Leading figures in the arts have defended the BBC’s classical music programming following accusations that the broadcaster’s attitude towards the genre shows “negativity verging on hostility”.
A letter to the Guardian signed by 18 prominent figures said 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 three acclaimed film-makers, Sir Humphrey Burton, Tony Palmer and Barrie Gavin, that Younghusband’s lack of interest in classical music had deterred film-makers from pitching to the BBC. Burton said this had resulted in programming that was “lacking in adventure, curiosity and revelation”.
The comments were prompted by Younghusband’s announcement of her departure from the commissioning role earlier in May.
The letter challenging their comments said: “We know that many who have worked with her have only admiration for her extraordinary work in ensuring that the BBC remains at the forefront of both classical and popular music broadcasting. The classical music documentaries broadcast during her tenure are a testament to her desire to find fresh narratives in the genre, and reach new audiences.
“Jan has been inspirational in this role and has been a tireless advocate and supporter of both established artists and emerging talent. Her commissions have won awards across the board, including an Oscar. She will leave a great legacy for the corporation to build on.”
Signatories include the actor and Comic Relief co-founder Sir Lenny Henry; the presenters of history documentaries Lucy Worsley and Prof Amanda Vickery; the Bafta-winning directors Michael Waldman and Tim Kirby; the Emmy, Brit and Bafta award-winning composer Howard Goodall; and the Australian soprano Danielle de Niese.
Palmer, whose productions include Wagner – described by the Los Angeles Times as “one of the most beautiful films ever made” – and Gavin contrasted their experience of working with Younghusband with that of Burton, who revolutionised the broadcasting of classical music for a mass audience in postwar Britain during his tenure as BBC Television’s head of music and arts.
Gavin accused BBC television of virtually ignoring classical music today, following Burton’s comments in his autobiography urging the BBC to take risks with new music programming and offer a “counterweight to all the cooking programmes”.
A BBC spokesperson said last week: “The BBC is home to an unrivalled range of classical music on TV and is the biggest commissioner in the UK. We are proud of the quality and depth of our classical TV content, such as recent series Black Classical Music: The Forgotten History, with Lenny Henry and Suzy Klein, and Being Beethoven, commissioned by Jan Younghusband for BBC Two/Four.
“Our newly introduced commissioning structure will create a powerhouse for arts and classical music working closely with Alan Davey and Radio 3 to continue to bring even greater specialist depth, modern storytelling and ambition for the future.”
