Edwin Olin Downes, better known as Olin Downes (January 27, 1886 – August 22, 1955), was an American music critic, known as "Sibelius's Apostle" for his championship of the music of Jean Sibelius. As critic of The New York Times, he exercised considerable influence on musical opinion, although many of his judgments have not stood the test of time.
[reviewing 'George Gershwin's Songbook'] Gershwin's way of playing the piano was maddeningly his own. He could never write down his accompaniments as he played them, although the edition of selected songs which appeared some six years ago had affixed to them a series of laughably appropriate embroideries on the melody for the keyed instruments.
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Fact
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Both his first wife and widow survived him, along with three children from his first marriage: Edward O.D. Downes [teaches music history at U. of Minnesota]; Mrs. George Rockwell Smith of Concord, N.H.; Mrs. Richard Williams III of New York; and four grandchildren. Also surviving, two sisters: Mrs. Charles Cutler of Newtonville, Mass. and and Mrs. Theodore Behre of New Orleans.
2
Took strong exception to the "Pastoral Symphony" segment in Walt Disney's "Fantasia". He was deeply offended that the Disney artists had chosen to illustrate Beethoven's music by showing centaurs and centaurettes flirting and Bacchus the wine god cavorting drunkenly.
3
Was a great champion of the legendary Italian conductor, Arturo Toscanini.
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Renowned music critic during the first half of the twentieth century. He was music critic for the New York Times from 1924 until his death in 1955.