My blog has received a massive influx of hits in the past several days due to my post responding to Norman Lebrecht's lambasting of the Vienna Philharmonic. During the online debate that has transpired, many comments on the Slipped Disc have been removed. Despite his claim that he looks at both sides of the story, Mr. Lebrecht has a hard time handling criticism of his own criticism.
It's a travesty that has been hard for me to watch. A man with prominence in the musical world makes a radical claim against an orchestra, music lovers point out flaws in his logic, and he swiftly removes their comment. Why? It seems Mr. Lebrecht is more concerned about his own fading reputation than tangible things like logic and truth.
So I'm pledging here to allow all to come and comment on my posts, even if in disagreement. I will monitor comments for profanity and indecency. I'm asking in return that all comments be civil and relevant.
I seek to write honestly and to the best of my ability, but I'm not infallible. That's why I welcome interchange. Music criticism is a fragile art, since it can't be restricted to absolute parameters. If your reaction to a recording, composition, or musician doesn't match mine, it benefits my readership to see another perspective.
Good old Norman Lebrecht, the William Randolph Hearst of classical music.
ReplyDeleteIn case anyone out there doesn't know about Bob Shingleton, one of classical music's earliest bloggers, he's posted some very satisfying takedowns of NL over the years.
http://www.overgrownpath.com/2014/12/you-are-looking-at-future-of-classical.html
Thank you for taking on the bully-boy of classical music, Andrew.
ReplyDeleteNorman Lebrecht is a viciously unpleasant individual, who gains enjoyment from humiliating and defaming others. I believe he is also paid for posting neocon rabble-rousing twaddle defaming Valery Gergiev, Anna Netrebko, and other Russian performers.
The very few professional musicians who once frequented Slipped Disc have fled in horror at what they find there. The mainstays of the site now are a small group of Norm's cronies - plus a number of made-up sock-puppet identities who cheer for Lebrecht's position on any topic.
Repellent trolling by members there such as "Milka" (who contributes nothing about music at all, and just uses the site to post Russia-hating garbage) has reduced Lebrecht's site to a laughable travesty. Yet Lebrecht only encourages such trolls.
But don't imagine there is anything "lazy" about Slipped Disc. Norm is never averse to planting a fake piece of hatemongering as a 'story' - on the right terms, of course.