Michael Oliver

Born in London on 20 July 1937, English music critic, writer, public speaker and broadcaster Michael Edgar Oliver had a diverse career as a librarian and publisher and had little formal musical education before making the break to broadcasting in 1970, when invited to speak about music on BBC Radio London.

From 1975 until 1990 he was the regular presenter of BBC Radio 3's magazine programme Music Weekly. He was founding editor of International Opera Collector, reviewed for other magazines, including Gramophone, and his publications include biographies of Stravinsky (1995) and Britten (1996), and, as editor, Settling the Score (1999).

Michael Oliver died suddenly, from brain haemorrhage, on 1 December 2002, aged sixty-five.

 

A selection of articles about Michael Oliver

Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - Seven Tuscan Nights

A Real Treasure House - Dialogues with and about John Cage, reviewed by Patric Standford