Born in Cape Town, South Africa,[3] Porter studied organ at University College, Oxford in the late 1940s. He then began writing music criticism for various London newspapers, including The Times and The Daily Telegraph. In 1953, he joined The Financial Times, where he served as the lead critic until 1972, where his successor was Ronald Crichton. Stanley Sadie, in the 2001 edition of the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, wrote that Porter "built up a distinctive tradition of criticism, with longer notices than were customary in British daily papers, based on his elegant, spacious literary style and always informed by a knowledge of music history and the findings of textual scholarship as well as an exceptionally wide range of sympathies."[4]
In 1960, Porter became the editor of The Musical Times. From 1972 to 1973 he served a term as the music critic of The New Yorker. Returning to the magazine in 1974, he remained its music critic until he moved back to London in 1992. His writings for The New Yorker won respect from leading figures in the musical world. The composer and critic Virgil Thomson, in a 1974 commentary on the state of music criticism, stated, "Nobody reviewing in America has anything like Porter's command of [opera]. Nor has The New Yorker ever before had access through music to so distinguished a mind."[5] In particular, with operas that were unfamiliar to him, Porter exercised additional diligence in his preparation for his reviews. According to Opera News:
When reviewing an opera that was new to him, such as Bloch's Macbeth, he might attend three performances before he felt qualified to write about it; he frequently returned to productions after opening night to refine his viewpoint, and he reviewed virtually all music only after learning it from the score."[1]
As a scholar, Porter notably discovered excised portions of Verdi's Don Carlos in the library of the Paris Opera, which led to the restoration of the original version of the work.[3] Porter was a consultant for a 1996 production at the Théâtre du Châtelet that used portions of the music which he had found.[9]
In 2003, Porter was honored with the publication of a festschrift, Words on Music: Essays in Honor of Andrew Porter on the Occasion of His 75th Birthday.[10]
Musical Events: A Chronicle, 1980–1983, Summit Books (1987), ISBN0-671-63538-7
Musical Events: A Chronicle, 1983–1986, Summit Books (1989), ISBN0-671-63539-5
References
^ abWilliam R. Braun (3 April 2015). "Andrew Porter, 86, Longtime New Yorker Critic Whose Prose and Musical Discoveries Changed Opera, Has Died". Opera News. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
^ abcOpera: (archived 9 May 2011 at Internet Archive), originally accessed 2 January 2011.
^ abcMargalit Fox (31 March 2015). "Andrew Porter, New Yorker Classical Music Critic, Dies at 86". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
^Stanley Sadie, "Porter, Andrew," Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, vol. 20, 184–85.
^Virgil Thomson, "A Drenching of Music, But a Drought of Critics," New York Times, 27 October 1974
^ abAlex Ross (4 April 2015). "Postscript: Andrew Porter (1928-2015)". The New Yorker. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
^"John Eaton". musicsalesclassical.com. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
^"Bright Sheng". musicsalesclassical.com. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
^David Stevens (6 March 1996). "'Don Carlos,' Early and Late". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
^David Rosen and Claire Brook, ed., Words on Music: Essays in Honor of Andrew Porter on the Occasion of His 75th Birthday, Pendragon Press (2003), ISBN1-57647-097-0
External links
Interview with Andrew Porter, 24 March 1988
Tom Huizenga, "Multifaceted Music Critic Andrew Porter Dies At 86". National Public Radio, "Deceptive Cadence" blog, 3 April 2015
andrew, porter, music, critic, other, people, named, andrew, porter, andrew, porter, disambiguation, andrew, brian, porter, august, 1928, april, 2015, british, music, critic, opera, librettist, opera, director, scholar, organist, andrew, porterborn26, august, . For other people named Andrew Porter see Andrew Porter disambiguation Andrew Brian Porter 26 August 1928 3 April 2015 was a British music critic opera librettist opera director scholar and organist 1 2 Andrew PorterBorn26 August 1928Cape Town South AfricaDied3 April 2015 2015 04 03 aged 86 London United KingdomOccupationMusic critic Contents 1 Biography 2 Bibliography 2 1 Books 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditBorn in Cape Town South Africa 3 Porter studied organ at University College Oxford in the late 1940s He then began writing music criticism for various London newspapers including The Times and The Daily Telegraph In 1953 he joined The Financial Times where he served as the lead critic until 1972 where his successor was Ronald Crichton Stanley Sadie