TV Rant

I was rather pleased at hearing that there would be a programme about the sacred music of Anton Bruckner on BBC 4 this evening. I had no idea who the presenter, Simon Russell Beale, was and I was not particularly interested in the other composer being covered, namely Johannes Brahms, but one can't expect everything. Indeed, with that presenter, I found there is not much point in expecting anything. We heard repeatedly that Brahms's "Requiem" was "very personal" and that Bruckner's music was inspired by his Catholic faith- again repeatedly. What those assertions actually meant in practice we were left guessing. In fact I got the distinct impression that Mr Beale knew next to nothing about music or, indeed , about religion. Why the BBc doesn't have someone half decent fronting these programmes I cannot imagine.

To anyone unfamiliar with Bruckner I say get a load of this!