He was, above all, a treasured spirit, who understood how vital music is for the human soul': tributes to Andrew Clements

"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 Andrew was perhaps the most remarkable critical voice of our age, and his writing embodied knowledge, curiosity and integrity."

"I'd like to add a more personal note except that, beyond bumping into Andrew periodically at concerts over the last 45 years, I barely knew him. The strict professional distance he maintained throughout his career impressed me all the more. But I might add that he wrote the very first newspaper review my work received anywhere, something for which I'll always remain grateful."

Andrew Clements supported and critiqued composers across a long career, giving early positive reviews and singling out works such as the opera Festen for special praise. He maintained a serious, thoughtful, and professionally distant stance while fostering warm personal relationships, including with the librettist Amanda Holden. He possessed broad musical knowledge and enthusiastic advocacy for new music worldwide, often discussing Stravinsky, politics and Arsenal in informal gatherings. His writing embodied knowledge, curiosity and integrity, with open, adventurous tastes and rare awareness of international musical developments. His passing is a significant loss for contemporary music in the UK, and composers express lasting gratitude.

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