The BBC will broadcast several surviving episodes of the classic music-themed panel show Face the Music. It will be featured in the weekly quiz-themed block on BBC Four each Monday night after 9 pm. It will be replacing the BBC panel show Going for a Song.
What is Face the Music?
Face the Music first aired on BBC Two in 1967. The show was presented by Joseph Cooper through its original run, which lasted until 1977. The show moved to BBC One from 1983, lasting until late 1984. Like many shows of that era, much of the early series has been lost due to wiping policies, and it’s uncertain how many episodes remain in the archive.
The show’s format involved Cooper playing excerpts of classical music on the piano, with the panel comprising music experts and celebrity guests tasked with identifying the pieces and answering questions about the composers or historical context.
BBC Four’s Quiz-Themed Block
Each episode of Face the Music will be broadcast on Monday nights at 9:30 PM, following the continuation of surviving episodes of the 1970s quiz show Call My Bluff. Due to the rarity of this material, it is unknown how long this run will last.
Jamie’s Reaction
I’m disappointed that the series of Going for a Song episodes featuring the lovable Arthur Negus has come to an end. However, I am excited to watch “Face the Music.” The BBC has a long and storied history of producing several mostly unseen panel shows, so I’m delighted to see that they are finally delving into their archives.
This feels like a well-thought-out effort to create a weekly experience across the BBC, starting with Only Connect, University Challenge and Mastermind on BBC2 earlier in the evening. The addition of two vintage panel shows to the schedule is an excellent accompaniment.
I have reservations about the scheduling of Face the Music. The questions may be too challenging for a modern audience. Considering that modern shows like The Hit List focus on music from the 1970s and beyond, the classical knowledge required for this vintage panel show may be difficult for some.
Face the Music will first air on Monday the 23rd of September at 9:30 pm on BBC Four. It will continue weekly at the same time.