On Wednesday, January 28, 2004 at 5:53:31 PM UTC-5, B. A. Nilsson wrote:
> I can't tell you which "Eine Kleine" recording Bill Watson used, but I
> also recall that he opened with a spoken quote from "The Merchant of
> Venice," part of the text Vaughan Williams set.
> Watson was a cantankerous, opinionated fellow who would as soon play
> several hours of Gieseking or Bjoerling recordings as talk -- but when
> he talked, he was hard to shut up. He went from WQXR to WNCN to WBAI,
> and at the last-named he indulged in marathon reading sessions, from
> "Remembrance of Things Past" to "Alan Mendelsohn, Boy from Mars."
> -- Byron
> Jeremy wrote:
> > My introduction to the world of classical music came via WNCN-FM in New York
> > City, a 24-hour commercial classical station back in the 60s and 70s.
> > "Classical DJ" Bill Watson did an all-night program, sponsored by the
> > Cattlemen Restaurant, called "Listening With Watson." His opening signature
> > theme every night was the second movement of Mozart's "Eine Kleine
> > Nachnmusik."
> >
> > I'm thinking that there may be others on this NG that were listeners back
> > then.
> >
> > Might anyone know what specific recording he used? It was probably
> > monophonic, and my recollection was that is was a small chanber ensemble,
> > not a full orchestral version.
> >
> > Just for nostalgia's sake, I'd like to obtain a copy if it is still in
> > print. If anyone remembers the show please post the recording information.
> > Thanks.
> >
> >
> >
I remember Mr. Watson from WQXR. Same theme music, same sign-off quote.

I also remember a series of programs where he played no music, but read aloud from Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" with a wind machine in the background!