Sad news: Robert Layton has died at the age of 90.

Nov 10, 2020 | News | 11 comments

One of Robert Layton’s book titles

He together with Ivan March & Edward Greenfield were co-authors of The Penguin Guide to Recorded Classical Music.

Gramophone’s tribute to Mr Layton here:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/article/the-musicologist-critic-and-gramophone-reviewer-robert-layton-has-died

11 Comments

Robert Matthew-Walker on November 10, 2020 at 4:26 pm

This is indeed sad news – I last saw Robert 18 months ago – as urbane and knowledgeable as ever. He was a composition pupil of Rubbra and wrote a symphony; Robert also gave the second performance of Robert Simpson’s Piano Sonata.
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- Rodney Coleman on December 8, 2020 at 4:52 am
  
  I was extremely sad to learn of the death of Robert Layton
  I met him when he was a young man of 26 and a teacher at my two Schools
  Joseph Priesley and Brooke House School
  He introduced me to classical music and I am grateful for that
  He was an highly gifted teacher and we all looked forward to his classes
  I saw him chance at Paddington Station in 1967 and renewed
  out friendship
  I last saw him some years ago
  I had been intending to visit him in the new year
  If there is a memorial service I would like to attend
  Can I be told about this
  I was a guest at his house at Goldhurst Terrace and greatly enjoyed the visits there to see Bob and his late wife Ingrid
  I am an intellectual infant in the area of classical music and found Bob Layton to be the most modest and interesting expert I have met in this field
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EDWARD CLARK on November 10, 2020 at 4:37 pm

Words fail me to describe my love and admiration for Robert Layton.
I grew up with his unswervingly sensible musical contributions in many guises.
His ground breaking Sibelius bio in the centenary year was invaluable, updated twice. His love for Berwald also bought this unorthodox Swedish composer the prominence he deserves though too few champions followed up alas.
His R3 producer hat gave much pleasure and frankly the station could do with his and Bob Simpson’s novel programmes today.
I got to know Robert personally in our respective Sibelius guises. Over a lunch he kindly hosted 25 years ago he said “You know the Sibelius symphonies get better and better the more I hear them”. Too true I thought.
He was a gracious and personable companion who I rarely met in his later years. He did receive the Society Newsletter and made compliments at our meetings.
He just knew more about the great Finn than anyone else . Himself not quite old enough to have met Sibelius he told me he visited Ainola ten years after his death and could still smell the tobacco strains in the house.
We loose a precious member of the music loving fraternity. RIP.
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- Jack little on December 3, 2020 at 2:49 pm
  
  Dear Edward,
  I was so touched by the warmth of the obituary you posted following my uncle’s death on 9th November. From your comments it would seem that Bob chose the right career. You may not be aware that he was a gifted pianist and gave a piano recital on BBC Radio in 1948. It intrigued me why he did not pursue a career as a concert pianist but felt he did not have the stamina to perform at the level to which he would aspire. He was a perfectionist.
  Bob felt very obligated to Col.Loftus his Headmaster at Barking Abbey School, who he believed was instrumental in gaining him a place at Worcester College. He was aware that people of our class did not go to Oxford but Col. Loftus used his considerable influence to see that Bob’s prodigious talent was recognised.
  Another other abiding memory was waiving Bob goodbye as he sailed from Harwich to Sweden for the first time, after winning his scholarship in 1955. This led to his love of Sweden and of Scandinavian and Nordic music. These early experiences contributed to his eminence as a Musicologist, critic, author and broadcaster.
  Kindest regards
  Jack Little
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  - Evelyn Contractor on January 27, 2021 at 1:21 pm
    
    Dear Jack
    
    I was pupil at Barking Abbey School in the 1940’s and well remember
    Robert Layton and his prowess at the piano
    I was particularly interested to read your remarks about our headmaster Col.Loftus. who always encouraged us to aim high and succeed. As a music lover I followed Robert’s prestigious career with
    the BBC and in print. Regards Evelyn Contractor
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Andrew Keener on November 10, 2020 at 6:58 pm

Another ‘record man’ gone. One less individual personality, humorous and insightful, in our bland, dumb world of celebrity. Bob was so supportive and generous to me in my early days in London as I started a career as a critic and broadcaster before going on to produce recordings. His study, lined with vinyl, silver plastic and books beneath the roof of his north London home was a cave of utter delight to a young record addict (‘ah…a fellow nutter!’ he exclaimed on seeing my agog expression on my first visit). But even before that, as a schoolboy, how I devoured his writings for The Gramophone! The Penguin Guide was a bedside bible. Bob was a critic who loved music, urbane, civilised. And will his critical contribution to Scandinavian music ever be surpassed? I doubt it very much.
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Malcolm Walker on November 11, 2020 at 12:19 pm

One of the most civilised, sane, wide-ranging and knowledgeable of critics. He knew the record catalogue extremely well, had a first-rate pair of ears and was an excellent judge of recorded sound. As a BBC producer he was in the front rank: constructive, helpful and patient. A sad loss.
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Francis John Beck on December 28, 2020 at 11:01 pm

We all owe a lot to Robert Layton for introducing us {mostly via the BBC} to so much of the incredible music of the Finnish giant JEAN SIBELIUS.
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EDWARD CLARK on December 29, 2020 at 11:16 am

So far I patiently await an obit in the Times which I read daily. Have there been any elsewhere in the quality press please? Gramophone and BBC Mag have printed tributes but Robert deserves more.
So
I will be working with Adam Johnson and his Orchestra of the Northern Lights in early 2021 to achieve a concert with a Berwald symphony, probably No. 3. We shall approach the Swedish Embassy for advice and guidance as to funding. I hope the Cultural Councillor will be delighted with our intentions.
The result will be a concert dedicated to the memory of Robert Layton which is the least we can offer this most wonderful
music lover whose gifts of communication served so many of us over so many years.
If by chance anyone has ideas for funding please share them . The more the merrier!!
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EDWARD CLARK on December 30, 2020 at 2:46 pm

Can anyone let me know of what Robert published on Berwald in any language please.
Thanks
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EDWARD CLARK on December 30, 2020 at 11:09 pm

I have bought the Berwald book by Robert Layton for £112.
If we are taking a concert seriously that costs thousands 100 quid or so for the only bio in English written by the only serious British author on Berwald strikes me as a good buy.
Now on to planning the concert.
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