Norman Lebrecht
Norman Lebrecht | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 11, 1948 London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Music journalist, author |
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Known for | Proprietor of the classical music blog Slipped Disc; author of The Song of Names |
Norman Lebrecht (born 11 July 1948) is a British music journalist and author, widely recognized as the proprietor of the classical music blog Slipped Disc. His work predominantly concentrates on personalities and institutions within the classical music sphere rather than traditional reviews. While some have criticized his style as sensationalist, others commend it for its engaging and entertaining qualities. Gilbert Kaplan referred to him as "undoubtedly the most contentious and arguably the most impactful journalist in classical music."
Lebrecht contributed columns to The Daily Telegraph from 1994 until 2002 and held the position of assistant editor at the London Evening Standard between 2002 and 2009. He hosted lebrecht.live on BBC Radio 3 starting in 2000 and later presented The Lebrecht Interview from 2006 through 2016. His writings have also appeared in publications such as Standpoint and The Critic.
He has written twelve books centered on music alongside two novels: The Song of Names (2001), which earned a Whitbread Award and was adapted into a film directed by François Girard, and The Game of Opposites: A Novel (2009). His 2019 publication, Genius and Anxiety: How Jews Changed the World, 1847–1947, examines aspects of social history.
Early life and education
Norman Lebrecht was born in London to Soloman and Marguerite Lebrecht. He attended Hasmonean Grammar School, where Solomon Schonfeld served as an early inspiration. From 1964 to 1965, he pursued studies at Kol Torah Rabbinical College in Israel, followed by academic periods at Bar-Ilan University between 1966 and 1968, and later at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
In 1977, Lebrecht married Elbie Spivack, a sculptor and writer; together they have three daughters.
Journalism
Following his education, Lebrecht worked in the news department of Kol Yisrael under the Israel Broadcasting Authority from 1970 to 1972. Upon returning to London in 1972, he took on the role of news executive at Visnews Ltd, serving from 1973 to 1978.
Between 1982 and 1991, he contributed articles to The Sunday Times, then transitioned to become a music columnist for The Daily Telegraph, a role he held until 2002. From 2002 through 2015, he served as an arts columnist and assistant editor at the Evening Standard, producing a weekly column that examined leadership and prominent figures within the classical music industry. Gilbert Kaplan described his reports as essential reading worldwide; notably, Lebrecht anticipated the downfall of major classical recording companies—a subject he explored extensively in his book The Life and Death of Classical Music.
Lebrecht also penned monthly columns for Standpoint until its cessation in 2021, after which he shifted his essays to The Critic.
Books
During the 1980s, Lebrecht authored several books related to music: Discord: Conflict and the Making of Music (1982), The Book of Musical Anecdotes (1985), Mahler Remembered (1987), and A Musical Book of Days (1987). After departing from The Sunday Times, he published The Maestro Myth: Great Conductors in Pursuit of Power (1991), which traced the development of conducting alongside its associations with authority and fame. In 1992, he released both Music in London and The Companion to 20th-Century Music.
His 1996 work, When the Music Stops: Managers, Maestros and the Corporate Murder of Classical Music, revealed behind-the-scenes dynamics within the industry while forecasting the collapse of record labels. He also wrote Covent Garden: The Untold Story: Dispatches from the English Culture War, 1945–2000 (2000), chronicling the history of the Royal Opera House.
Lebrecht’s debut novel, The Song of Names (2002), is set against wartime London and explores themes related to the Holocaust’s aftermath. This novel won the Whitbread Award for First Novel. A film adaptation directed by François Girard was released in 2019 featuring Tim Roth and Clive Owen.
His second book focusing on Mahler, titled Why Mahler?: How One Man and Ten Symphonies Changed Our World, was published in 2010. In recognition of his efforts promoting global music culture, Lebrecht received the Cremona Music Award for Communication in 2014.
Another novel by him, The Game of Opposites: A Novel, appeared in the United States market in 2009.
In October 2019, Lebrecht published a social history named Genius and Anxiety: How Jews Changed the World, 1847–1947, which critics lauded for its comprehensive scope and insightful examination of Jewish contributions to modern history. Reviewers particularly noted its detailed analysis of influential figures including Einstein, Freud, Marx, Proust, Schoenberg, Rosalind Franklin, Leo Szilard, and Albert Ballin.
His latest book from 2023, titled Why Beethoven: A Phenomenon in 100 Pieces, received acclaim as an expert guide to Beethoven recordings. Commentators praised Lebrecht’s vivid critiques that combine sharp humor with captivating commentary.
Defamation case
The 2007 publication Maestros, Masterpieces and Madness: The Secret Life and Shameful Death of the Classical Record Industry (known in the US as The Life and Death of Classical Music) offered an insider’s perspective on the classical recording industry’s ascent and decline, alongside critiques of 100 albums and analyses of 20 recording failures. Nevertheless, the book was withdrawn after the publisher identified multiple defamatory statements. That same year, Klaus Heymann, founder of Naxos Records, initiated a defamation lawsuit against Lebrecht’s publisher, Penguin Books, in London’s High Court. Heymann claimed that Lebrecht had wrongfully accused him of "serious business malpractices" and pointed out at least 15 inaccuracies. The dispute was resolved privately, with Penguin conceding the unfounded nature of the allegations, issuing an apology to Heymann, covering legal expenses, making a charitable donation, agreeing not to repeat the claims, and withdrawing unsold copies from circulation. Heymann criticized Lebrecht for factual errors and a poor grasp of the record industry. The settlement did not extend to the US edition.
