James William Davison and his pen : a study of 19th century music criticism / Megan E.B. Poff.

This thesis is an extended study of 19th century music criticism and the prose of its most notorious music critic of the time, James William Davison. This particular study will focus on the rhetorical choices made by J.W. Davison and why he is still considered a controversial writer to this day. This research dismantles the notion that music criticism is solely beholden to the discipline of musicology and further proves that it must be examined outside the parameters of music history. Music criticism is deserving to be analyzed with the lens of rhetoric and writing choices, as the music critic by occupation, is a writer. James William Davison’s rhetorical choices further prove that 19th century music criticism is soundly based on the rhetoric of the critic and thusly demonstrates that the performance criticized is not necessarily objective but intended to persuade public discourse and opinion. J.W. Davison is intentional with his prose as he advocates for native English composers and the preservation of traditional music with his criticisms in both the The Times of London and The Musical Examiner. The study of his writings will show that with Davison’s rhetorical choices, he is motivated to preserve the English identity and persuade his audience against the vogue consumerism of foreign born composers. As a patriot of England, his writing choices in his music criticisms further prove his penchant for nativism and the desire for its sustainment.