# New York Area Resident Lovers of Classical Music



## Joe Frances (Sep 1, 2004)

The potential demise of WQXR is a matter of alarming potential. The New York Times is in serious financial trouble, and may sell off the greatest commercial classical music station in the country to ESPN to try and save its skin. This in my mind could be catastrophic. The announcers "happy go lucky" attitude sounds to me like whistling past the grave yard. I suppose there is nothing anyone can do. But the implications for the cultural life, especially the musical life, of the metropolitan region is seismic and terrible to contemplate.


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## Concordia (Sep 30, 2004)

That would be a shame. I remember QXR from my youth, and even now get a jolt of recognition every time I hear_ Tombeau de Couperin_.

Boston still has a nominally classical commercial station (WCRB), but it has been completely ruined by marketing consultants and the chirpy DJs. WBUR used to have some really great esoteric classical, but that went all-talk/news a few years back. Which they do well, but still.

Luckily, WGBH and (technically commercial) WHRB are left to carry the fight, but a city without Boston's bench strength would have packed it in a long time ago.


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## McKay (Jun 13, 2005)

Joe Frances said:


> The potential demise of WQXR is a matter of alarming potential. The New York Times is in serious financial trouble, and may sell off the greatest commercial classical music station in the country to ESPN to try and save its skin. This in my mind could be catastrophic. The announcers "happy go lucky" attitude sounds to me like whistling past the grave yard. I suppose there is nothing anyone can do. But the implications for the cultural life, especially the musical life, of the metropolitan region is seismic and terrible to contemplate.


I know just how you feel. In Canada we've lost CBC Radio 2, which was a feast for the classical ear. It was the subject of an ill-advised forum change and has gone from almost entirely classical to "A mix you won't hear anywhere else", as the promos put it. There's a good reason for that, of course: nobody else wants to listen to it!


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## Concordia (Sep 30, 2004)

On the plus side of all this, there are some decent stations that stream over the web and now hi-fi components that make it easier to listen to them.


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## elixirhtc (Aug 18, 2021)

Yes, there are many decent stations over the internet as many channel that can easily be access at youtube ...


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