Joan Olive Chissell

Joan Olive Chissell (born May 22, 1919 in Cromer , † January 31, 2007 in London ) was an English writer and music critic. She was a proven Robert Schumann specialist. She was a longtime music critic for the Times and as such discussed virtuosos and debutants of musical life for over thirty years with great clarity and balance. She combined openness with courtesy, respect and generosity in a way that earned her long-term respect and friendships from the musicians discussed.

life and work

Chissel was born in Cromer . She attended the Manor School in Sheringham when her talent for the piano earned her a scholarship to the Royal College of Music (RCM) in 1937 . From 1936 to 1942 she studied piano with Kendall Taylor , composition with Herbert Howell and history and music criticism with Frank Howes . After she had to break away from her originally envisaged career as a professional pianist due to an injury, she became a lecturer and music critic at the RCM in 1943. At the same time she gave courses for part-time students at the Universities of London and Oxford. She lived in London in St. John's Wood, near the EMI recording studios on Abbey Road. During visits there or after crossing the River Thames to Newbridge, she often met acquaintances from the music world such as Sviatoslav Richter or Rudolf Serkin for a small lunch or a bottle of wine. Both sides could relax from their work stress here.

In the meantime her interest in musical aesthetics, her clarity and her knowledge of music literature had not gone unnoticed. Frank Howes himself, the Times' leading music critic since 1943, brought Chisell to the newspaper in 1948 as his assistant. Chisell held this position until 1979. During this period, the Times featured high-quality concert reviews from Wigmore Hall , which opened up a great platform for their careers, especially for beginners and young music aspirants. The lecture discussions of these young artists, whether more critical or even balanced, were characterized by great prudence and consideration. They always served the advancement of the artists discussed.

Above all, the books about Robert Schumann (1948, 1967), Chopin (1965), Brahms (1977) and Clara Schumann (1983) show Chisell as a great music expert, especially as a Schumann expert. Joan Chisell received the Robert Schumann Prize of the city of Zwickau in 1991 . As a “pianist who was unable to work” due to an injury, Chisell also worked as a broadcaster for classical music broadcasts for the BBC. She also contributed to music magazines such as The Gramophone . She also participated as a juror at international piano competitions.

literature

• Oxford Music Online: Joan Olive Chissel (Preview). Retrieved May 20, 2018 . 
• The Times: Joan Olive Chisell (obituary). February 5, 2007, accessed May 20, 2018 .