Journalistic Music Critics of the Old Masters

[davepinto]

Anyone know of convenient digests or compilations of music criticism of the old master's compositions, both from their contemporary's and modern criticism as well?
We moderns so love to scoff at the criticism that the old master's were subjected to, and to delight in the historical judgement that the music critics were proved wrong, wrong WRONG!
BUT....I suspect some of their criticism may actually be valid.

[stevebob]

Nicholas Slonimsky's The Lexicon of Musical Invective:  Critical Assaults on Composers Since Beethoven's Time comes to mind:

https://www.amazon.com/Lexicon-Musical-Invective-Composers-Beethovens/dp/039332009X

I just noticed that according to Mr. Google, Amazon categorizes this title under Books > Entertainment > Humor rather than musicology, history, journalism, etc.  It's funny alright, but it is, after all, a work of non-fiction—even if the "truth" of the actual reviews contained within is debatable.

[davepinto]

Thanks Stevebob, I just ordered it.