Classical Guitar at the Proms...I'm Afraid Not...

I have been scouring the schedule of the BBC Proms for any sign of the classical guitar. I'm afraid to say that over the entire season there isn't one classical guitar performance.
This makes me both sad and angry.
Sad because it is such a beautiful instrument that seems to have an uphill battle to be heard.
Angry, well, there are many reasons.

There are so many fantastic guitar concerti to choose from, surely there was something that could have been fitted in the schedule.
If fear of the unknown is the cause, then how about one of the most popular concerti ever written?...the truly beautiful, 'Concierto de Aranjuez' or the 'Fantasia Para Un Gentilhombre' by Rodrigo. Or, maybe, some Vivaldi or perhaps a little Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Malcolm Arnold, William Walton or Leo Brouwer?

For the really adventurous programmer perhaps an old favourite allied with a new composition. We have a number of concerti from which to choose, and what a coup that would be, the composer performing his own piece. Oh, and he's British....maybe that's the problem. But this isn't about sour grapes.
Whilst it would be fantastic for Robin to perform there, just to see any classical guitarist, would be great. When have Pepe or Angel Romero, the Assad Brothers or Xuefei Yang ever been heard at the Proms?

I recently read a report proclaiming the guitar had taken over from the recorder as the instrument of choice for school children. We should be capitalising on this. As there is currently concern about the future of classical music in general, and the need to introduce the younger generation to the whole area, surely we have missed a golden opportunity to present one of the most popular and versatile instruments in the world.
Any child in the early stages of learning an instrument needs to see and hear what can be achieved.
How many more families would have 'tuned' in for a guitar concert to encourage their offspring with their chosen instrument?

BBC Radio 3 used to feature the guitar on a weekly basis through its programmes, 'The Classical Guitar' and 'Guitar Encores', now we are lucky if we hear it from one month to the next.

Whatever the reason for this...it is a great tragedy that the guitar is again ignored and neglected by the BBC.

Happy Birthday - Sir William Walton

After Elgar's removal from banknotes here in the UK, I thought I'd better make a stand for another great English composer, Sir William Walton, especially as it would have been his birthday today.
Walton was born in Oldham, Lancashire, but lived the later years of his life on the Mediterranean Island of Ischia. I can't say I blame him, Lancashire is known for its wet weather, which is why there used to be a huge cotton industry here. Sorry Oldham, but I think Ischia would win every time.
In the 1920's and 30's Walton was considered the most important English composer of his generation.
In 1970/1 he composed 'Five Bagatelles for Solo Guitar', as a 50th birthday present for Malcolm Arnold which were dedicated to the guitarist Julian Bream.
In fact Walton was so pleased with the Bagatelles that in 1972 he composed 'Varii Capricci for Orchestra' based on them, which was one of the last pieces he wrote before his death in 1983. (He did actually rewrite the final movement in 1977).
So Happy Birthday Walton.

Meanwhile, Robin has been working hard on finalising two programmes for next week, so the music room door has been firmly shut whilst he prepares. He did emerge to take the dogs for a walk in the Lancashire drizzle though...