John F. Runciman

John F. Runciman (1866–1916) was an English music critic and author best known for writing about classical music with unusual force and personality. Studies of British music criticism describe him as an important figure in the rise of the so-called "new criticism," a more direct and literary approach that pushed against dry, academic reviewing.

He was closely associated with George Bernard Shaw’s circle and is described in modern scholarship as a protégé of Shaw and a committed Wagner enthusiast. Runciman became especially known through his work as a music critic for the Saturday Review, and reference sources on music periodicals also identify him as the editor of The Chord.

Alongside journalism, he wrote books that introduced major composers to general readers, including Haydn, Purcell, Wagner, and Old Scores and New Readings. Those works show what made him memorable: strong opinions, a lively voice, and a clear desire to make music criticism feel like real reading rather than homework.