Opinion

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Opinion
The Great Replacement
Peter Quantrill  |  Sep 12, 2024
With programme notes now written and translated by chatbots, and record covers created by image generators, can the first classical AI recording be far behind? Peter Quantrill thinks not

It was the word homotonal that caught my eye. Surely no one writes like that in 2024, I wondered to myself. I read on. ‘Similar to Plato’s ideas of the imprint of moral virtues onto the human soul through music…’ – eh? Bear in mind I was reading a booklet note to accompany a new album of Mozart’s piano sonatas. I flipped the page to look for the author’s credit. No name given.

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Opinion
The Land Without Music?
Peter Quantrill  |  Oct 21, 2024
A century-old legend of suspicion and exceptionalism continues to haunt attitudes towards English music, says Peter Quantrill - and it appears that it's the English who won't let it go

The spring cleaning of schedules at BBC Radio 3 took its listeners by surprise, to judge from comments both within and outside the media. The 'shop window' of Record Review on a Saturday morning moved to the first floor, in the afternoon. The spoken-word programmes were shunted off to Radio 4, while Friday Night Is Music Night has resurrected an antique Radio 2 title. The channel's once-serious coverage of new and contemporary music is almost entirely effaced under the controllership of Sam Jackson, who formerly headed up Classic FM.

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Opinion
The missing link
Jim Lesurf  |  Jul 09, 2025  |  First Published: Jul 01, 2025

They’re the hidden heroes in our electrical hardware, but not all of them are the same. Jim Lesurf addresses confusion about fuses as he makes a quick switch to keep a 40-year-old amp in service

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Opinion
The price of success
Peter Quantrill  |  Sep 12, 2025  |  First Published: Sep 01, 2025

The winner of this year’s Van Cliburn International Piano Competition will have the musical world at their feet – won’t they? Self-confessed ‘jaded hack’ Peter Quantrill has his doubts

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Opinion
The Record Plant returns
Barry Willis  |  Apr 25, 2025  |  First Published: Apr 01, 2025

The outside needs a lick of paint, but otherwise this famous Bay Area recording studio is ready to make music once more, this time as a non-profit. Barry Willis salutes its owners’ ambition

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Opinion
The scent of success
Peter Quantrill  |  Jun 02, 2025  |  First Published: May 01, 2025
A big prize for a contemporary composer – from an unexpected source – has Peter Quantrill wondering why we don’t see more cross-pollination and mutual recognition between art forms
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Opinion
The state of radio
Steve Harris  |  Sep 12, 2025

The birth of DAB soon brought rumours of FM’s demise, but decades on UK radio has become the hodge podge of services that Ofcom once warned us about. Is that a problem? asks Steve Harris

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Opinion
Thinking small
Mark Craven  |  Dec 09, 2025  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2026

When some hi-fi amplifiers and loudspeakers bring to mind that old Douglas Adams quote about the size of space, it’s good to see more bijou options breaking cover, reckons Mark Craven

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Opinion
Time Is Of The Essence
Jim Lesurf  |  Nov 28, 2024
Having been stopped in his tracks by the sheer enjoyment of listening to music, Jim Lesurf wonders how long his favourite recordings can continue to resonate with distant generations

Afew days ago I decided to listen to a CD that I'd not played in ages. The impact was almost immediate. I'd intended to have it as pleasing background music while I did some work in the kitchen, but after a few bars of music - time stopped! Totally captured by the sheer beauty of the sound, I just stood and listened, unable to do anything else. And this was in a room where there was no stereo imaging as such, and the acoustics of which would never be accepted as a good listening environment for hi-fi sound.

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Opinion
Too young for Brahms
Peter Quantrill  |  Mar 13, 2025  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2025
A pair of prestigious piano competition finals has Peter Quantrill wondering if particular pieces and composers are best left on the shelf, waiting for a musician’s life to catch up with their ability
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Opinion
Useful uses for AI... at last
Barry Fox  |  Jun 19, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 02, 2025
Companies including Apple and DTS are using Artificial Intelligence to pioneer ‘personalised’ audio solutions. Barry Fox imagines a halcyon future where people on the TV don’t mumble
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Opinion
Vinyl and nonlinear velocity
Barry Willis  |  May 22, 2025  |  First Published: Nov 01, 2024
Why does Barry Willis count himself as a ‘reformed record collector’? Because he can’t see past what he sees as the vinyl format’s inherent flaws, from groove distortion to velocity concerns
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Opinion
Vinyl fascination
Barry Willis  |  Oct 03, 2025  |  First Published: Oct 01, 2025

Barry Willis says a ‘worshipful hysteria’ surrounds the analogue format, evidenced by luxury turntables. But does that mean he’d recommend Toshiba’s new cheap ’n’ cheerful portable?

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Opinion
Vinyl reconsidered
Barry Willis  |  Oct 29, 2025  |  First Published: Nov 01, 2025

Listening sessions with a pristine original pressing of an early Stones LP have Barry Willis reconsidering his opinion of their ‘grungy sound’ and maybe even his position in the ‘digital camp’

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Opinion
Welcome to the age of AI
Barry Willis  |  Mar 04, 2025  |  First Published: Dec 01, 2024
Streaming services have already turned the music industry upside down – now AI content threatens to do the same. Barry Willis talks dystopian technology with producer Rick Clark

It’s a safe bet that most HFN readers are not merely gearheads, but music lovers too. So you might have wondered how economic decisions affect the lives of the artists on whom we depend, aesthetically and emotionally. Back in the days of physical media, musicians launched tours in support of new releases. Tickets were affordable because profits were primarily derived from sales of records. Beginning with Napster, and especially since the advent of streaming, that business model is dead. Recordings today are basically given away as promotional items to sell concert tickets, whose prices have skyrocketed.

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