| Level | Item |
| Ref No | OHP/27 |
| Title | Edward Greenfield |
| Date | 14 April 2001 |
| Extent | 2 minidiscs, 2 cds, 1 file, 3 AIFF files (2.12 GB) |
| Creator Name | Greenfield; Edward Harry; Guardian music critic |
| Description | Interview with Edward Greenfield, music critic for the Guardian. Conducted by Stephen Moss on 14 April 2001. Also includes a data sheet containing biographical details about the subject and information about the recording.
Summary contents of interview (with rough timings):
Disc 1:
Track 1
00.30 Joining the Guardian
02.20 Had previously dismissed the paper because of the adverts on the front page.
03.00 On the day of his interview wandered around Manchester waiting for AP Wadsworth to arrive
05.00 First job was clearing out the obituary files
08.50 Anecdote about Canvey Island floods, Essex
19.00 On officer material and other classes
21.50 Discusses George Wainwright and CP Scott
23.00 Typical working day, starting at 3.30
23.30 Misprints and the first London edition
25.40 Remembers Michael Frayn doing Miscellany and Brian Redhead. The sense of the paper developing quite radically
26.20 The impact of AP Wadsworth's death
26.20 Anecdotes about Wadworth
28.30 Covering the early days of the Suez crisis
32.00 Describes Wadsworth's letters and hearsay of editorial conferences
34.00 Division between musical critics
36.00 Incident involving Wadsworth being conscripted - CP Scott phoning Lloyd George
37.30 Alistair Cooke and Neville Cardus meeting
Disc 2:
Track 1
00.00 Discusses Philip Hope-Wallace
01.18 Fleet Street culture
02.05 Remembers Jan Morris
03.30 Fond memories of Hope-Wallace
03.50 Had never been abroad before attending university
04.50 Remembers Cooke being first United Nations Guardian correspondent then American correspondent
07.00 Friendships forming from professional relations
07.40 Became records critic
09.35 Succeeded Colin Mason as music critic in 1964
10.00 *
10.34 Mason's death
11.00 His priorities as a music critic
11.40 Remembers Francis Boyd and his scoop that Harold Wilson would follow Alec Douglas-Home as prime minister
12.30 Remembers working with Cardus, chief music critic at the Manchester Guardian
17.30 Death of Cardus
18.50 Issue of pay for music critics. Encouraged to work outside of the Guardian
21.10 Memories of being a music critic
22.00 The 1960s as a period of change at the newspaper
23.40 How the Guardian's classic music coverage compared with other newspapers
24.40 Attempts at balanced music coverage
26.25 Remembers the Guardian coverage of the resignation of Andre Previn, music conductor, from the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO)
31.00 Discussion of Tom Sutcliffe and opera criticism at the Guardian
32.50 The editor's preference for film as an art form
34.00 Struggle to get opera included in the newspaper after 1964
35.30 Justification for an opera concert review
36.45 Time spent in concert halls
37.00 Process of writing copy
38.20 Mistakes in printing. 'Loveliest' misprinted as 'liveliest'
39.40 Remembering arts editors including Tim Radford
40.00 Closeness to Previn and Jacqueline du Pre
40.50 Remembers Stephen Bishop-Kovacevich
41.00 Did not allow himself to get too close to artists
43.30 How music criticism changed during his career. Less coverage of concerts
44.40 Criticises length of music reviews in modern day G2
46.00 Numbers of music critics working
47.30 Remembers 1960s features editor Chris Driver
50.00 Leaving the Guardian
52.40 Dumbing down of classical music criticism in mid to late 1990s
55.20 New wave of more record orientated critics
56.15 Retired in 1963 aged 65. Continued to write monthly record review
56.45 Strength of classical music criticism at the newspaper today
57.25 Celebrating fifty years at the newspaper
57.45 The Guardian unrecognisable from the newspaper he joined in 1953. Needed to change
58.00 Had not been a Guardian reader previously
58.20 Spends an hour each day reading the Guardian
58.40 Belief that Wadsworth would approve of the newspaper today, continuation of original ethos
59.20 Remembers Wadsworth
60.00 Remembers working with Peter Preston. Discussion of his personality
61.00 Comments on his writing
62.30 Remembers Welsh soprano Margaret Price
63.15 The rise of recording music
65.00 The future of classical music in the newspaper |
| Access Status | Open(part) |
| Access Conditions | Restricted - edited copy available via GNM Digital Repository |
| Format | Electronic record |
| CD recording |
| Printed document |
| Minidisc recording |
| Copyright | Guardian News & Media Ltd and Edward Greenfield |
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