Read this: 11/12/2020 Radio 4 Feedback

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts hello another broadcaster, Queen is about to abdicate and there a widespread cries of dismay replaceable that she comes close funny iconoclastic personality someone as a friend about does Alison speak of course it's the Legend from Liverpool day and Jane Garvey who's standing down from Woman's Hour why the reason I've left I am leaving is because I could all too easily have stayed and this is the Topper option for me but I honestly think it's the right one.

Ok.

She get a dame but surely owners will be on their way, they might not be accepted.

I'll be putting your questions to Jane and and finding out her plans for the future and what she's going to miss and self-aware.

No that one of things are really good at this is the well let's be honest about it that kind of adulation you get from broadcasting.

It's just showing off so I wouldn't know about that and in this week's out of your comfort zone feature enjoying the deconstruction of one of the most famous pieces of classical music it was great to see into his mind and think this is why he chose this this is why he chose that this was what he had Sat in front of him as choices.

That's did we discover why Beethoven made his faithful choices find out later in feedback.

Many voices seem to be departing Radio 4.

John Humphrys is no longer eating politicians for breakfast on the Today programme Norman Smith and Locke Mandela blessed, Westminster

Asma meer is going to arrive on network and in the next few weeks a trio of much-loved continuity announcers Corrie Corfield Diner speed and Neal Street will switch off their microphones Woman's Hour has been particularly badly hit with Dame Jenni Murray leaving in October and the much love Jane Garvey going before the new year.

Will she appear elsewhere on this network I talked to him as Gaby and that's the first she was leaving the programme going I'm doing it with a heavy heart, but I absolutely adore you know it's the right thing at selfishly for me and also actually for the program as well.

I think sometimes things can just get maybe a little bit stale and the day I die.

Do I have to go with the day sometimes in life you come to and you hear yourself and you don't like what you hear and I was hearing myself saying in a program meeting.

For now I've done that before and I was just hearing it once too often and I thought yeah 13 years is a long time in any job.

It's a long time in a job like this and it's a long time on the programme that really is an important one and I know it means so much to so many people so it deserves fresh voices how important presenter do a program a lot of solicitors in a we're in charge of all the content we decide what's done.

I mean how important is the presenter in the anything well.

That's a very good point and a lot of people we sometimes get so many strange emails because you know you know as well as I did I have very little say over who I interview what I can change his how they are interviewed and the presenter can absolutely dictate the pace of the program and the tone of it and programs that Jenny presented didn't always sound like programs that I presented they were both editions of woman's hour but they were done in a very different.

When you started on the program in 2017 famously said I would like to have a middle-class ladies talking about cookery well, then quickly you said very quick there's nothing wrong with it.

I think there's a massive past tense to every programme on Radio 4.

Do you think there's a massive the middle class response to what I said back in 2007 with someone who I think on the News Quiz said I nearly choked on my my polenta when I heard Jane say that and I can't better that Radio 4 is middle class.

Yes, it is is there anything wrong with that no started off lower middle-class Roger now.

I'm definitely middle middle class and I think we can discuss that endlessly I still think it's really fascinating.

There's nothing wrong by the way with us going to be middle cars.

There's nothing wrong with never wanting to be middle class.

It's great to be probably working class course that where the Debate starters whether it's ok to be proudly upper-class.

I can't go there.

I'm afraid I'll never know.

One more thing before before we going to send the questions you've also written about maybe it's about a radio is the place for the introverted, so are you introvert egomaniac and absolutely that is 100-percent me.

Yes, I know myself.

I'm self-aware enough to know that one of things are really good at miss is the well let's be honest about it that kind of adulation you get from broadcasting.

It's just showing off but it's more of a moment.

We've got a bit connecting with an extraordinary wide-ranging interests in group of people and this version the job you can imagine that that's all so true and I would never dismiss that and I think the relationship that woman's our house with its listeners is a genuinely powerful and very

Sing sing times and I will miss that hugely.

I think that the programme honestly matters a great deal too many people listen to it.

Got a great Howell went up from anywhere listeners, when they discover leaving but this is feedback.

That's always critics and Christine store at Bicester I have always felt that Jane Garvey has a chip on her shoulder.

I think it is a good thing.

