurs, is not an unreasonable demand from our national broadcaster.

My guess is that the people managing Lyric now are as amateur and unsphisticated as the likes of Marty and Gaybo, and are making a hash of it without understanding the mistakes. Public service rationalisation or inefficiency maybe has pushed poor candidates into the posts. The initial startup and previous management of the station did an excellent job. They deserve praise. The current shambles, Marty included, deserve the criticism.

squonk

Cole wrote: »

The condescending tone of some of the comments here about Marty, sounds like some of you think he's not sophisticated enough for the rarefied confines of Lyric:rolleyes:....just adds to the elitist perception of classical music really.

I'm at my wits end with breakfast radio, so I've listened in to Marty a few times. I've always liked him and the music is just enough of the right mix between classical and 'easy listening', for me. I need something to ease the stress of the moronic driving in the mornings and Marty's show is more soothing than Pantera in the cd player. Good on you Marty.

Yup, 'an island of clam', 'wake up gently' and comments like this make Lyric sound like one of THE most boring radio stations you could get. That'[s certainly the impression I've gotten when I've tuned in. Christ it sounds like one stipe away from the morgue. Good on Marty if he can blow the socks of that sort of a station!

Big Tone

Marty doesn't suit Lyric and it's remit, RTE probably just wanted to find a "home" for the said Marty, so they've made him fit the schedule by brute force it would seem, he's not made to measure. And dont get me going about that stunt RTE pulled with the start of Marty's first show on Lyris being relayed on RTE Radio 1 on morning Ireland, a cheap publicity stunt if ever there was one, being passed off as a "technical error"!

What RTE should've done is put Marty on RTE Gold, their digital station, as well as Larry Gogan etc and make something of that station whilest promoting their DAB exercise too, that way RTE Gold wouldn't be the boring, presenterless station it is now and thus allow Lyric to revert to what it was for 10 years, and 2FM wouldn't have to turn into a "Gold" station when RTE already have one on DAB/digital.

ghiertal

Anyone is says that marty is an addition to lyric is either (a) an idiot or (b)an inverted snob concerning classical music, "Isn't it great Marty is on, he never plays anything i dont know".
Gawd i absolutely HATE him.I used to listen to carl for years and then liz but wtf is mw doing there.I often switch him on just for a few minutes in order to confirm that his show revolves around about six of the same bits of fluff. He is not even in Limerick(neither is John Kelly) and got really defensive about a letter sent in complaining that he is diluting the stations remit.

1."God i love Ennio.Send in your requests of your favourite Ennio pieces and i play one.I saw him in concert in Italy a number of years back. Magnificent."
2."Send in your limericks, "There was a young tenor called Russell"
3."Herbert von Karry-on"
4."There my good mate Dmitri. You know i just love Shostakovich(always plays a waltz from the jazz suite).
5."There is someting about Puccini, he just tugs at the heart-strings.Ive never heard of that one "La Fanciulla del West"
6."Now let me play some of the myriad of garbage that i actually like after i perfunctorily played verdi"

He doesnt even like classical music, in actual fact i think he hates it.

GSF

ghiertal wrote: »

He doesnt even like classical music, in actual fact i think he hates it.

His apponintment reminds me of RTE making Gerry Ryan the presenter of Operation Transformation. Its almost like RTE are seeing who they can find who is the most inappropriate and then going ahead with the appointment as a kind of two fingers to the audience.

Sandwlch

GSF wrote: »

Its almost like RTE are seeing who they can find who is the most inappropriate and then going ahead with the appointment as a kind of two fingers to the audience.

I think its sadder than that. I think the management is actually that bad - they dont even realise how poorly judged and miguided their appointments and programming decisions are.

Dirigent

ghiertal wrote: »

He doesnt even like classical music, in actual fact i think he hates it.

Being Dublin based and a senior RTE figure, he would have access to free tickets to the NCH for any orchestral event. I pay for mine, I've never seen him there.

doomed

It really has nothing to do with elitism or one type of music being suoerior to another. Whatever the type of music, what you need is a presenter who understands and appreciates it and adds to your enjoyment rather than detracting from it.

