Andrew Clements, Guardian’s classical music critic, dies aged 75

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Martin Kettle and Imogen TildenJanuary 12, 2026 at 01:01 AM

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Andrew Clements, the Guardian's classical music critic for 32 years, died on Sunday at age 75 after an illness. He joined the Guardian in 1993, succeeding Edward Greenfield, after a recommendation from Alfred Brendel. Clements was known for his deep knowledge of classical music, especially contemporary works, and his championing of composers like Harrison Birtwistle. Before the Guardian, he wrote for the New Statesman, Musical Times, and Financial Times, and worked for Faber music publishers and the Open University. Despite health issues preventing live reviews since March 2023, he continued writing CD reviews until recently. Beyond music, Clements had a passion for birds, butterflies, and orchids.

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Faber 30% Radu Lupu 30% New Statesman 40% Musical Times 40% Financial Times 40% Cambridge University 40% Edward Greenfield 50% Pierre Boulez 50% Alfred Brendel 60% The Guardian ×380% Andrew Clements ×7100%

Keywords

classical music critic 100% andrew clements 90% music criticism 70% contemporary music 60% guardian 60% musical knowledge 50% radu lupu 40% pierre boulez 40%

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Positive

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The Guardian - World News

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Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

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90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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classical music critic andrew clements music criticism contemporary music guardian musical knowledge radu lupu pierre boulez

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