Robin Hill - 'Guitar Dimensions' New Release!

We are pleased to announce the release of 'Guitar Dimensions' which features pieces for guitar and orchestra and solo guitar, from jazz through flamenco to classical.
Some pieces here are well known favourites, others have never previously been heard.

The album notes, found below, were written by Robin and provide further information about each piece.

Samples of 'Guitar Dimensions' can be heard on iTunes, Amazon and CD Baby. It is available as digital download and also, via our website, on CD.


Guitar Dimensions

‘Take Five’ was one of the first pieces of music to make a real impact on me. When I first heard it I was probably around 10 years of age. My father had taken me for a guitar lesson and two of the teachers were playing it as a duet. It immediately connected with me and I remember getting the sheet music. In my arrangement, for guitar solo, I make use of percussive effects with the right hand while the left hand keeps the riff going. The tune, of course, was made famous by the Dave Brubeck Quartet and was composed by alto player, Paul Desmond (1924-1977).

The ‘Celtic Concerto’ by myself is a reflection of my love for traditional celtic music.
The piece consists of six movements of which three can be heard here – ‘For Turlough’ inspired by, and dedicated to, the great Irish harpist and composer, Turlough O’Carolan (1670-1738) This starts with the solo guitar stating the main theme sparsely accompanied by pizzicato basses, cellos and percussion. The full orchestra then takes over accompanied by the guitar. The mood is optimistic and the atmosphere vibrant.
‘Return to Islay’ was inspired by a visit to this beautiful Hebridean island and reflects the simplicity, and the beauty, of its unspoilt character.
‘Rakes of Kildare’ is based on a traditional theme with the first statement by solo guitar. This is a lively jig with much merriment and good humour.

‘Canon’, by Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706) is his most well-known and loved composition. It was first recorded in 1940 by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Although originally in D, I prefer the resonance of Eb in my arrangement, using a capo at the first fret.

‘Jota California’ is from another piece for guitar & orchestra in six movements by myself. The Spanish jota is always a lively affair with much hand clapping and invariably accompanied by castanets.

The ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ by Joaquin Rodrigo (1901-1999), was composed in Paris in 1939 and premiered in Barcelona in 1940. The soloist, on that occasion was Regino Sainz de la Maza. The beautiful adagio is the essential core of the concerto and passes through many different moods until it reaches its logical conclusion. In her autobiography, Victoria, Rodrigo’s wife, eventually declared that the adagio was a response to their devastation at the miscarriage of her first pregnancy. I first performed the concerto in Liverpool with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Carl Davis.

‘Fiesta de Xabia’ was composed in Spain on a family holiday. It represents the excitement, bravura and vibrancy of a Spanish fiesta.
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) composed his ‘Pavane’ Op.50 in 1887. It was originally for solo piano.
Fauré modestly described it as, ‘elegant but not otherwise important.’ The piece’s rhythm comes from the slow, processional Spanish court dance of the same name. It is highly melodic and beautifully haunting and evolves through a series of sophisticated harmonies to its inevitable conclusion. The piece enjoyed immediate popularity which it has retained to the present day.

Claude Bolling’s (b. 1930) ‘Hispanic Dance’ is the first movement of his ‘Concerto for Classic Guitar & Jazz Piano Trio’. It is basically a lively, sparkling dialogue between the guitar and piano with the double bass and drums supplying the underlying pulse. I gave the first UK performance of the piece in Liverpool in 1981. There are six more movements in the concerto all of which I have recorded with my quartet, Eklectica.

John Dowland (1563-1626) was the greatest lutenist of his day. A contemporary account of his playing said, ‘his touch upon the lute doth ravish all human sense.’ He was renowned for his introspective temperament and this is surely reflected in his ‘Melancholy Galliard’ . However ‘My Lady Hunsdon’s Puffe’ illustrates a completely different side to his character. The piece is ebullient and demonstrates that the composer possessed a wicked sense of humour. My Lady Hunsdon is pilloried for her lack of ‘puffe’ i.e. stamina……she was a keen dancer but rather unfit….in the second section of the piece she is heard to slow down and to become rather breathless…

Stanley Myers (1930-1993) was a British composer who also wrote the theme music for BBC’s ‘Question Time’. ‘Cavatina’ was originally used in the film, ‘The Walking Stick’
but later, and much more famously, it was used on the soundtrack, and as the main theme, for ‘The Deer Hunter’.

The ‘Gavotte en Rondeau’ by J.S. Bach (1685-1750) comes from his Fourth Lute Suite and was one of the first pieces I heard played by the great Andres Segovia (1983-1987). Although originally composed for the solo violin and/or the lute clavichord, it embodies for me the very quintessence of the classical guitar. In this recording I play the piece with a capo at the first fret and on a Manuel Reyes flamenco guitar circa 1963. The sonority of F major and the Reyes seem to work for me. The ‘Prelude from 1st. Cello Suite’, however, is played on my 1980 Miguel Rodriguez. This, for me, is such an optimistic piece and a justly famous work.

Isaac Albeniz (1860 – 1909) composed ‘Rumores de la Caleta’ for the solo piano.
It is, however, steeped in the flamenco music of Andalusia. I have arranged it with this very much in mind…the introduction featuring an extended improvised section leading into the original piece.

‘La Paloma’ by Sebastian Iradier was composed in 1863 following a visit to Cuba. Its ascent to worldwide popularity was rapid and it was performed by many artists from very
diverse genres. This arrangement is by Francisco Tarrega the composer of much original music for the guitar and also the arranger of many classic pieces by Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and many more….