While I am not a great fan of Gay Byrne, nevertheless behind the pub bore stuff he knows and loves the music he plays.

In Marty's case there is very little difference between Tesco and Tosca.

pinkypinky

ghiertal wrote: »

Anyone is says that marty is an addition to lyric is either (a) an idiot or (b)an inverted snob concerning classical music, "Isn't it great Marty is on, he never plays anything i dont know".
Gawd i absolutely HATE him.I used to listen to carl for years and then liz but wtf is mw doing there.I often switch him on just for a few minutes in order to confirm that his show revolves around about six of the same bits of fluff. He is not even in Limerick(neither is John Kelly) and got really defensive about a letter sent in complaining that he is diluting the stations remit.

I wonder was that my letter he got defensive about! I did get a long response from Lyric's head person telling me that I was more or less completely wrong and MW was getting lots of excellent feedback.

ghiertal

pinkypinky wrote: »

I wonder was that my letter he got defensive about! I did get a long response from Lyric's head person telling me that I was more or less completely wrong and MW was getting lots of excellent feedback.

No pinky it was letter from a man in Carlow asking Marty how does he make his way down to Limerick everyday. Marty snapped back that he works for RTE and was annoyed as to why he would need to be in Limerick.MW is an unmentionable unmentenioned.I wish he'd just shut up.I think the best course of action to take is to boycott MW and RTEs other nursery home DJs.
However it is not just this group.One rarely hears wagner, bruckner or brahms(apart from in concerts) on lyric, there seems to be an exclusive focus on Italian,french and English composers.
The best presenters imo are cynthia morahan,rachel blech,trish taylor and paul herriott.They will probably all be sidelined or discarded.

doomed

Since O'Brien on Song was dropped from RTE 1 last year dozens of great singers will never be heard from again. Suggestion for RTE. Take one hour of Marty's programme every day and rerun the old Jack O'Brien programmes.

bureau2009

As a life-long fan of radio (even worked on the pirates many years ago!) I cannot understand why RTE let Marty Whelan near a radio station.

He is so awful I am unable to listen to even his Tesco adverts. Whenever I hear his voice I have to leave the room.

It raises serious issues about RTE Producers and Management, and the cliqueness of life in Ireland. Who suffers? Answer: the tax and licence paying audience, that's who.

Flicks

I have just been transported home after a tough morning,s work, transported on a magic carpet of music, woven by Maria Callas singing La Wally, introduced by the dulcet tones of Liz Nolan. What a different experience yesterday morning, when I inadvertently switched on Lyric only to be assailed by the abrasive sound of Goldfinger introduced by the garrulous gnat MW. in fact I joined Boards purely to give vent to my irritation sine he joined Lyric. however, Classic FM is a good alternative when I have access to digital radio.

Aglomerado

He had Bruce Springsteen playing this morning! ?????? Followed by a movement from Bach's Second Brandenburg Concerto. I love the Boss just as much as I love Bach, but that's a strange playlist for radio!

Van Morrisson's Moondance earlier this week as well.

Also I wish he'd shut the f up about Winning Streak. I hate being reminded of that sh!te.

He'd be better on an afternoon slot on Rte Radio 1 or something. He's a pleasant fellow - just not suited to the breakfast show on Lyric!

pinkypinky

I'd love to mail this thread to Lyric's programming head!

MidlandsM

pinkypinky wrote: »

I'd love to mail this thread to Lyric's programming head!

why don't you?

The whole stations a waste of electricity if the truth be known........

TimmyTarmac

The whole stations a waste of electricity if the truth be known......

Maybe you'd like to expand on this one, Midlands M? What's the problem? Not enought Black Puddin Country n' Irish or not enough Phil Collins for your taste?

Dirigent

MidlandsM wrote: »

why don't you?

The whole stations a waste of electricity if the truth be known........

I've mailed them a number of times about sMarty's slot, how they wasted ten years of steady audience building away to give a job to someone who tries to imitate Terry Wogan. Their responses are bland in the extreme.

I strongly disagree with your second sentence, many of the Lyric presenters are excellent: Niall Carroll, Liz Nolan, Trish Taylor, Lorcan Murray. The big difference is that they let the music do the talking.