
Biography
Links
Recent Performances
Future Performances
Catalogue
Hear It!
MusicWeb Reviews
Music & Vision Articles
Other Reviews

Passion buy the recording
Garrett, an opera in 1 Act
2003 orchestral concert
2006 orchestral concert
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 Robert is a composer of contemporary classical music who is resident in London. A detailed biography can be seen:
plus some interesting links. If you wish to hear some of Robert's music, there are regular performances both in London and around the World.
Recent performances are list here and Future Performances here. You can also hear samples of his music online, download music in mp3 and midi format..
Robert's complete catalogue is now for sale on-line at Spherical Editions, Click here for a complete listing of all available works,
along with sample pages of music, mp3 and midi files.
You can buy some of Robert's music and CD's online from www.tutti.co.uk Robert's latest CD The Testament of Dr. Cranmer is now available from Divine Art
If you wish to learn more about Robert's music, receive an electronic copy of his newsletter or wish to be kept up to date on performances Join our mailing list! Simply send an blank e-mail to mailinglist@hugill.demon.co.uk with SUBSCRIBE in the subject.
Robert writes CD reviews for MusicWeb and regular articles for Music and Vision,
do visit both of these sites. The new archive pages give links to all Robert's MusicWeb reviews and all his Music and Vision articles.
Robert now has his own blog, read it here http://hugill.blogspot.com.
And Robert's MySpace page is here http://www.myspace.com/roberthugill.
Hear excerpts from the most recent FifteenB concert here.
THE WOODWARD SCALE
On Thursday 15th July, 2009 at St. Michael's Church, Chester Square, Victoria, London Concord Singers, conductor Malcolm Cottle will be performing The Woodward Scale. This
sets Antony Woodward's amusing modern day re-write of The Beaufort Wind Scale, the text of which originally appeared in Country Life in 2002. My piece will be performed alongside Aulis Sallinen's setting of the text of the original Beaufort Scale.
Further details and online ticket sales can be obtained via OClassical.com
VIDETE MIRACULUM
The Chapelle du Roi, under their conductor Alistair Dixon, will be premiering my motet Videte Miraculum at their concert at St. John's Smith Square, London,
on Saturday 19th December 2009.
ESPSS HOUSMAN COMPETITION
My song, He Looked at Me came 3rd in the English Poetry and Song Society's Housman Competition.
The song was premiered, along with those of the other winners, at a concert at St. Mary's Church, Bathwick, Bath at 3.30pm on Sataurday 7th March 2009, to be given by tenor Gordon Pullin and pianist Jolyon Laycock.
O STAR OF EVE
The FifteenB Consort went on the road again, with your humble composer singing tenor. Just six of us performed a programme based on the Vespers Service, with
a sequence of plainchant and motets. My new setting of the Vespers Hymn, Lucis Creator optime was premiered at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Cadogan Street, Chelsea, on Saturday 7th March 2009. Further details here.
Press Release
TEMPUS PER ANNUM
Gaudete, from volume 1 of Tempus per Annum received its first liturgical performance on Sunday 15th December 2008 at Evensong at All Saints Church, Margaret Street, London.
The motet was sung by the choir of All Saints, conducted by Paul Brough. And Puer natus est nobis waspremiered by the Chapelle du Roi, conductor Alistair Dixon, at their concert at St. Johns Smith Square on Saturday 20th December 2008.
Volume 2 of Tempus per Annum is now available. This volume contains 22 motets covering Lent, Eastertide, Ascension Day, Whit Sunday and Trinity Sunday.
The motets set the texts of the Latin Introits for the day. As usual the motets are written for unaccompanied SATB choir, some motets have a limited amount of division.
6 of the motets will also be available in versions of ATBaB choir.
When complete, Tempus per Annum will consist of 72 motets covering all the Sundays and major feasts of the Church's year.
Volume 1 is already available and covers Advent and Christmastide. The four Advent motets were recorded by Paul Brough and the eight:fifteen vocal ensemble on their disc of my music on the Divine Art label.
EXPANDING AVAILABILITY
The four Advent motets from Tempus per Annum and my Nunc Dimittis motet are now also available on line at choirworks.com.
From their web-site you can buy a licence to print up to 100 copies of the motets and you receive the music as a PDF. My publications are listed here.
REVIEW
London Concord Singers performance of Deus in Adjutorium on 10th July was reviewed by on the Seen and Heard web site.
'Robert Hugill’s Deus in adjutorium , one in a projected series of 70 motets - 35 of which have been completed so far - of settings of all the Introit texts for all the Sundays and major church festivals, used both the declamatory and the polyphonic. A solo tenor, well sung by Margaret Jackson-Roberts, one of two female tenors in the group, acting as a kind of narrator, leading the choir into a prayer to “Let my enemies be confounded…” with music that seems to be of the utmost simplicity, but is in fact well thought out and carefully designed to illuminate the words. How wonderful to hear a contemporary work where the composer actually cares about the text he is setting and writes music that is so grateful to sing. Hugill is himself a singer, and a member of this choir, so he knows how to write for the group's voices and this showed in every bar. This was my first hearing of Hugill’s music and it made me want to hear more.'
