Where I struggle with these kinds of ideas is not necessarily in terms of the notions behind them because this man is entitled to his opinion just like anybody else but what they hope to achieve by it.

Let's make an assumption that you don't get to hold the job this man does by being stupid. And the importance of classical music is sometimes misunderstood. It might not seem it but the history of it, and its development, is linked to politics in a way that almost no other music form is. This man might not have much by way of a public profile but he does have a certain amount of 'soft' power at his fingertips. Politicians might make the right noises about other genres and pretend to be down with the 'kidz' but I can guarantee that anybody in top echelons of any Western political system know their Bach from their Beethoven.

So this 'suggestion' cannot be lightly dismissed. But what does it actually achieve? Like so much else at the moment, it seems to be only uttered to antagonise huge swathes of the wider, majority, white population. For whom last night of the Proms is probably their only exposure to classical music.

You want to piss them off, you pull this kind of stunt. Why? Makes no rational sense beyond another example of the deadly addiction of virtue signaling. And divides and divides us even more, pushing the nation collectively just another tiny bit nearer to the edge.

We live in insane times.

Edited by Matov (11 Jul 2020 9.20am)

Edited by Matov (11 Jul 2020 9.20am)

Really you need to read the words of these appalling old nationalistic dirges.

You could always put a modern slant on them.

How about 'Land of Dope and Tory' sung by Rod Stewart.

One thing in all of themm, is GOD.

GOD has ordained approved all of Albion's excesses no matter how perfidious.

One thing that needs to be done is to update these dirges to brexit.

'Brexit oh Brexit, G-OOOO-DDDD (descant) save our brexit.

The truth is, and I can be a tad pretentious about this so feel free to slate me, but if you are going to have an institution such as the BBC then it promoting classical music should be within its remit. Because it is an absolute mainstay of Western Culture. It does matter and is perhaps the best argument for the funding model, and one I put myself behind for a long, long time.

Only really come to have any kind of understanding Classical music over the last 10 or so years, appreciating why so many people hold it in such high esteem. This might sound daft, and I fully deserve to have the piss taken out of me for it, but it is like training your ears to really listen. To understand the nuances of it, to allow it to move you, to take you to a different place.

LOL. I cringed as I wrote that but for me, it has been a genuine eye/ear-opening experience. And a fascinating history behind so many of the pieces you hear all the time. I suspect most people would surprise themselves by realising how much classic music they do know and the impact it has on them.

Indeed. Imagine the disappointment suffered by all those Stormzy fans who, having enjoyed the proms up to that point, find the last night marred by these jingoistic offerings.

There's nothing of the sort in the national Anthem and, frankly, listen to the Irish one if you like or perhaps the Italian or French one. Obviously don't bother with the silly Aussie or Canadian ones.
My problem with it is about it being one person - the monarch. It should be changed to Rule Britannia or Land of Hope and Glory, or perhaps Jerusalem.
I'm sure you will agree.

Upset a few vegans then.
Maybe glad all over to celebrate this great and diverse nation.

Richard Morrison of BBC music magazine. Another unneeded waste of money. Why does a tv station need a magazine? Because he’s a nice woke guy they can’t let him or the magazine go. Oh and the conductor on the last night is a woke woman.

[Link]

He looks the type. No doubt a hypocrite too.

Edited by Rudi Hedman (11 Jul 2020 8.48am)