Alec Robertson, MBE (3 June 1892, Southsea – 18 January 1982, Midhurst) was a British writer, broadcaster and

music critic '' The Oxford Companion to Music'' defines music criticism as "the intellectual activity of formulating judgments on the value and degree of excellence of individual works of music, or whole groups or genres". In this sense, it is a branch of m ...

. He wrote music criticism for ''

Gramophone A phonograph, later called a gramophone, and since the 1940s a record player, or more recently a turntable, is a device for the mechanical and analogue reproduction of sound. The sound vibration waveforms are recorded as corresponding physic ...

'' for more than 50 years, beginning with the magazine's very first issue in 1923. He later served as that magazine's music editor from 1952 to 1972.Julian Herbage. "Robertson, Alec lexander(Thomas Parke)", ''Grove Music Online'' ed. L. Macy (Accessed October 13, 2015)
(subscription access)
Ho joined the Gramophone Department of the BBC in 1940, and worked as producer of music talks on the Home and Third programmes, retiring from the BBC in 1952. In 1950, Robertson succeeded Ralph Hill as editor of ''Music'', the annual

Pelican Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before ...

book series, having previously written a record review column for its predecessor, '' Penguin Music Magazine''. He also wrote for ''

The Catholic Herald The ''Catholic Herald'' is a London-based Roman Catholic monthly magazine, founded in 1888 and a sister organisation to the non-profit Catholic Herald Institute, based in New York. After 126 years as a weekly newspaper, it became a magazine ...

'', and ''

The Tablet ''The Tablet'' is a Catholic Church, Catholic international weekly review published in London. Brendan Walsh, previously literary editor and then acting editor, was appointed editor in July 2017. History ''The Tablet'' was launched in 1840 by ...

''. He appeared as a castaway on the

BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927. The service provides national radio stations cove ...

programme ''

Desert Island Discs ''Desert Island Discs'' is a radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It was first broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme on 29 January 1942. Each week a guest, called a " castaway" during the programme, is asked to choose eight audio recordin ...

'' on 3 June 1957, and again on 3 June 1972.Alec Robertson – 3 June 1972
/ref> Robertson was educated at

Bradfield College Bradfield College is a coeducational public school (independent boarding and day school) for pupils aged 13–18, in the village of Bradfield, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It is noted for its open-air Greek theatre and its trien ...

and the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...

. He was named a fellow of the latter institution in 1946. In 1972, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire.

Bibliography

* Robertson, Alec (1957). ''Chamber Music''. * * * * *

References

1892 births 1982 deaths Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music British writers about music BBC radio producers Fellows of the Royal Academy of Music Members of the Order of the British Empire People educated at Bradfield College British classical music critics {{UK-writer-stub