She's leaving she has been there leave the side the too long.

What about the chips couple of battered sausage as well, and I miss you spot on card argue with that just be honest right onto the menu of August as I look load all of them just about bad one or two are destroyed to your departure destroy and listen to David Savage for this to ask this septuagenarian has appreciated Jane Garvey Rise sense of humour and sympathetic approach to difficult issues during her 13 years on Woman's Hour and wonders what she regards.

Is her most memorable interview it would be tempting to pluck some famous name and I've been very lucky to interview all sorts of famous women but actually I can't really go further back than this year when we do the programme about giving birth in covid and I just talked to some astonishing women that day so brave ones actually and we don't always just own the fact that sometimes giving birth sometimes frankly just being a woman.

It is quite of business and a challenging one and I just think these women brilliantly underplayed what they've been through and there was one woman in particular called Elizabeth I will remember I think I remember talking to her for the rest of my life.

I think people your heart sinks that when you was on the prospect certainly say that a subject that I don't think we can do enough about and I really hope the program carries on talking about it is care the Business of caring.

Social care whether the government will ever formulate a plan for care going going forward, but I mean in the future.

I think that's a vital proteins and so I think we should talk about more if I'm thinking about a listen to Woman's Hour I picture a woman because I know they exist in her packets of tiny bit older than 60s possibly still working quite possibly still caring for her parents whilst also caring for a grandchild a couple of days a week.

I think there are thousands of those women and without them Britain would just bottle it.

Just wouldn't be able to survive.

I think they are the women that I feel I want to talk to and I have been talking to does that mean you're not particularly.

Keen on plug-in some talking to actresses with a film to promote.

I won't miss interviewing so-called celebrities know I absolutely love reading writers have

Pleasure in my life, then, I can't tell you so I've had some fantastic encounters with with writers and I will remember those two it's the traditional celebrity we can all name for plucking something they doing the rounds.

They talk to everybody and woman's there is one of the places that they stopped off to chat and I'll be honest with you.

I don't think I'm especially good at those interviews.

I'm certainly no better than anybody else.

I did all seems a bit routine.

Where as sharing in a woman's experience of her real life and some of the challenges, she's had that's what I really want to do and that's proud of doing on the programme was already heard both women and men are devoted and listen to Peter West this to ask stats show that around 40% of woman's aslisah amend why does Jane Garvey think this is what we not out to attract men with always known there lots lots of men listening and they are very very welcome and will continue to be very welcome.

I think it's because it's some I know some men say it's like eavesdropping and I want to know about women and they care about women and Women's Lives of women in their lives.

So probably is a little bit and often talk about are incredibly broad and why wouldn't they be of interest I want to do it more difficult in recent months to to do some of the interviews you do on one as I'm thinking prediction of transgender topics and gender fluidity and so we've had an email from a listener David wants to ask specifically about with the increase in publicity of difficulties transgender and gender fluid people have regarding women's rights and views is it time to have more into from people within this community on Woman's Hour what is the answer to that over the last couple of years.

I have interviewed more transwomen than transmitted.

On Woman's Hour so that tells you something and people need to maybe to think a little bit about that.

I have also been called anti-trans and auntie.

I've been called to feminist.

I've been called not feminist enough.

It is genuinely a very very difficult area we are never going to please everybody listening when we talk about it.

I'd also have to say for a purely practical perspective is this the issue that vexes are audience in any other do they think of it as the most controversial all the most important thing we could be talking about no, I honestly don't think they do is a question from a stop.

It's about an interview that you had with PMS former presenter Eddie Mair does Jane Garvey regret saying on are no less that Eddie Mair should take a pay cut not.

He left Radio 4 and went to LBC to regret it was quite some time before he left to join LBC and no right.

No, what do you look for the future very big shoes to fill when you leave and this is what listener Jude Duncan has to say I am devastated that.

She's leaving woman's are sadly arise and dry like political commentators or frankly unlistenable dashes and I hope the interview process.

Have you been making process of course? I would love to if I would be pushed I definitely have a favourite amongst the people I know might have a chance of becoming.

