Uncategorised<\/a> <\/a>\n<\/li>\n <\/a>\n<\/li>\n <\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n I\u2019ve been away on tour with the LPO in sunnier climes, but in the intervening time a piece of mine came out in the Independent. The day of the woman conductor is nigh! Bring on Herbertina von Karajan and Georgina Solti!<\/a> The change is happening, and it is happening faster than ever before\u2026not that that is saying much, of course. <\/p>\n Several woman-conductor friends have written to me expressing ennui that we have to go over this ground yet again, but the sad truth is that we do: yes, of course it is the music-making that matters, but there\u2019s nothing remotely resembling equality of opportunity out there. When the musical results are good, there\u2019s nothing to stop maestra\u2019s success; but she has to get on to a podium first. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n standpoint-logo <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n There\u2019s been a groundswell of outrage against the planned closure of the Victoria & Albert Museum\u2019s world-famous musical instrument collection, especially as the gallery is to be refurbished to display fashion instead. Sign of the times, say most. Here\u2019s the Guardian\u2019s editorial take on it, today. <\/a><\/p>\n The Grauniad makes a lot of sense, and it does indeed seem sad that the public will be denied the chance to see some of the most beautiful instruments ever created. But I have one little caveat to add. There is no sight in a museum that breaks my heart more than that of a Stradivarius violin hanging up behind glass, unplayed. <\/p>\n anonymous<\/a> <\/p>\n Uncategorised<\/a> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n standpoint-logo <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n In a \u201ckeynote address\u201d to the Bar Conference yesterday, Sir Nicolas Bratza noted that delays are steadily increasing at the European Court of Human Rights. Bratza is now the third most senior of the Strasbourg judges and a vice-president.<\/p>\n anonymous<\/a> <\/p>\n Uncategorised<\/a> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n standpoint-logo <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n My colleagues at The Independent on Sunday had some fun the other day putting together a list of 50 myths about modern Britain that required debunking, under the heading The Emperor\u2019s New Clothes<\/a>.<\/p>\n anonymous<\/a> <\/p>\n Uncategorised<\/a> <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Profound weaknesses leave us open to political warfare from Russia and China\u2014weaknesses which they are ruthlessly exploiting<\/p>\n Ross Babbage<\/a> <\/p>\n Features<\/a> <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n How usury killed Christendom<\/p>\n A.N. Wilson<\/a> <\/p>\n Books<\/a> <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \u2018Standpoint is, as it has always been, a magazine for small-c conservatives and small-l liberals. But it is also for small-s socialists and small-g greens, and for those who resist pigeonholing on principle\u2019<\/p>\n
\n25\/01\/2010 <\/p>\n\n
\nSlice 1 <\/a>\n<\/li>\nTags<\/h2>\n
\n
What to read next<\/h2>\n
\nV&A Musical Instrument Collection to Close<\/a> <\/h3>\n
\nRussians Support Human Rights<\/a> <\/h3>\n
\nMythblasting<\/a> <\/h3>\n
\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/standfirst-standpoint-production.imgix.net\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Vladimir_Putin_and_Xi_Jinping_2018-06-10_SCO_summit-1.jpg?auto=compress,format&crop=faces,entropy,edges&fit=crop&w=871&h=705\"\/)
<\/p>\n\nThe West slumbers as its enemies run amok<\/a> <\/h3>\n
\n![\"Routed](\"https:\/\/standfirst-standpoint-production.imgix.net\/uploads\/2019\/09\/GettyImages-1168805693.jpg?auto=compress,format&crop=faces,entropy,edges&fit=crop&w=1024&h=701\"\/)
<\/p>\n\nRouted by liberalism<\/a> <\/h3>\n
\n![\"Offences](\"\/standpoint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/01_STP_Sep_Oct_19-twitter-small.jpg?auto=compress,format&crop=faces,entropy,edges&fit=crop&w=682&h=900\"\/)
<\/p>\n\nOffences and defences<\/a> <\/h3>\n