Top figures in the arts have defended the BBC’s classical songs programming adhering to accusations that the broadcaster’s attitude to the style demonstrates “negativity verging on hostility”.
A letter to the Guardian signed by 18 notable figures stated the accusations took a “wholly inaccurate and unbalanced” view of the record of the BBC’s longstanding head of music commissioning, Jan Younghusband.
The letter responded to claims from the commentator Norman Lebrecht and a few acclaimed film-makers, Sir Humphrey Burton, Tony Palmer and Barrie Gavin, that Younghusband’s disinterest in classical music experienced deterred movie-makers from pitching to the BBC. Burton said this had resulted in programming that was “lacking in experience, curiosity and revelation”.
The remarks ended up prompted by Younghusband’s announcement of her departure from the commissioning job previously in May possibly.
The letter challenging their remarks said: “We know that quite a few who have labored with her have only admiration for her amazing do the job in ensuring that the BBC continues to be at the forefront of each classical and well-liked tunes broadcasting. The classical songs documentaries broadcast for the duration of her tenure are a testament to her motivation to find refreshing narratives in the style, and attain new audiences.
“Jan has been inspirational in this position and has been a tireless advocate and supporter of equally set up artists and rising expertise. Her commissions have received awards across the board, including an Oscar. She will depart a wonderful legacy for the corporation to make on.”
Signatories consist of the actor and Comedian Aid co-founder Sir Lenny Henry the presenters of history documentaries Lucy Worsley and Prof Amanda Vickery the Bafta-winning administrators Michael Waldman and Tim Kirby the Emmy, Brit and Bafta award-successful composer Howard Goodall and the Australian soprano Danielle de Niese.
Palmer, whose productions include Wagner – explained by the Los Angeles Occasions as “one of the most beautiful movies ever made” – and Gavin contrasted their expertise of doing the job with Younghusband with that of Burton, who revolutionised the broadcasting of classical songs for a mass audience in postwar Britain in the course of his tenure as BBC Television’s head of songs and arts.
Gavin accused BBC tv of just about ignoring classical songs nowadays, following Burton’s responses in his autobiography urging the BBC to take hazards with new tunes programming and supply a “counterweight to all the cooking programmes”.
A BBC spokesperson reported final week: “The BBC is property to an unrivalled range of classical tunes on Television and is the largest commissioner in the United kingdom. We are very pleased of the high quality and depth of our classical Tv information, this sort of as modern series Black Classical New music: The Overlooked Record, with Lenny Henry and Suzy Klein, and Becoming Beethoven, commissioned by Jan Younghusband for BBC Two/Four.
“Our freshly introduced commissioning composition will produce a powerhouse for arts and classical songs doing the job intently with Alan Davey and Radio 3 to keep on to provide even bigger specialist depth, modern-day storytelling and ambition for the potential.”