In the week that we mourn the death of the Guardian’s long-serving classical music critic, composers, performers, colleagues and others who knew and worked with him pay tribute to a writer whose passing is a huge loss to the music world
I
owe Andrew Clements big time. He wrote so positively about my music early in my career and the last article he wrote was singling out my opera Festen for special praise. He did seem to go off me a bit in mid career but he was such a serious and thoughtful critic that I often agreed with him. I got to know him very well in the late 90s as he was the partner of the librettist and translator Amanda Holden. He had such a broad knowledge of music and a great enthusiasm for new music which he wrote and spoke about with such warmth and humour. We spent many evenings in Highbury talking about Stravinsky, politics and Arsenal football club – he cared about the most important things in life. Mark-Anthony Turnage, composer
A
ndrew was perhaps the most remarkable critical voice of our age, and his writing embodied knowledge, curiosity and integrity. His tastes were open and adventurous, with a rare awareness of – and enthusiasm for – the newest musical developments from way beyond our shores. This isn’t the easiest time for contemporary music in the UK; Clements’ passing is a huge loss and he will be deeply missed.
