Back to Bach

After several sleepless nights, I've been catching up on TV programmes I've recorded. I've just watched the 2nd part of Howard Goodall 's Story of Music on BBC4 (?). You may not be a fan of classical music - in which case, bye! - but I am. I know nothing about Howard Goodall but I've enjoyed the first two parts of his series. But now I've come across a review of his first programme by somebody called Mark Smith in Saturday's Herald. He says Howard Goodall lacks 'passion'.

So let's summon up a bit of respect here: what kind of an expert on classical music are you, Mark Smith? Can you play an instrument to professional level? What is your educational background vis a vis classical music? Can you even haud a tune? These are the only qualifications I'll accept before I let you pronounce on the work of a music professional.

I've been on the receiving end of this kind of patronising crap myself, of course. It happens to everyone with any sort of skill that other people think is easily gained and easily exploited. I speak foreign languages and have often been asked to do translations - for nothing, of course. I tried translating "Taps" for a group of guides in Glasgow, only to be told my translation was wrong. And I once had to tell the office of the chief executive of a local authority that although I spoke/understood 6 languages, since Italian wasn't one of them, I'd have to ask someone else to translate the five page letter she'd emailed over - and how much was her office willing to pay? PAY? It was as if I'd sworn at them. When I finally got money out of their office and got the letter translated by a native Italian teacher with an Honours degree in Italian and French from a Scottish university, I got a message that someone in the office thought the letter contained errors - not that anyone could point me at the person claiming to have found the mistakes or what the mistakes were.

There are some talents that can't be faked and have to be accepted as natural: musical, dramatic, artistic, linguistic, sporting, mathematical. There are also some things that can be learned on the job - some easily and some not so easily. The problem at the moment is that our education system seems to encourage the things that can be learned easily and relegates what's inbred/intuitive or acquired by fckn hard work to the second or even third rate level.

A former student of mine has sustained an injury to his hand and, as a result can't play the pipes any more. That, frankly, is as tragic as anything I've heard in recent months and I wish Stewart well.