To Pandora's evidently new classical music curator:
My God, Thank You!
I was very pleasantly surprised in surfing for new stations and discovering the new "20th Century Classical" station. Selections are wonderful, although I sometimes have to keep my thumb poised on the Roku remote to thumbs-down what I call "academic modern" - atonal noise that is not pleasant general listening. It's serious music, alright, but can drive you right out of the room with its dissonance. Philip Glass gets a thumbs-up, however. So does Stravinsky!
Better yet, I was astounded by the "Romantic Era" station. It is everything the previous classical stations are not. Curation is wonderful and the very wide range of presentation is wonderful. I didn't ever think I was going to hear Berlioz, Bruckner, Mahler, Richard Strauss or any other of the late-19th and early 20th century composers on Pandora, but, my gosh, there they are. Wonderful.
I very rarely have to reject selections. Some of the violin concertos are a bit tedious, and the operatic vocals aren't my cup of tea, but the rest? Wow. Till Eulenspiegel is on at this very minute, and is bringing a big smile to my face.
And kudos for featuring female composers such as Ethel Smyth and Florence Price! This is underperformed repertoire, and many of their works are amazing in depth and scope.
Any chance of a classical organ channel? Obviously it's not everybody's cup o' tea, but it is a serious genre covering all eras, and many works are breathtaking when performed on the many famous instruments.
One suggestion FWIW: the older classical "relaxation" and "romance" stations could stand some attention. There is more to life with early classical than Italian Baroque. And if I heard the Pachelbel Kanon one more time I was going to throw up. It has its place, but not twenty-plus recordings of it, and without the Gigue? Really? <chuckle>
Thanks again.
...mike
🎶