Classic FM’s reasons for finding it hard to comply with local content quotas (“In search of local classics”, March 8) ring hollow.
While it may be true that too little South African music is being recorded, there is enough music being composed and performed for a station like Classic FM to fill the 25% target and more.
The problem seems to be the station’s reluctance to play it.
They complain that the SABC will not give Classic FM access to its archives, but many of the SABC’s classical music broadcasts and the SABC has far fewer broadcasting hours available to them are live broadcasts by local orchestras or artists, or repeats of such concerts.
Why can Classic FM not follow this example?
It does not even broadcast its own live events, such as its “soirees”.
They neglect not only modern South African works, but nearly all music of the later 20th century.
The majority of Classic FM’s programmes consist of a limited range of supposedly “popular” pieces (which are often extracts from larger works) composed in 18th century and 19th century Europe, which it repeats ad nauseam.
If just a few of the endless repeats of such pieces as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons were to be replaced by some of the music composed and played by South Africans, they would easily pass the 25% target. Norma Craven