Charles Acton (critic)
Encyclopedia
Charles Acton was the music critic
at The Irish Times
for thirty one years until his retirement in 1987. He was one of only two critics based outside Great Britain
to be a member of The Critics' Circle
.
, in what is now South Gloucestershire
in England
. His family were from Anglo-Irish
Protestant
stock, having been landowners in County Wicklow
since the reign of King Charles I
. His branch of the family included among its more notable members, the historian, Lord Acton
. Charles Acton's father, Major Reginald Thomas Annesley Ball-Acton, was killed at Ypres
in Belgium
during World War I
when Charles was only two. His mother, Isabel (née Richmond), remarried and lived until 1971. Acton was educated at Rugby School
and later studied natural sciences at Trinity College, Cambridge
, although he left in 1936 without taking his degree.
In 1939 Acton came to Ireland, having inherited the family estate at Kilmacurragh, County Wicklow
. Having tried unsuccessfully to run it as a country house hotel, he eventually sold the property and it is now part of the National Botanic Gardens. Meanwhile Acton undertook a series of diverse jobs for which he was ill-suited, including that of travelling salesman for Encyclopædia Britannica
. Eventually, in 1955, he found his niche when he was appointed music critic at The Irish Times.
, bassoon
and clarinet
. He listened to concerts on BBC Radio
and, in his early twenties, he visited Munich
where he saw Richard Strauss
and Hans Knappertsbusch
conduct.
Over the course of his career as Irish Times music critic, Acton reviewed over 6,000 concerts. He could be quite scathing in his observations and some musicians were so upset by his criticism that they refused to perform if he were present. Yet he was also in love with music and could be greatly moved by a particularly sensitive performance. Columnist Kevin Myers
described him at the end of a concert "mop[ping] the tears from his large round cheeks with an even larger white handkerchief".
Throughout his time as music critic, Acton campaigned for better resources for classical music in Ireland. He was a leading light in the Music Association of Ireland
during its early years. As a result of his lobbying of Radio Éireann
, Cork
became the home of the first resident string quartet
of any broadcasting station in the world. For over twenty years he argued for investment in a national concert hall, highlighting Ireland's unique status as the only European nation without such a facility. In September 1981, his efforts met with success when the inaugural concert at Dublin's new National Concert Hall
took place. Acton was present to mark the historic event and to review the performances.
Although he retired officially as music critic at The Irish Times in 1987, Acton continued as an occasional concert reviewer for a further two years alongside his successor, Michael Dervan.
and was, apart from Clive Barnes
, the only member based outside Britain.
Acton was awarded the first Sean O'Boyle Award in 1980 for his services to Irish traditional music.
In 1990, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Irish Academy of Music
and, eight years later, was elected vice-president.
. They lived together in Carrickmines
, County Dublin, until his death at the age of eighty four. He is buried in the family graveyard in Dunganstown, Co. Wicklow.
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
at The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
for thirty one years until his retirement in 1987. He was one of only two critics based outside Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
to be a member of The Critics' Circle
The Critics' Circle
The Critics' Circle is a professional association of British critics of dance, drama, film, music, visual arts and architecture. It was established in 1913 as an offshoot of the Society of Dramatic Critics, which had been formed six years earlier but had become inactive.For many years the Circle...
.
Early life
He was born Charles Ball-Acton in the village of Iron ActonIron Acton
Iron Acton is a village and civil parish in South Gloucestershire, England. The village is about west of Yate and about northeast of the centre of Bristol. The B4058 road used to pass through the village but now by-passes it just to the north....
, in what is now South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary district in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, in South West England.-History:The district was created in 1996, when the county of Avon was abolished, by the merger of former area of the districts of Kingswood and Northavon...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. His family were from Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
Protestant
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
stock, having been landowners in County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
since the reign of King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. His branch of the family included among its more notable members, the historian, Lord Acton
John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton
John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton, KCVO, DL , known as Sir John Dalberg-Acton, 8th Bt from 1837 to 1869 and usually referred to simply as Lord Acton, was an English Catholic historian, politician, and writer...
. Charles Acton's father, Major Reginald Thomas Annesley Ball-Acton, was killed at Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when Charles was only two. His mother, Isabel (née Richmond), remarried and lived until 1971. Acton was educated at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
and later studied natural sciences at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, although he left in 1936 without taking his degree.
