Jessica Duchen
British classical music journalist, novelist and librettist; writes for BBC Music Magazine and the i Paper; writes the Substack Twangle: Music and Words.
Jessica Duchen did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
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Their wordsplease, please, stop using AI, dear directors?
↗Faith, doubt and Wagnerjessicaduchen.substack.com 1st of 2 in this piece
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Their wordsmany of the subversions to which some viewers have taken exception make absolute sense with the opera’s libretto.
↗Faith, doubt and Wagnerjessicaduchen.substack.com 2nd of 2 in this piece
- 4 days earlier
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Our reading
Music critics are music-lovers and writers, not bitter failed musicians out to destroy young talent.
Their wordsNo! We are music-lovers and writers. We love writing about music and musicians.
- 4 weeks earlier
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Our reading
The 2026 Last Night of the Proms was too long and could have lost 25 minutes without anyone minding.
Their wordsThey could have lost 25 minutes at a stroke and probably nobody would have a) minded, b) noticed.
↗I went to the Last Night of the Promsjessicaduchen.substack.com
- 4 days earlier
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Their wordsWild accusations of gatekeeperdom are sometimes levelled against critics, editors, producers, programmers or other decision-makers whose job it is to decide how best to use limited budget and capacity; such charges are frequently leavened with insecurity at best, or paranoia at worst.
↗In praise of music’s real gatekeepersjessicaduchen.substack.com 1st of 3 in this piece
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Our reading
The real gatekeepers in music life are rule enforcers at actual doors, not decision makers.
Their wordsThey stand at actual gates, and they keep them. They are rule enforcers, not decision makers, and they do not appear to consider the specifics of a situation.
↗In praise of music’s real gatekeepersjessicaduchen.substack.com 2nd of 3 in this piece
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Their wordsanybody, given a tiny degree of power, can assert it with or without rational thought.
↗In praise of music’s real gatekeepersjessicaduchen.substack.com 3rd of 3 in this piece