Newman, Ernest

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Newman, Ernest [ Roberts, William] (b Everton, Lancs., 1868; d Tadworth, 1959). Eng. music critic and author. Began career as bank employee 1889–1904, writing on economics and mus. Wrote first book, Gluck and the Opera, in 1895 and A Study of Wagner in 1899. On staff Birmingham Midland Institute of Mus. 1903–5. Mus. critic Manchester Guardian 1905–6, Birmingham Post 1906–19, Observer 1919–20, Sunday Times 1920–58. Authority on Wagner, of whom he wrote 4-vol. biography (1928–47) in addition to Wagner as Man and Artist (1914, rev. 1924), Fact and Fiction about Wagner (1931), and Wagner Nights (1949). Also wrote studies of Elgar (1906), Wolf (1907), and Strauss (1908), The Unconscious Beethoven (1927), The Man Liszt (1934), Opera Nights (1943), More Opera Nights (1954), and other books. Trans. most of Wagner's libs., incl. perf. versions of Tannhäuser and Die Meistersinger.

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