It is not a perfect paper by any manner of means, but I think its 'editorial line' is far more open to question than many other daily papers. Granted its classical coverage is not broad or consistent, but I do think that Andrew Clements and especially Tim Ashley are pretty decent, knowledgeable and fair minded critics.
I've never heard any of those words used to describe Andrew Clements before but I'm glad he comes across that way to somebody at least. Tim Ashley does indeed seem all of those things. Whatever one might think of Andrew Clements, though, the tragedy of the Guardian's classical music coverage was surely its flirtation with Tom Service and how apparent that made its willingness to throw Clements over in favour of a younger, sexier (?!?) model. That seems to have passed, with AC back on board as if he'd never been away, although I can't imagine he feels very secure in his position (I'm not actually sure what his official position is any more).
The unwitting subtext which oozes from these "it's all quite accessible, innit, eh?" pieces is that in fact it's all impenetrable, irritating and irrelevant
Why else would it stand in need of such elaborate defence?
I think you're spot on there, Reiner (and indeed this doesn't only apply to the Guardian, or to Joe Queenan, who's hardly more or less at fault than anyone else in this general tendency).
I thought the 'Ring Tones' gag was quite funny, too, though!
