The new controller of BBC Radio 4, one of the key roles in British civilisation, is to be the little-known Gwyneth Williams, formerly of the BBC World Service and, prior to that, editor of the high-prestige Reith Lectures.

Ms Williams beat such high-profile contenders as Front Row presenter Mark Lawson and business editor Robert Peston, both favoured by the outgoing controller, Mark Damazer. Peter Barron, one of Newsnight now with Google, was a staff pick.

Here’s the official c.v:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/worldservice/gwynethwilliams.shtml

She looks like another serious thinker, which can only be good for the brand,

The new controller of BBC Radio 4, one of the key roles in British civilisation, is to be the little-known Gwyneth Williams, formerly of the BBC World Service and, prior to that, editor of the high-prestige Reith Lectures.

Ms Williams beat such high-profile contenders as Front Row presenter Mark Lawson and business editor Robert Peston, both favoured by the outgoing controller, Mark Damazer. Peter Barron, one of Newsnight now with Google, was a staff pick.

Here’s the official c.v:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/worldservice/gwynethwilliams.shtml

She looks like another serious thinker, which can only be good for the brand,

The BBC will dedicate a Proms concert in his memory. Glyndebourne, where he conducted Cosi fan tutte only last month, will commemorate him tonight. Sir George Christie, past director of Glyndebourne, said: ‘The passion he brought to his performances – which he tempered with scholarly research – combined with his devotion to and belief in the composers whose works were entrusted to him and his baton set him apart from the others. He never imposed himself between the audience and the composer and this in turn commanded total devotion to and belief in him. He embraced a huge spectrum of the repertory, but it was his performances of Handel, Mozart and Janá?ek which stick most adhesively in my memory….and he was an enchanting man.’

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic recalls his ‘outstanding interpretations’ on record of the nine Beethoven symphonies, while the Scottish Chamber Orchestra remembered a relationship of 20 years in which he showed ‘almost unparallelled mastery of music across a huge range of styles and periods.’

Tony Faulkner, record producer, pays tribute here to his ‘inexhautible energy’ and to the amount that everyone who worked with Charles Mackerras learned from this delightful artist and man.

The BBC will dedicate a Proms concert in his memory. Glyndebourne, where he conducted Cosi fan tutte only last month, will commemorate him tonight. Sir George Christie, past director of Glyndebourne, said: ‘The passion he brought to his performances – which he tempered with scholarly research – combined with his devotion to and belief in the composers whose works were entrusted to him and his baton set him apart from the others. He never imposed himself between the audience and the composer and this in turn commanded total devotion to and belief in him. He embraced a huge spectrum of the repertory, but it was his performances of Handel, Mozart and Janá?ek which stick most adhesively in my memory….and he was an enchanting man.’

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic recalls his ‘outstanding interpretations’ on record of the nine Beethoven symphonies, while the Scottish Chamber Orchestra remembered a relationship of 20 years in which he showed ‘almost unparallelled mastery of music across a huge range of styles and periods.’

Tony Faulkner, record producer, pays tribute here to his ‘inexhautible energy’ and to the amount that everyone who worked with Charles Mackerras learned from this delightful artist and man.

Sir Charles Mackerras, who has died aged 84, was a nice man and near-neighbour. We would exchange a sunny wave and an occasional chat on morning walks along Hamilton Terrace.

Never an assertive personality, Charlie was often underrated by orchestral musicians and had a wretched time as chief conductor of English National Opera in the 1970s. But the musical results spoke for themselves.

His achievements, in my view, are twofold. He was the first, after Neville Marriner, to seek fusion between period-instrument practice and modern orchestras, achieving wonderfully transparent Mozart and Beethoven performances, especially with his last ensemble, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. He had been due to work with them this summer at the Edinburgh Festival (he was also down to conduct a Viennese Night at the BBC Proms the week after next and, never a narrow mind, he was irrationally fond of Gilbert and Sullivan.)

His greatest breathrough, though, was to introduce Janacek to the English-speaking world. A fluent Czech-speaker after studies in Prague with Vaclav Talich in 1947, he joined the Sadlers Wells Opera in London and, in 1951, conducted the first Katya Kabanova outside continental Europe. It paved the way for Rafael Kubelik to conduct Jenufa at Covent Garden and for Mackerras himself to record the complete Janacek operas with a stellar cast on Decca.

It took Katya another 40 years to reach the Met but by then most of Janacek was being staged the world over and Charlie’s contribution was near-forgotten. It could be said that he did more for Janacek than anyone other than Max Brod, his original German translator.

To bring a great composer back to life is more than most conductors can ever hope to do. Charles Mackerras did that, and we should be eternally grateful for his courage and persistence. He will be eulogised as Australia’s greatest conductor (which he was) but the greatness of Mackerras was the ease with which he overcame the barriers between nations, languages and periods in the history of  music. He was truly a citizen of the world.

Charles Mackerras, born Shenectady, New York, 17 November 1925; died London, 14 July 2010

Sir Charles Mackerras, who has died aged 84, was a nice man and near-neighbour. We would exchange a sunny wave and an occasional chat on morning walks along Hamilton Terrace.

Never an assertive personality, Charlie was often underrated by orchestral musicians and had a wretched time as chief conductor of English National Opera in the 1970s. But the musical results spoke for themselves.

His achievements, in my view, are twofold. He was the first, after Neville Marriner, to seek fusion between period-instrument practice and modern orchestras, achieving wonderfully transparent Mozart and Beethoven performances, especially with his last ensemble, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. He had been due to work with them this summer at the Edinburgh Festival (he was also down to conduct a Viennese Night at the BBC Proms the week after next and, never a narrow mind, he was irrationally fond of Gilbert and Sullivan.)

His greatest breathrough, though, was to introduce Janacek to the English-speaking world. A fluent Czech-speaker after studies in Prague with Vaclav Talich in 1947, he joined the Sadlers Wells Opera in London and, in 1951, conducted the first Katya Kabanova outside continental Europe. It paved the way for Rafael Kubelik to conduct Jenufa at Covent Garden and for Mackerras himself to record the complete Janacek operas with a stellar cast on Decca.

It took Katya another 40 years to reach the Met but by then most of Janacek was being staged the world over and Charlie’s contribution was near-forgotten. It could be said that he did more for Janacek than anyone other than Max Brod, his original German translator.

To bring a great composer back to life is more than most conductors can ever hope to do. Charles Mackerras did that, and we should be eternally grateful for his courage and persistence. He will be eulogised as Australia’s greatest conductor (which he was) but the greatness of Mackerras was the ease with which he overcame the barriers between nations, languages and periods in the history of  music. He was truly a citizen of the world.

Charles Mackerras, born Shenectady, New York, 17 November 1925; died London, 14 July 2010