I miss you. A lament for a lost critic

I remember cringing when I heard a music critic declare that it was their duty to advance the arts in their community, that they’re role was to serve as a principal determiner for which repertoire should be heard, and to also ensure that certain standards for performance and concert decorum were upheld.

Perhaps it was this critic’s snarky and arrogant tone that made their message so cringe worthy.

Today, I miss that critic, and music journalism in general, now that music criticism has mostly disappeared from the daily newspaper.

I’ve come to learn and remember that the critic can be a powerful force for good in setting the tone for music’s presence and excellence – particularly when an important and exceptional performance takes place.

I missed that critic in March and April after performances by

• Invoke. Their rich, imaginative program presented new and recently composed music where each work told a story.

• Conrad Tao’s performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, where the pianist improvised the cadenzas brilliantly.

• Flutist Brandon Patrick George and the Escher String Quartet. The quartet played the well-known Ravel Quartet, and teamed up with flutist Brandon Patrick George for engaging works by Mozart, Amy Beach, and Alberto Ginastera that have been hiding in plain sight.

Here, the critic could have brought our attention to the standards of expression and excellence that were on display.

I also miss that critic on evenings when concerts don’t fare as well – like a recent performance where various sections of the orchestra had slightly difference of opinions of where the beat was supposed to land. In an informative and respectful manner, the critic could have explained to those who attended the concert why certain sections lacked the overall impact the composer intended.

And today, especially today, the critic is in a position to call out the current administration for its new (ab)normal shake down of the arts and cultural landscape. This would be the time where the critic could advance the arts in their community, and make the case for the absolute necessity for (our) arts and culture to move forward in the world in which we currently live.

What’s that saying — “Choose your battles wisely”? This is a fight I’d pay to see…and even join in.

n. b. I have asked several music journalists to comment on this topic, and will post their remarks unedited when they are received.