The other presenter alongside Emma Barnett and I really hope she does get the job and I think she would be great if she did get it as she probably knows who she is Emma is in her 30s and that's great and it will give the program a real energy which I think is brilliant an Emma is brilliant, but so I think the person working alongside her not actually with her on days when I was working but doing the other programs should be somebody nearer My Age I think probably to make sure that we give the audience as broader range of life experience and interest as possible.

I would prefer it if the other presenter work in her 50s and is there any chance that you will emulator doom Jenny by stripping for charity when you stop pretending woman's are yes and I am so if my agent.

I'm sure is eminently contactable and she'll be looking for an immense amount of money for charity.

Have an extremely successful podcast and will come back to that in a minute and your future plans just a little later in the program, but first of you the list would like to tell us your thoughts on that interview or anything else to do with BBC Radio is how you get in touch you can send an email to feedback at bbc.co.uk alright.

Let the address is feedback PO Box 6723 London se1p 4ax you can follow activity on Twitter by using at BBC R4 feedback or you can call us and leave a phone me on 03345 standard landline charges apply, but it could cost more on some mobile networks all these details are on our website which week are asking to BBC Radio listeners to step out of their comfort sounds and listen to a program that would.

On their radar this week, we have husband and wife she can an Ender Banerjee from Chandler's Ford in Hampshire she can what would be your top 3 programmes if you were stranded on that mythical desert desert island discs itself 4 Today programme and Woman's Hour and your top 3, please so I listen to this day programme everyday.

I'm an archer and I listen to the radio 4 player in the afternoons if I can well.

I'd like to talk to you about all of those things but I'm afraid we asked you to listen to something completely different become Beethoven's 5th part of the listing service Strand on Radio 3 other programs.

They've done include rewilding Sibelius what makes the organs so mighty and the aim of the programme is to make Beethoven weird again and how would you describe this program? So this was a fairly forensic analysis of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony

And what it did was look at the actual music each movement within the symphony and look at the choices Beethoven lead why it sounds the way that it does and I can also a little bit about how people have interpreted overtime and obviously in that by having sketches that didn't use so you did get a sense of the options as it were he worked through before deciding on what he wanted to do.

It was great well to see into his mind and think this is why he chose this is why he chose that this was what he had Sat in front of him as choice but we'll know what comes next after those two groups of data.

Well, luckiest because Beethoven didn't you only found the solution to the to continue this music for rotors intensity after we'd exhausted dozens and dozens of other options.

I was thinking back to English classes where you have a piece of written work and your English teacher is telling you this is what the writer was perhaps thinking or not think it's for the first time with the piece of music you could see right inside his head almost what choices why he thought this sounded better than the other alternatives and how fit together and that was great.

I really enjoyed that well cheeky your husband's a musician at your not.

Did you find it very accessible on the whole yes, I did I mean.

Really enjoyed this program and I thought it was fascinating.

How they were deconstructing the symphony and I just thought it was like I said on the whole accessible make some technical references.

They talk about the different chords.

I think would I don't necessarily understand C minor you flat major you still listened.

You're still closed in the the narrative but went had a greater ambition that really secret was saying you know you can remake Beethoven yeah, exactly we as the listener are also given the opportunity to deconstruct and remake the symphony because there's a recording online and then we as the listener can go back and change it around if we wanted the BBC national Orchestra of Wales musicians because they've recorded each part.

The piece separately and there for you online by the Radio 3 website so you can build up the whole movement in anyway, you want you can hear the cello sing inside and in between the horn trumpet and flute parts.

Sushi, what about the presenter? Do you think you did a good job? He was so enthusiastic.

You can help but get drawn in and yet? You know he created this program that captured your imagination captured your interest so yeah, he was really good.

I was really impressed by the way that he presented the program definitely get used with Tom service absolutely.

I thought he presented it well presented in a logical and structured manner.

He gave enough information that I the musician will be satisfied with but also kept it in a place where most people be able to pull it quite well.

I thought 120 episodes of this series available.

I take are you going to listen to any more how many are you stimulated by this approach to think yes, I really want to seek this program.

Yes, I definitely would listen to the other programs.

Would you would sort out this program if we had asked you to listen to it and will you now in future seek out other programs from the series.

It's not something.

I would have necessarily sort out.

No but yes I definitely will he has inspired me Tom service and this particular programme has inspired me to listen to some of the other programs.

