Does The Organist Entertains on Radio 2 do more harm than good?

Good luck! The Theme tune normally only lasts a few seconds before a swift change of channel ;-). As a musician playing for today's audiences it would be good to want to listen to rather than avoid! It's like an old museum exhibit, nice to know it's being kept but rarely visited by today's users. DT

I gave up listening to the programme years ago so definitely support this petition. Modern keyboard music seems to be boycotted in general by the BBC for some unknown reason - why can't we have a 'Keyboard Entertains' hour once a week?

It has also been pushed to a late hour so that less people are tempted to listen to it. It is still very much a live subject, which along with modern keyboards should be represented.

Yes

Needs more modern keyboard music ie Andrew Nix

Please, please, can we have not only some popular organ and keyboard music but also on at an earlier time again. Lots of learning disabled like this music and they're usually in bed by the time it comes on now.

Well Done Chris ! Hope the petition works

Bring back the good old days. When the programme was a good all round organ programme!

I have appeared on the organist entertains and have been a listener to the program since i was a young boy.most of my fans are avid listeners of the organist entertains and we all feel that with electronic organs being left out leave the program half empty and as a performer of classic, theatre and electronic feel the enjoyment of my fans and anyone else who loves electronic organs has been removed.I feel the amount of listeners could triple given the inclusion of electronic organs,electric classic and theatre organs and keyboard
ALL THE BEST

LORD RIKKY BATES (Britains got talent finalist)

#40: -

Comments like these are why the world is in the mess it is today.!!!!!!!

I agree with all the other comments that I read especially the people who ask why we do not hear any of the young musicians that are on the concert circuit. The programme seems to play more music by Past organists and old recordings. There are many players worthy of airtime and replacing Nigel Ogden with one who is trying to improve the public perception of the organ instead of trying to make the programme into a history lesson would improve the situation.

I am a 21 year old student who has been brought up around organ, keyboard and piano music. My father is a professional musician who travels the country with fellow musicians who in my view are NEVER represented in any media to keep this going and inspire younger ones to enter the profession playing this kind of instrument. This programme does not inspire the older person to listen so we younger people have no chance. Support the great players of the UK and let them supply what is needed.

I like all kinds of organ music to restrict the programme to just "theatre" does not demonstrate the full versatility the modern organ nor does it do anything for many organist who have skills beyond that of just "theatre". If you want a 100% give 100%.

It would be nice to have a broader content of instruments such as WERSI as played by brett wales claudia hersfeld franz lambert. Instead of a mass of americans.

Why cant the british organists who play week after week for clubs in the uk be played on the organist entertains as it was so varied. Electronic AND pipes.LESS of Americans.

#25: -

Like everyone in this petition I too am fed up with the boring BBC programme "The Organist Entertains" Nigel Ogden, although I don't doubt he is a most repected and apreciated man, has become so boring with the content of the show(sometimes wondered if he was falling asleep) that I just don't bother switching it on anymore.  I love to play my modern up to date Tyros Keyboard and love all modern and not so modern instruments, when they are played to an audience living in the 21st Century.  If and when you decide to bring the programme out of the archives, I will gladly start to listen again.....

Every type of organ, or keyboard, whether pipe or electronic, has relevance to the creation of musical entertainment. Dismissing instruments of more recent technological progress because they feature modern electronics and design, capable of high quality emulation of a world of instrument choices, is to my mind irresponsible of the BBC in its job of modern communication. What a player is skilled at creating with an instrument, whether the music be classical or popular, is surely the prime importance of an organ music programme, NOT the nature and capabilities of the instruments being played. A musical instrument is lifeless, silent, and sometimes quite ugly, until its own particular beauty of sound is produced from the imagination, control and dexterity of a player. The BBC needs to improve its attitude towards modern musicianship, and help communicate encouragement to our future musicians, exemplifying quality playing through the more accessible instruments we hope our offspring will be producing accomplished music with, both now, and in the future.

The Organist Entertains has been a firm fixture in the lives of organ and keyboard lovers and players for many a long year. And as wonderful it is to hear the classic performances, it has to play modern music, too, with younger performers and modern equipment. Music grows and so should the programme. And with many younger players emerging all the time they need a regular radio programme to listen to and learn and enjoy. Don't kill this show by the back door. And many Organist Entertains listeners have also been Radio 2 listeners for decades too. Go on. Kick them in the teeth for their loyalty.

I believe all types of organs should be featured.

Music is only interesting if there is diversity. I am a fan of BBC radio and listen quite often - but taking away musical diversity is quite a turn-off I feel. So please do add back the electronic and modern organ to your programme !!! Cheers, Roland

I have been playing the organ professionaly for nearly forty years,incuding theatre pipe/Hammond organs, and various electronics. My first love is the theatre/cinema pipe organ, but i think that the show needs to look back at its roots. in the begining when it was hosted if i remmember correctly by robin richmond,it was mostly theatre and hammond, with the odd lowery/conn/farfisa etc thrown in.but it was moving forward with the times even then. as the show progressed into the 70s and early 80s it encompassed all makes and types of organs, keyboards and the up and coming players of the day. from the likes of technics/yamaha/kawai etc and i really enjoyed listening to the various instruments and players,and was a way of keeping up to date with new developments. not so now.! the show has been reduced in length to 30 mins. this in itself is far too short for such a show.(i think the concert diary slot has been removed as well) i think nigel was,and still is a fine and very knowledgeable presenter,and superb musician. but his hands are tied. I believe the bbc needs to take a look at the organ scene and get the show back to what it was originally, i.e an informative and entertaining show aimed at organists and others who simply enjoy listening to the instruments. a quick search of you tube would open the bbc's eyes as to the amount of insruments, both pipe and digital electronic, and some very fine players from all around the world. I hope the collective input of this petition will help to save a show which used to be the best....

Sampled sounds are the modern way forward and should be reflected in this program. If not, as the listening population ages, it will decline as the younger listeners will not tune in.
The skill and entertainment value of the keyboard player/organist is as important as is the music played

More Electronic required Organ & Keyboard.