in the 2001 edition of the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians wrote that Porter built up a distinctive tradition of criticism with longer notices than were customary in British daily papers based on his elegant spacious literary style and always informed by a knowledge of music history and the findings of textual scholarship as well as an exceptionally wide range of sympathies 4 In 1960 Porter became the editor of The Musical Times From 1972 to 1973 he served a term as the music critic of The New Yorker Returning to the magazine in 1974 he remained its music critic until he moved back to London in 1992 His writings for The New Yorker won respect from leading figures in the musical world The composer and critic Virgil Thomson in a 1974 commentary on the state of music criticism stated Nobody reviewing in America has anything like Porter s command of opera Nor has The New Yorker ever before had access through music to so distinguished a mind 5 In particular with operas that were unfamiliar to him Porter exercised additional diligence in his preparation for his reviews According to Opera News When reviewing an opera that was new to him such as Bloch s Macbeth he might attend three performances before he felt qualified to write about it he frequently returned to productions after opening night to refine his viewpoint and he reviewed virtually all music only after learning it from the score 1 In his latter years Porter wrote for The Observer Opera and The Times Literary Supplement 6 Porter translated the libretti of 37 operas 2 of which his English translations of Der Ring des Nibelungen and The Magic Flute have been widely performed He also directed several operas for either fully staged or semi staged performance 2 He authored the librettos for John Eaton s The Tempest after Shakespeare 7 and Bright Sheng s The Song of Majnun based on the ancient Persian story 8 As a scholar Porter notably discovered excised portions of Verdi s Don Carlos in the library of the Paris Opera which led to the restoration of the original version of the work 3 Porter was a consultant for a 1996 production at the Theatre du Chatelet that used portions of the music which he had found 9 In 2003 Porter was honored with the publication of a festschrift Words on Music Essays in Honor of Andrew Porter on the Occasion of His 75th Birthday 10 Porter died of pneumonia on 3 April 2015 His twin sister was his only surviving relation 3 He continued attending performances including one of Die Meistersinger even while sick and his final two reviews for Opera of Gaetano Donizetti s Il furioso all isola di San Domingo and I pazzi per progetto went to press hours before his death 6 Bibliography EditThis list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items July 2012 Books Edit A Musical Season A Critic from Abroad in America Viking Press 1974 ISBN 0 670 49650 2 The Ring of the Nibelung translation Norton 1976 ISBN 0 393 02192 0 Music of Three Seasons 1974 1977 Farrar Straus and Giroux 1978 ISBN 0 374 21646 0 Music of Three More Seasons 1977 1980 Knopf 1981 ISBN 0 394 51813 6 Verdi s Macbeth A Sourcebook with David Rosen Cambridge University Press 1984 ISBN 0 521 26520 7 Musical Events A Chronicle 1980 1983 Summit Books 1987 ISBN 0 671 63538 7 Musical Events A Chronicle 1983 1986 Summit Books 1989 ISBN 0 671 63539 5References Edit a b William R Braun 3 April 2015 Andrew Porter 86 Longtime New Yorker Critic Whose Prose and Musical Discoveries Changed Opera Has Died Opera News Retrieved 4 April 2015 a b c Opera Opera Magazine Editorial Board archived 9 May 2011 at Internet Archive originally accessed 2 January 2011 a b c Margalit Fox 31 March 2015 Andrew Porter New Yorker Classical Music Critic Dies at 86 The New York Times Retrieved 4 April 2015 Stanley Sadie Porter Andrew Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 20 184 85 Virgil Thomson A Drenching of Music But a Drought of Critics New York Times 27 October 1974 a b Alex Ross 4 April 2015 Postscript Andrew Porter 1928 2015 The New Yorker Retrieved 18 September 2015 John Eaton musicsalesclassical com Retrieved 18 September 2015 Bright Sheng musicsalesclassical com Retrieved 18 September 2015 David Stevens 6 March 1996 Don Carlos Early and Late The New York Times Retrieved 4 April 2015 David Rosen and Claire Brook ed Words on Music Essays in Honor of Andrew Porter on the Occasion of His 75th Birthday Pendragon Press 2003 ISBN 1 57647 097 0External links EditInterview with Andrew Porter 24 March 1988 Tom Huizenga Multifaceted Music Critic Andrew Porter Dies At 86 National Public Radio Deceptive Cadence blog 3 April 2015 New York Times profilePreceded byWinthrop Sargeant Music Critic of The New Yorker1972 1973 1974 1992 Succeeded byPaul Griffiths Portals Classical music Biography Music Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Andrew Porter music critic amp oldid 1115849877, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