In 1939 Acton came to Ireland, having inherited the family estate at Kilmacurragh, County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
. Having tried unsuccessfully to run it as a country house hotel, he eventually sold the property and it is now part of the National Botanic Gardens. Meanwhile Acton undertook a series of diverse jobs for which he was ill-suited, including that of travelling salesman for Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
. Eventually, in 1955, he found his niche when he was appointed music critic at The Irish Times.
Career
Although never formally trained in music, Acton had a keen interest in the subject from an early age. As a child he played pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
and clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
. He listened to concerts on BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
and, in his early twenties, he visited Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
where he saw Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
and Hans Knappertsbusch
Hans Knappertsbusch
Hans Knappertsbusch was a German conductor, best known for his performances of the music of Richard Wagner, Anton Bruckner and Richard Strauss....
conduct.
Over the course of his career as Irish Times music critic, Acton reviewed over 6,000 concerts. He could be quite scathing in his observations and some musicians were so upset by his criticism that they refused to perform if he were present. Yet he was also in love with music and could be greatly moved by a particularly sensitive performance. Columnist Kevin Myers
Kevin Myers
Kevin Myers is an Irish journalist and writer. He writes for the Irish Independent and is a former contributor to The Irish Times, where he wrote the "An Irishman's Diary" opinion column several times weekly...
described him at the end of a concert "mop[ping] the tears from his large round cheeks with an even larger white handkerchief".
Throughout his time as music critic, Acton campaigned for better resources for classical music in Ireland. He was a leading light in the Music Association of Ireland
Music Association of Ireland
The Music Association of Ireland was set up in 1948 to improve the position of classical music within the cultural life of Ireland. It was instrumental in setting up the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland and played a leading role in the long-running campaign to establish Ireland's National...
during its early years. As a result of his lobbying of Radio Éireann
RTÉ Radio
RTÉ Radio is a department of Irish national broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Radio broadcasts four analogue channels and five digital channels....
, Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
became the home of the first resident string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
of any broadcasting station in the world. For over twenty years he argued for investment in a national concert hall, highlighting Ireland's unique status as the only European nation without such a facility. In September 1981, his efforts met with success when the inaugural concert at Dublin's new National Concert Hall
National Concert Hall
The National Concert Hall is a concert hall located on Earlsfort Terrace in Dublin, Ireland, close to St. Stephen's Green, and is the principal national venue for classical music concerts in Ireland....
took place. Acton was present to mark the historic event and to review the performances.
Although he retired officially as music critic at The Irish Times in 1987, Acton continued as an occasional concert reviewer for a further two years alongside his successor, Michael Dervan.
Honours
In 1970, Acton was invited to join The Critics' CircleThe Critics' Circle
The Critics' Circle is a professional association of British critics of dance, drama, film, music, visual arts and architecture. It was established in 1913 as an offshoot of the Society of Dramatic Critics, which had been formed six years earlier but had become inactive.For many years the Circle...
and was, apart from Clive Barnes
Clive Barnes (critic)
Clive Alexander Barnes, CBE was a British-born American writer and critic. From 1965 to 1977 he was the dance and theater critic for the New York Times, the most powerful position he had held, since its theater critics' reviews historically have had great influence on the success or failure of...
, the only member based outside Britain.
Acton was awarded the first Sean O'Boyle Award in 1980 for his services to Irish traditional music.
In 1990, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Irish Academy of Music
Royal Irish Academy of Music
The Royal Irish Academy of Music is a linked college of Dublin City University located in Dublin, Ireland.It was founded in 1848 by a group of music enthusiasts and moved to its present address in Westland Row in 1871. The following year it was granted the right to use the title "Royal"...
and, eight years later, was elected vice-president.
Personal life
In 1951, Acton married Carol Little, a violinist who subsequently became leader of the Radio Éireann Symphony OrchestraRTÉ National Symphony Orchestra
The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra is the concert music orchestra of Raidió Teilifís Éireann...
. They lived together in Carrickmines
Carrickmines
Carrickmines is suburb of Dublin in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Ireland. Traditionally a location for large expensive houses, being situated just south of Foxrock. The area is now divided north/south by the M50 motorway and its associated Junction 15...
, County Dublin, until his death at the age of eighty four. He is buried in the family graveyard in Dunganstown, Co. Wicklow.
Further resources
- Richard Pine, Charles: The Life and World of Charles Acton (Lilliput Press, June 2010), ISBN 978-1-84351-165-6
- Guardian obituary of Charles Acton, 29 April 1999
- Acton family history by Turtle Bunbury