RIP Robert Layton

[Maclintick]

I couldn't find a thread on this, so apologies for any duplication...

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/article/the-musicologist-critic-and-gramophone-reviewer-robert-layton-has-died

Gramophiles, Sibelians & lovers of Nordic music will have valued his scholarly guidance over many years, & without his advocacy the composer Dag Henrik Esrum-Hellerup would still be vastly under-appreciated. RIP,Bob

[Serial_Apologist]

Goodness me! I was reading chapters on modern music by him when I was a teenager! Always appreciated his writings.

[jayne lee wilson]

Goodness.... a long life so well lived, a man who taught me and many others so much about how to listen, how to write about one's listening...with a remarkably insightful, consistent and critically reliable pair of ears; the wit and wisdom they served...
Knew his hifi too - many of his fastidious critiques were observed through Quad ESL63s.....

Truly, a reminder of one's own mortality amid the musical beauties that nourish us and mean so much more than we can ever articulate...

I always called him "The Great Layton".....so, thank you for the music and the words, Mr RL of the noble Gramophone!

[Parry1912]

One of the great reviewers. Always enjoyed his Quarterly Retrospect. A pity Gramophone doesn’t have more like him today.

[vinteuil]

I couldn't find a thread on this, so apologies for any duplication...

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/article/the-musicologist-critic-and-gramophone-reviewer-robert-layton-has-died

Gramophiles, Sibelians & lovers of Nordic music will have valued his scholarly guidance over many years, & without his advocacy the composer Dag Henrik Esrum-Hellerup would still be vastly under-appreciated. RIP,Bob

... ah yes, Dag Henrik Esrum-Hellerup -

https://sites.google.com/site/esrumhellerupkoret/home/koret/esrumhellerupnavn

.

[french frank]

From The Times, 2014

Sir, Having worked for Radio 3 between 1959 and 1990, I too have observed its diminished level of ambition with concern (letter, Nov 3). As a producer of talks on music, I was briefed to engage the widest range of contributors, scholars, composers and interpreters who would speak with authority; and later as a music producer to offer repertoire that would be exploratory and of substance. I share Robert Gower’s hope that the incoming controller will restore the vision and values that once distinguished this network.

Robert Layton

[Edgy 2]

From The Times, 2014

Sir, Having worked for Radio 3 between 1959 and 1990, I too have observed its diminished level of ambition with concern (letter, Nov 3). As a producer of talks on music, I was briefed to engage the widest range of contributors, scholars, composers and interpreters who would speak with authority; and later as a music producer to offer repertoire that would be exploratory and of substance. I share Robert Gower’s hope that the incoming controller will restore the vision and values that once distinguished this network.

Robert Layton

Always an interesting read,whether you were a Sibelius fan or not.
From a distant age when Gramophone and Radio 3 were (to me)essential reading and listening

RIP Robert Layton

[Frances_iom]

.. - many of his fastidious critiques were observed through Quad ESL63s.....

obviously knew perfection when he found it - mine are now approaching 50 yrs old.

[Alison]

I was really sad when RL left Gramophone.

The retrospects are much missed here too, never less than interesting with a delightful turn of phrase.