Correct me if I'm wrong, but this doesn't seem to be a golden age of music criticism. It seems to have all but disappeared from the daily papers and what remains isn't of the highest quality. Andrew Clements, the Guardian's critic, is (imo) not qualified to do his job.
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I can't disagree with much of this. Clements is by no means unqualified but his overuse of adverbs has become almost an unwitting exercise in self-parody and his personal likes and dislikes are all too often too much to the fore; the days when Anthony Payne, Max Harrison and others enhanced those broadsheets with their reviews have indeed sadly long disappeared, however.Originally posted by Conchis View Post -
I did indeed write to his editor (and to Ivan Hewett's) in similar terms in 2009, but he's still there! I disagree that this isn't a golden age though; it's just that most of the interesting music criticism these days is coming from bloggers who are generally better-informed than the "professionals" and write with more genuine interest and commitment on their enthusiasms than the hacks ever did. Regarding contemporary music these are to be recommended especially:Originally posted by Conchis View Post
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The bloggers?
Norman Lebrecht?
But the real point has been made - the press ignores classical music.Comment
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Originally posted by Richard Barrett View PostI did indeed write to his editor (and to Ivan Hewett's) in similar terms in 2009, but he's still there! I disagree that this isn't a golden age though; it's just that most of the interesting music criticism these days is coming from bloggers who are generally better-informed than the "professionals" and write with more genuine interest and commitment on their enthusiasms than the hacks ever did. Regarding contemporary music these are to be recommended especially:
http://www.soundexpanse.com/
If ever I enjoy something, I can rest assured that Clements will write a scratchy review of it; and vice versa.
His hostility to a lot of new music gives the game away; but I suppose that's part and parcel of working to a deadline and to a strict word limit.
Yes, I agree: the bloggers aren't constrained by such things, or by the need to be 'funny'. I'll pass up Norman Lebrecht, though!
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Does he ever actually say anything about music as opposed to gossip? (Not that I'm intending to trawl through his site to find out)Originally posted by Eine Alpensinfonie View PostComment
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Originally posted by Richard Barrett View Post
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He wrote an 'anti-eulogy' when Carlos Kleiber died, the gist of which was that Kleiber was 'not a great conductor' because he had such a 'small repertoire.' Apparently, Lebrecht now denies having written this tosh, despite it still being on his website.Originally posted by Richard Barrett View PostComment
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Yes, but finding it would indeed require a disproportionate amount of time and energy in trawling...Originally posted by Richard Barrett View PostComment
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It often comes down to individual taste though, doesn't it? I usually find myself in agreement with Andrew Clements, when I've heard the discs under review. The writing in this list seems unobjectionable ...
...of the ones I heard, the Debussy and Abrahamsen, he seems spot-on to me.Comment
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In the 1960s I would read reviews of Hallé concerts in The Guardian (which had capital letters in those days), written by Gerald Larner. They were mostly rather scathing, though he was clearly knowledgeable. A few hours later, I would read a review of the same concert in the Manchester Evening News, written by John Robert-Blunn, whose comments suggested every concert was the best musical event of all time.
OK, I exaggerate a little, but I wonder whether the two of them ever fought a duel.
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I used to seek out newspaper reviews but quite frankly the knowledge and insight on offer on the forum and elsewhere online rather show up the inconsequential nature of much press comment.Comment
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Same hereOriginally posted by Alison View Post
"...the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."
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But somehow even the best of what the best of them might publish now or in the past (and in spite of what I wrote earlier I'm not convinced of there having been any kind of "golden age" in this) can never quite match the music itself and its performance, though, can it?...Originally posted by Caliban View PostSame hereComment
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Me neither. Perhaps we were just a little more deferential years ago. A few names had the field very much to themselves.Originally posted by ahinton View PostComment
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