Radio Netherlands & Me
As I've mentioned before (there's no reason for you to remember it), Wednesday nights on our local classical radio station (WBJC, Baltimore), at 11pm, is the time when we enjoy listening to Live at the Concertgebouw, featuring the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra but also bring us chamber-music and solo-performance programs at times. The program is a production of Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW).
The programming and the performances are top-notch, diverse, and adventurous–all reasons we enjoy listening. But the icing on this broadcast cake is getting to listen to Hans Haffmans, the regular announcer for the program. Four years ago (four years!) I wrote in this space (here) about my personal appreciation for Haffmas' mellifluous voice, his beautiful accent, and his skill at pronouncing even the most difficult composer's names.
Well, imagine my surprise and delight at discovering that my piece about Mr. Haffmans has achieved the official status of a link at RNW in their announcement for this week's program (On air: 24 November 2009 8:00 – 1 December 2009 7:00) glossing the name of Haffmans himself!
I don't want you to miss it; it appears at the top of the blurb, quoting HH himself:
“Since her debut at the Concertgebouw in 1997 Janine Jansen is nothing short of a true star in Holland and today she is internationally recognised as one of the great violinists of our time…” [RNW host Hans Haffmans]
The program is one I will enjoy hearing:
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – Sakari Oramo, conductor – Janine Jansen, violin
MAGNUS LINDBERG: CHORALE
LEOS JANACEK: TARAS BULBA
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH: VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 1 IN A MINOR OP. 77
I am really chuffed about this, because I really do admire Haffmans' announcing and I really do enjoy the broadcasts.
Perhaps now would be the best time for me to mention to my friends at RNW that I am available to serve as Mr. Haffmans' guest co-announcer.
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on Wednesday, 25 November 2009 at 03.14
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It appears I'm too late to see the link, but congratulations. BTW, years ago I sometimes enjoyed listening to Radio Nederland shortwave broadcasts. Very high quality in all they did.