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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. '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. 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. "[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
The eight:fifteen vocal ensemble under conductor Paul Brough, with organist Paul Ayres gave a concert on Saturday 26th January 2008 at 8pm, to celebrate the launch of our CD, at St. Peter's Church, Eaton Square, London. They premiered my new Evening Service, the first time that I have set these canticles from the Book of Common Prayer. The Magnificat is included on my new CD (available from Divine Art). On the CD it is sung in a version for ATB and organ, but we premiered the SATB+organ version. Also in the concert will be the motet Lucis Creator Optime, which was premiered by FifteenB at the 2004 Chelsea Festival and the solo motet, Faith Hope and Charity FifteenB under conductor Paul Ayres, with organist Malcolm Cottle gave a concert on Saturday 23rd February 2008 at 7.30pm at St. Peter's Church, Eaton Square, London. The programme will include Haydn's Little Organ Mass plus a selection of my pieces. We premiered the Choruses from Passion, arrangements for SATB choir of the 6 choruses from Passion. Passion was originally written for the all male Burgundian Cadence. It set the Gospel text with 6 interpolated choruses to words by the American poet Carl Cook. Also included: My Eyes are Ever Turned Towards the Lord, my verse anthem which we premiered in March 2008, as well as Crossing, the setting of two Rabindranath Tagore poems which FifteenB premiered in 2006 at the Chelsea Festival. Hear excerpts from the concert here. 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. My song, To his Love, has come 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. 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. |
| Calendar |
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| Thursday 10th July 2008 |
| St. Michael's Church Chester Square |
| Deus in adjutorium |
| London Concord Singers conductor Malcolm Cottle |
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| Saturday 2nd August 2008 |
| Cathedral of San Nicolo e Severo Bardolino, Italy |
| Deus in adjutorium |
| London Concord Singers conductor Malcolm Cottle |
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| Sunday 3rd August 2008 |
| San Giorgio en Baida Verona |
| Deus in adjutorium |
| London Concord Singers conductor Malcolm Cottle |
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