Broadcasting
Beginning in 2000, Lebrecht hosted lebrecht.live, a cultural discussion program on BBC Radio 3 centered on classical music and opera. Between 2006 and 2016, he presented The Lebrecht Interview on the same channel, featuring dialogues with prominent figures from the classical music world.
Slipped Disc
In March 2007, Lebrecht introduced Slipped Disc, a blog dedicated to classical music that initially was part of ArtsJournal.com. Today, it draws over one million visitors monthly. By 2014, it transitioned into an independent commercial platform funded through advertising and sponsorships, with a primary focus on gossip within the classical music industry.
Lebrecht has explained his emphasis on gossip by describing it as "the human comedy" that reveals what captivates audiences beyond the music itself, highlighting the inner workings behind the scenes.
Critical reception
Lebrecht’s provocative style has elicited mixed responses. Gilbert Kaplan described him as "the most controversial and arguably the most influential journalist covering classical music." Robert Craft commended The Maestro Myth as a widely read exposé revealing orchestral conducting practices. Gunther Schuller praised it as a "knowledgeable and courageous" examination of corruption in conducting, recommending it to those invested in musical integrity.
On the other hand, critics such as Michael White dismissed the work as mere gossip, while Richard Taruskin labeled Lebrecht "a sloppy but entertaining British muckraker." Several journalists have pointed out factual inaccuracies throughout his writings. John von Rhein acknowledged Lebrecht’s engaging prose but faulted him for blurring lines between rumor and fact. Roger Dettmer characterized The Maestro Myth as containing recycled stories alongside numerous mistakes. Martin Bernheimer observed that although some errors might be excusable, they raise concerns about more significant inaccuracies.
In 2015, pianist Grigory Sokolov declined the Cremona Music Award because Lebrecht had been a previous honoree, citing issues of propriety.
Music critic David Hurwitz authored a satirical piece titled "Journalist Norman Lebrecht Dead at 61," which underscored doubts about Lebrecht’s journalistic credibility by comparing his articles to fictional narratives.
Selected bibliography
- Lebrecht, Norman (1982). Discord: Conflict and The Making of Music. A. Deutsch, London.
- Lebrecht, Norman (1985). The Book of Musical Anecdotes. Free Press, New York. Also issued under the title Hush! Handel's in a Passion: tales of Bach, Handel, and their contemporaries.
- Lebrecht, Norman (1987). Mahler Remembered. Faber and Faber, London.
- Lebrecht, Norman (1987). A Musical Book of Days. HarperCollins, London.
- Lebrecht, Norman (1991). The Maestro Myth: Great Conductors in Pursuit of Power. Simon & Schuster, London.
- Lebrecht, Norman (1992). Music in London: A History and Handbook. Aurum Press, London.
- Lebrecht, Norman (1992). The Companion to 20th-Century Music. Simon & Schuster, London.
- Lebrecht, Norman (1996). When The Music Stops: Managers, Maestros and the Corporate Murder of Classical Music. Simon & Schuster, London. Also published as Who Killed Classical Music?: Maestros, Managers, and Corporate Politics.
- Lebrecht, Norman (2000). Covent Garden: The Untold Story: Dispatches from the English Culture War, 1945–2000. Simon & Schuster, London.
- Lebrecht, Norman (2002). The Song of Names: A Novel. Headline Review, London.
- Lebrecht, Norman (2007). Maestros, Masterpieces and Madness: The Secret Life and Shameful Death of the Classical Record Industry. Allen Lane, London. Also released as The Life and Death of Classical Music: Featuring The 100 Best and 20 Worst Recordings Ever Made.
- Lebrecht, Norman (2009). The Game of Opposites: A Novel. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, New York.
- Lebrecht, Norman (2010). Why Mahler?: How One Man and Ten Symphonies Changed Our World. Faber and Faber, London.
- Lebrecht, Norman (2019). Genius and Anxiety: How Jews Changed the World, 1847–1947. Oneworld Publications, London.
Further reading
- The Economist (8 July 2010). "Gustav Mahler: The agony and the ecstasy". Accessed 8 October 2014.
- Botstein, Leon (9 October 2010). "Bookshelf: A Fierce Enthusiasm". The Wall Street Journal. Accessed 8 October 2014.
External links
- Slipped Disc, blog authored by Lebrecht
- BBC Radio 3 – Interview series with Lebrecht
- 1948 births
- Living people
- 21st-century English novelists
- Bar-Ilan University alumni
- BBC Radio 3 presenters
- British classical music critics
- Costa Book Award winners
- English male journalists
- English music critics
- English radio personalities
- Writers from London
- English male novelists
- The Daily Telegraph people
- London Evening Standard people
- The Sunday Times people
- 20th-century English non-fiction writers
- Gossip columnists
- Jewish English writers
- 20th-century British Jews
- 21st-century British Jews
- Jewish journalists
- Jewish novelists