Musical reports

Reports have reached me of a draft European Directive, possibly due for ratification by the European Parliament in the autumn.

The general idea is to promote diversity in public performances of classical music involving audiences of more than 100 people, this de minimis rule ensuring that no unreasonable burden is put on small promoters.

The diversity is question is that of the composers of the music to be performed.

According to the present draft, the President of the Commission will be empowered to activate dimensions of diversity, for example age, with the Statistical Institute of Luxembourg being charged with the analysis and enforcement of each new dimension. With Luxembourg being a very small country with no known classical composers and so having no musical axe to grind, unlike, say, Germany or Austria.

It is understood that sex will be the first dimension to be so activated, after which promoters of classical concerts will be expected to provide gender balanced programmes. It is also understood that UK members of the European Parliament, with Farage in the van, with fag and pint, are lobbying hard for concerts offering just one work - say the Diabelli variations or the Winterreise - to be allowed, provided only that promoters make reasonable efforts to provide gender balance through neighbouring concerts.