Tuning Trouble, The Wrong Trousers, and MP3 Downloads.

Robin spent some time in Manta, Ecuador, on Sunday, and managed to buy a folding Panama hat, which could prove useful as he's going through the Panama Canal again today.

But yesterday he performed his second concert.
He's been having a few tuning problems on this trip.
It's something to do with the humidity and the extreme heat, especially when under the intense stage lights.
It's easy to lose objectivity when under the pressure of a live performance, so for the concert yesterday he attached a tuner to the neck of the guitar, which reacts to the vibrations, and gives visual cues to support his own judgement.
Adjustments can then quickly be made as he plays.

He was required to do so on a number of occasions, as the guitar strings struggled with the temperature, but fortunately Robin's rather good at minor, and sometimes major retuning.
He can make small adjustments as he's playing, without missing a note, and for more major alterations, he will carry these out as he introduces the next piece, so the natural flow of the concert isn't interrupted.

There was another factor which may have helped with his pre concert relaxation, and one that I've never known Robin do before.
Usually he plays constantly prior to a performance. Either running through the programme or limbering up with right and left hand exercises.
Yesterday he decided to take some time out and unwind.
Guess what he did.

He watched 'Wallace and Gromit in The Wrong Trousers'.



I was quite amused by this. It wasn't that he'd specifically downloaded a copy on his iPod, but son number one had.
It did the trick though, Robin was relaxed, and the audience loved the programme.

Here are some of the pieces he played (not necessarily in the right order):

Asturias - Isaac Albeniz

Canarios - Gaspar Sanz

Mozart Variations

Un Dia de Noviembre & Danza del Altiplano - Leo Brouwer

Tango en Skai - Roland Dyens

Romanza - Trad.

Jota - Trad.

Again, Asturias, Canarios and Romanza can be found on 'Virtuoso', and incidentally, both 'Virtuoso' and 'Eklectica' can now be bought directly as MP3 downloads from CD Baby.

This will include MP3's, JPG of the album art, and a text file of titles, album notes and links to this site.
For the technical amongst you, the MP3's are encoded at top-audiophile-quality, (200kVBR) which is higher than many stores.
Also the files will play on any MP3 player, be it iPod, cellphone, Blackberry, iPhone, Nokia, Windows, Mac etc.

So now there's no excuse, you can listen to Robin's music anytime, anyplace and anywhere!

Concert on Cunard's Queen Victoria

I told you it was sunny when Robin went through the Panama Canal.
Here's a view from the Queen Victoria yesterday, which gives you an idea of the beautiful terrain.



Apparently the odd crocodile was spotted basking on the banks as they glided by.
Today, they are at sea, the Pacific to be exact.
It is also the day of Robin's concert.
So, I imagine he is in his room, running through the programme, to limber up before his performance. Not to mention the numerous right and left hand exercises.
Some of the pieces he will be playing are, Asturias, Tango en Skai, Jota and Canarios, so it should be a very nice programme.
I let you know more about it as soon as I have news.

Canarios and Cunard's 'Queen Victoria'

Canarios is a lively and optimistic piece of music which, as the title suggests, hails from the Canary Islands.
Gaspar Sanz (1640-1710) was a dominant figure of Spanish baroque music, and Canarios is taken from Sanz's 'Suite Espagnole'.

Many people will recognise the theme from Joaquin Rodrigo's, 'Fantasia Para Una Gentilhombre', which was composed for Andres Segovia in 1953.

Canarios is such a happy piece that Robin frequently performs it as an encore, which is always very popular.
You can hear Robin playing it here, track 10.

There was an interesting article in the paper today, for anyone of a nautical persuasion, 'Cunard adds 'Queen Victoria' to its fleet', by Richard Grey.
Judging by the pictures and the descriptions on Cunard's site, the Queen Victoria is certainly luxurious.
The Royal Court Theatre looks incredible, with three levels to create a grand auditorium, including private boxes.
The theatre seats over 800, and in early January Robin will be performing a couple of concerts on board.
Still, one of the 352,000 bottles of champagne that are expected to be drunk next year, should help to calm any post concert nerves....

YouTube video - Robin Hill

Today I have decided to post Robin's YouTube video on the site. It gives me the opportunity to explain a little about each of the pieces, or rather extracts, that you hear, and for those interested in watching a guitarist at work, you can see what Robin is doing!
As the opening credits role, you can hear, 'Eternal Dance', this is the first movement of 'Concerto Latino' for guitar and orchestra. It features a driving 5/8 rhythm with some occasional 7/8. It begins with solo guitar and light timpani roll before the orchestra then state the theme. This piece was originally composed for Robin's quartet, 'Eklectica', but he then expanded it onto an orchestral canvas.

The first piece that you can watch as well as listen to, is 'Return to Islay'. This piece was inspired during a visit to this remote Hebridean island during a tour with Hill/Wiltschinsky.
Although Robin had never visited the island before he felt the place was strangely familiar, hence the title, 'Return to Islay'.

'Dolor de Muelas' has a freewheeling samba groove and contains much improvisation. As for the title, well, translated it means toothache...The piece was composed and recorded during a very violent bout of toothache. I wish I was so productive when I didn't feel well...

'Canarios' by Gasper Sanz dates from the mid 1600s and was originally for baroque guitar. As the title suggests this lively jig hails from the Canary Islands and many will know this theme from the last movement of Joaquin Rodrigo's, 'Fantasia Para Un Gentilhombre' - composed for Andres Segovia in 1953.

With the closing credits you can hear, 'Arrival of the Queen of Sheba', which comes from the oratario, 'Solomon' by George Frideric Handel. It is eminently suited to performance on the guitar with it's rapid scales and arpeggios, the original dialogue between two oboes being replaced by guitar and recorder.

Over on YouTube many of the comments have been about Robin's technique, so here's an opportunity to observe him.