BBC broadcast two classical music documentaries

Over the weekend 26-27 September, the BBC broadcast two new landmark documentaries on classical music.

One sought out the stories of overlooked black composers, the other shone a light on the personal journey of one of the world’s greatest conductors.

Black Classical Music: The Forgotten History asked the question: why have black classical performers and composers been largely written out of music history?

The programme, presented by Suzy Klein and Lenny Henry, starts in the 1500s and follows the personal stories of composers and musicians throughout the centuries of the Atlantic slave trade and beyond.

Accompanying this historical journey is the BAME orchestra Chineke! (pictured above), performing and offering insight into the neglected work of these great underrated composers.

Black Classical Music: The Forgotten History is available on iPlayer until 30 October 2020. Watch it here.

Bernard Haitink: The Enigmatic Maestro is a journey through the life of the iconic conductor, who retired last year at the age of 90.

The film focuses on Haitink’s personal perspective. Through recollections of childhood in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, and listening mesmerised to a Brucker symphony on the radio aged nine, you get a real sense of his lifelong connection to the music he is famous for conducting.

This has rarely been done so well. If you’ve ever wondered about the role of a conductor, or perhaps why individual conductors can be so influential, this documentary is for you.

Bernard Haitink: The Enigmatic Maestro is available on iPlayer until 26 October 2020. Watch it here.