Following on from the programme a few weeks back on the harmonica, BBC4 this evening had another recommendable feature on the harp, presented by Catrin Finch. Not a natural tv presenter maybe but good enough and obviously suited to the subject. It ranged from folk type instruments in Ethiopia to the more expected baroque and Welsh connections, skirted Alan Stivell then on to Venezuela via Spain and Andrew Lawrence-King. Finishing off with a bit of electronica and prepared harp. Late night repeat in a few hours ( 01.20 )

Oh, and there was some Ravel, Britten, and Boulez too.

Did they mention Rupert Parker?
I love his covers of classic rock songs

But two drops in an ocean of dross, though, Mary, surely?

 What about the scandalous disregard for the archive material the corporation has....had (reportedly, much of it has been junked). The forthcoming Billy Budd DVD would not be happening if someone else hadn't instituted a search for the supposedly lost tape, and R3 has all but excluded transmission of the countless treasures that were once stored in its coffers. BBC4  spends most of its time as a mainstream channel showing 'more of the same' as its three sister-channels, and at the very time that we have 'cultural initiatives' being suggested by No. 10, our national broadcasting service, which could so easily provide at least a required minimum of 'cultural' material available to all, now presents hardly any.