Read the full review here.
Testament of Dr. Cranmer CD
My new CD is now out on the Divine Art Label. Tenor Christopher Watson, organist Paul Ayres, the eight:fifteen vocal ensemble and the strings of the Chameleon Arts Orchestra, all
under conductor Paul Brough, perform a selection of my choral and vocal music. Earlier this year, conductor Paul Brough was announced as the new Principal Conductor of the Hanover Band.
The works included on the disc are are The Testament of Dr. Cranmer, my William Blake setting for tenor and strings, What is Man?, the Advent Motets from Tempus
per Annum, the new Magnificat, plus other motets including Nunc Dimittis. The disc also includes an arrangement of Faith, Hope and Charity for string orchestra, and a version of The Lord Bless Thee for tenor and strings.
Full details of the artists and the works recorded plus are available at Divine Art, here.
Review on Classical Source
“Hugill’s style is attractive and accessible, though far from anodyne… a practical church composer of real inspiration… an original, yet highly personable voice. Tenor Christopher Watson gives poised dignity… while Simon Baggs is equally eloquent. The strings of the Chameleon Arts Orchestra provide solid support. Conductor Paul Brough oversees proceedings with a precision and restraint that suites Hugill’s pellucid texture” – William Yeoman (Classical Source)
"[Christopher Watson's] beauty of sound appears effortless, yet he brings the impassioned moments directly to our attention with style. The eight voices of the ‘eight:fifteen’ vocal ensemble produce a radiant sound...Brough capably directs the two very different groups of musicians with considerable aplomb. This is a disc of initial unknowns, but the end result is delightful." - Will Dawes (Church Music Quarterly)
“A strong use of strings characterises this album, in the strong spiritual sense which runs through all the works. For example in Faith Hope and Charity the sublime music of the solo violin has the effect of easing troubled spirits.”- Francesca Guerrasio (ResMusica)
“Overall the music is sincere and communicative and it’s expertly performed. Several passages are searingly dramatic but there are a number of more meditative, prayerful sections. This well produced disc features committed performances from musicians who serve Robert Hugill well. The sound is excellent and the documentation, including notes by the composer, is very good” – John Quinn (MusicWeb)
“A well played performance, anyone with a hankering for getting deeper into some church oriented programs is well advised to open an ear in this direction.” - Chris Spector (Midwest Record ,USA)
“The Testament of Dr Cranmer, an interestingly made musical account of the close of Dr Cranmer's life… contains some beautifully taught harmonic pungency. The choral singers are excellent, and Christopher Watson has a most appealing tenor voice, featuring in two pieces with string orchestra. The four Latin motets from Hugill's collection Tempus per Annum, all must appeal to any church choir. The performances are excellent and the recording serves both singers and orchestra well and makes listening a pleasure.” - Patric Standford (Music & Vision)
Extracts of all the recent reviews are here
BASSOON CONCERTINO
I have just finished Duino Angel, a concertino for Bassoon and strings. This is based on themes from my Elegy for Baritone and Orchestra, a setting of Rilke's 2nd Duino Elegy,
premiered last year by David Greiner, the Salomon Orchestra under conductor Adrian Brown.
IVOR GURNEY COMPETITION
My song, To his Love, came joint second in the English Poetry and Song Society's Ivor Gurney Competition.
The song will be included in a recital to be given at 3pm on Sunday 11th Novemeber 2007 at Bristol Music Club, St. Paul's Road, Clifton.
The recital is being given by soprano Charlotte Newstead, baritone Nicolas Barlow and pianist John Marsh, and is entitled Ivor Gurney and his teachers.
It will include music by Gurney, Parry, Stanford and Vaughan-Williams as well as the winning songs from the competition. The winning song in the competition is Severn Meadows by Brian Daubney.
My song Requiem reached the shortlist and may be included in the recital.
PUBLICATION NEWS
Robert's On-line Catalogue of Music at Spherical Editions, here you can read about and buy copies of all of Robert's music.
Passion was described by Robert Matthew-Walker, from the magazine Musical Opinion, as 'An often beautiful and fascinating work'.
Click here for the full text of his review and an introduction to the work, with excerpts from the music.
The CD of Passion and the vocal score are both now available from www.tutti.co.uk.
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| Calendar |
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| Sunday 14th December 2008 |
All Saints Church Margaret St. London |
| Gaudete |
All Saints' Choir conductor Paul Brough |
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| Saturday 20th December 2008 |
St. Johns Smith Square London |
| Puer natus est nobis |
Chapelle du Roi Alistair Dixon |
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| Saturday 7th March 2009 |
St. Mary's Church Cadogan St. London |
| Lucis Creator Optime |
| FifteenB Consort |
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| Saturday 7th March 2009 |
St. Mary's Church Bathwich |
| He Looked at Me |
Gordon Pullin Jolyon Laycock |
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| Wednesday 15th July 2009 |
St. Michael's Church Chester Square |
| The Woodward Scale |
London Concord Singers Malcolm Cottle |
| Online ticket sales |
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