- Haskell, Harry, ed. The Attentive Listener: Three Centuries of Music Criti-
cism.Princeton, N.J.: Princeton U.P., 1996. xvii, 398p. ISBN 0-691-02641-6.
ML55 .A88.
An anthology of critical writings from about 1700 to the present, taken from
daily newspapers and periodicals. Among the critics represented are Addison,
Ayrton, Chorley, Davison, Fétis, Castil-Blaze, Bellaigue, Hanslick, Korngold,
Henderson, and Downes. Everything is translated into English. Bibliography,
index. - Arundell, Dennis. The Critic at the Opera.London: Ernest Bonn, 1957. 424p.
ML1731 .A74.
A collection of comments by critics from the 16th to the 20th century, with
observations and notes. Bibliography of about 120 entries, in chronological
order. Expansive index of names, titles, and topics; lists of theaters, works,
singers, composers, and conductors.
Individual Critics
- Aldrich, Richard. Musical Discourse from the “New York Times.”New York:
Oxford U.P., 1928. 305p. ML60 .A5.
The author was music editor of the Timesfrom 1902 to 1923. He offers
sophisticated comments on musical events, including opera; with interesting
pieces on Jenny Lind and Adelina Patti. - Hanslick, Eduard. Music Criticisms, 1846–99. Trans. and ed. Henry Pleasants.
Baltimore: Penguin, 1950. 313p. ML60 .H2492.
One of the most famous writers of musical criticism, Hanslick wrote for the
Vienna Presseand Neue freie Presse. His novel concept that the value of music
comes from its pure, nonreferential character (independent of program or dra-
matic text) is significant in the history of aesthetics. His views were applied
harshly, however, and Wagner (a “referentialist”) was among those to bear his
scorn. Wagner turned him into Beckmesser. Most of the essays in this collec-
tion are about Wagner, but there are also opinions of Patti, Lilli Lehmann,
Otello,and Hansel und Gretel. - Henderson, William James. The Art of Singing. New York: Dial, 1937. xvii,
509p. Reprint, Freeport, N.Y.: Books for Libraries, 1968. MT820 .H496 A8.
Includes The Art of the Singer(1906) and articles from the New York Sun.
Henderson (1855–1937) was critic for the Sunand for the New York Times;
his reviews of opera are of special value. Index of names and titles. - Hogarth, George. Memoirs of the Opera in Italy, France, Germany and En-
gland.2nd ed. London: Richard Bentley, 1851. 2v. Reprint, New York: Da
Capo, 1972. ISBN 0-306-70256-8. ML1700 .H72.
First edition, 1838: Memoirs of the Musical Drama.Hogarth (1783–1870)
was critic for the London Morning Chronicle and Daily News. This collection
includes important commentaries on Gluck and Piccinni, Mozart, The Beg-
gar’s Opera,and Jommelli, plus critiques on all the leading singers of the day.
Engraved portraits, no index.
96 Opera