Letter: Bigoted musicians

Julian Lloyd Webber
Friday 06 February 1998 00:02 GMT
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Bigoted musicians

It was predictable a few die-hard atonalists would come out of the woodwork and misconstrue my speech to the World Economic Forum as an attack on them (letters, 4 and 5 February). Yet I specifically said that "I do not necessarily criticise that style". What I did criticise was the arrogant attitude, exemplified by Martin Parker, that it is only acceptable to write contemporary classical music in one style. That bigoted, narrow- minded approach was a primary cause of Western classical music's current malaise.

I fail to understand how Mr Parker can interpret my pleas for greater media coverage of gimmick-free classical music and for more concert reviews in quality newspapers as "anti-culture". And, by the way, what does he mean by "contemporary art music"?

JULIAN LLOYD WEBBER

London SW7

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