author
Robert John Buckley
1847–1938
A lively Victorian-era music critic and organist, he wrote with the ear of a performer and the curiosity of a journalist. His books range from studies of major composers to sharp, firsthand writing on politics, travel, and chess.
1 Audiobook
Ireland as it is, and as it would be under Home Rule
by Robert John Buckley
About the author
Born in Monaghan, Ireland, in 1847, Robert John Buckley became known in England as a music critic, composer, organist, and author. He is often listed as R. J. Buckley, and his career brought together practical musicianship and wide-ranging literary interests.
Buckley worked as an organist and wrote extensively on music, including a book on Sir Edward Elgar. But he was far from a specialist in only one field: he also published on Irish political life and was noted for writing about chess, which gives his work a broad, observant character that still feels distinctive.
He died in 1938 in Birmingham. For listeners coming to his work now, Buckley is an appealing figure because he wrote from experience—part critic, part working musician, and part curious reporter on the world around him.