I can't say I listen to 100 plus, but certainly I certainly would put it on and then are you going to return to absolute? It's the sort of program.

I thought I'd have found on Radio 4 so it would never have occurred to me to look on Radio 3 for something like this.

So I would certainly try and find well and in there and she kept.

I think we've clearly demonstrated.

You're not out of your comfort zone on this occasion.

Thank you very much indeed for joiners.

Thank you very much and do let us know if you would.

Put out of your comfort zone.

Not Jane Garvey might be leaving woman sat at the end of December but she remains with the hugely successful podcast fortunately with Fi and Jane as in feet level that is which is one of the BBC top 10 podcast the top of my screen says talking at the moment hello good coffee close together excellent.

Hot diggity interview show talking talking yes, why do you think it's Jane if I knew that I think it's because well Jenny I'm doing an episode of fortunately after I've talked to you today and I have no idea what we're going to be talking and I'm doing it in about 20-minutes.

That's what I absolutely love about doing it unstructured.

We via frighteningly all over the place.

About the critically important at tyres.

We have talked about really important stuff particularly during lockdown and the just absurdly trivial and frankly it's just your British lot of the time people like the gym and he has chewed adaptor for example.

I've been forced to listen to fortunately while motorhoming in Scotland and found it thoroughly enjoyable keep up the waffling.

It's great.

That is a lot of bottle of goes to start off with that you do have a guess towards their what the second half of the pixar.

So when you get together.

You do not know each one each of you what you gonna talk about no idea and it's from the Isle extremely lazy and so this appeals to me, so there's no element of preparation.

No work goes into it whatsoever when you started off of God on 55 when all those words and things like that.

There was a real sense with Peter Alan and of course on your own.

There's a real sense of you.

Love the free-flowing response to things and yeah.

Scripted approaching Radio 4 think that I am interestingly my big suck my big success my success in broadcasting has come when I'm working with other people with Peter four years at five live and with fee I am actually better with another person that I am on my own and a lot of a woman's I am working on my own.

Obviously talking to get radio 4S yes the script on Radio 4 and well.

I think my colleagues that woman's I will tell you I no longer write any match their despair prescription front of us are well.

I know the name of the person.

I'm talking to and obviously if there are legal implications details written down but on the whole I don't believe in writing scripts for radio because I think even the best person just sounds like they're reading a script by the way there are some wonderful people who probably are reading scripts but don't sound as though they are I probably should it's me I sound like I'm really

When I'm reading a relationship anymore, are you from home and she thinks she's in her home? I'm in mine and where zooming each other which is what we doing today and that is a bit weird and it's arguably harder but then the whole the rest of the country knows about keeping things going on zoom which is what lots of people have been doing I really miss I miss seeing her and I miss we used to do it, but listen to never heard it in the piazza at broadcasting house and we were just shout at people across the concourse.

We had I think we nearly got Tony Hall but neither was quite bring ourselves to shout director.

Obviously is put the podcast will continue and will go what will go on radio 400 though presumably title length and now exists it will be edited to make it broadcastable and it's going to go out later tonight.

So that's alright.

What is this alarming sounding thing? It's two women talking to each other about their real lives is essentially what fortunately is and yes, we do have a guest and it's it's unstructured free flowing conversation some of which is quite interesting some of which is rubbish more conventional radio here's a question from Judith sorry that Jane would be leaving woman's there and yes another good condition lots of BBC interviews.

I guess so well and obviously puts people at their knees to get the quality of the interviews that she has done over the years.

I'd really like to know what she's

How to do well one of the things is an interview shows that right yes that's right, so I'm doing a program starting in the spring of next year and a multitude of reasons that cannot come quickly which will be going out at 9 in the morning and on Wednesday I think and it's going to be quite a 30-minute slice of somebody's life somebody who's been through something not necessarily a difficult experience but the sort of voice that you might not necessarily here on Radio 4 and in other words.

It's the sort of interview.

I love doing a woman's out we couldn't do all the time so I'm pleased about that my thanks to Jane Derby the same off my ass.

She is on and that's it for this week next week.

I'll be talking to Naismith the producer of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue and the Unbelievable Truth amongst other comedy programmes do let us have your questions and comments with him until next week.

And help keep other people safe to goodbye.