The ‘Fantasia X’ by Alonso Mudarra (1510 – 1580) is subtitled ‘Fantasia que contrhaza la harpa en la manera de Ludovico’. This is translated as ‘fantasia which imitates the harp in the manner of Ludovico’
Ludovico was a well-known virtuoso harpist of the era. This is an extraordinary piece. It contains, in addition to the obvious and highly effective, campanella, harp-like effects, syncopation, dissonance and a wry sense of humour. Mudarra states on the score: ‘from here to the end there are some wrong notes – but, if you play them well they will sound fine.’
The piece was originally composed for the vihuela, the Spanish equivalent of the lute and an instrument which was widely popular in Spain during the 1500s.


On this recording I use three different guitars. They are: a Miguel Rodriguez ‘churchdoor’ 1976, a Miguel Rodriguez 1980 and a Manuel Reyes flamenco 1963.


Robin Hill

Special thanks to:

Nick McCloud for his invaluable computer expertise.
Chris Hughes of Oscillate Studios for his great work mixing and mastering this recording.
Ray Kennan (of Bingley) for his constant enthusiasm.
Pip and David for their support and enthusiasm.
Pugwash the studio dog for her high fidelity.
My sons, Felix and Oliver, for enduring, and constantly living with, the recording process.
My wife , Anna, for her keen ears, cold nose, opinions and support.

Biography.

Robin Hill was born in Yorkshire, England. His first instrument, at age seven, was the violin. At 10 he started to play the guitar, which he studied at music college and later participated in master classes with the eminent Venezuelan guitarist, Alirio Diaz.
In the early 1970s Robin met fellow guitarist, Peter Wiltschinsky and, together, in 1973, they formed the Hill/Wiltschinsky Guitar Duo, a highly successful partnership with a large archive of recordings (they recorded for Teldec Classics, Hyperion (debut album), ASV, RCA, Erato, Telstar, IMP Classics, Carlton Classics, Warner Bros. and many more. The duo have made numerous radio and television broadcasts and have toured extensively worldwide.
In 1997, Robin performed Joaquin Rodrigo's 'Concierto de Aranjuez' with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (under Carl Davis) to an audience of three thousand. The same year Robin also gave the premiere of his own 'Concerto Primavera' with the same orchestra under the conductor, Ian Tracey. He has to date composed four other concertos - three for guitar and one for piano.
Robin gave the UK premiere of Claude Bolling's 'Concerto for Classic Guitar and Jazz Piano Trio', a work he has also recorded with his quartet, Eklectica.
Robin has collaborated with artists as diverse as Luciano Pavarotti, soprano Lesley Garrett, tenor Russell Watson, American soprano Denise Greaves (at the Royal Albert Hall with the BBC Philharmonic) to British rock bands Deep Purple and Jethro Tull and he has toured extensively with the American jazz/soul singer, Madeline Bell.
His book 'The Guitar Gymnasium' is used in conservatories throughout the world.
Robin's musical travels constantly take him all over the world.

'As always it was a great pleasure to observe Robin Hill's remarkable fluent technique. Everything looks easy when he plays it.' Colin Cooper – Classical Guitar Magazine UK

'Charismatic – a world class performance!' St Louis Dispatch - USA

'Daunting technique' Acoustic Guitar magazine - USA

'Wonderful for precision, touch and virtuosity, the result of a long interpretive process.' Il Giornale D'Italia - Italy

New Sheet Music for Guitar by Robin Hill - Arrangements of Bach & Pachelbel

After Robin's many years as both performer and composer it is not surprising that huge amounts of both hand written and printed scores abound around our home. For anyone associated with a musician it will probably be no surprise to hear that this music can turn up in the most unexpected places. A Fandango in the Freezer for example...

But in our case much of the music is either original compositions or arrangements.
We have a vast archive of guitar duo, solo, orchestral, guitar & flute etc.etc. There are literally hundreds of pieces of music.

So it is with great excitement that I can announce that we are gradually going to release these arrangements as digital sheet music.

The difficult part was deciding where to begin, so, we have opted for a selection of two very well known classics and an original piece by Robin.

'Canon' by Johann Pachelbel. Arranged by Robin Hill

Pachelbel's 'Canon' is such a beautiful piece of music it isn't surprising it is so popular. Although some arrangements for guitar of this classic are available Robin felt he would like to create something new which would be idiomatic for the guitar.

It is 7 pages long and contains some new, original material and has been well received in concert.
Our edition includes both standard notation, with fingering, and also tablature.
You can find it here.

'Prelude No.1' from 'The Well-Tempered Clavier' by Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged by Robin Hill

Originally in C major Robin has transposed and arranged this piece into the more guitar friendly key of E major. 'Prelude No.1', from 'The Well-Tempered Clavier' is 5 pages long and includes fingering and tablature. You can find it here.

'Return to Islay' By Robin Hill

'Return to Islay' is an original composition inspired by a visit to the beautiful Hebridean Island. The piece reflects the island's simple, natural beauty and has proved a very popular, and often requested, concert item.
You can hear Robin playing Return to Islay here and the sheet music can be found here.

'The Guitar Gymnasium' by Robin Hill

Or to give it its full title, 'The Guitar Gymnasium, A Mental and Physical Workout, Designed to Develop Flawless Technique.'
I have written about this book before, 'Performance and Practice,' and 'Musical Practice Tips.'

It is available instantly here, or from the warehouse here.

We will be adding to this catalogue of available pieces over time so please check back regularly.

Concert in Mugdock

Mugdock Country Park was the beautiful setting for a highly successful concert last night.
As predicted, the venue was sold out well in advance, which always bodes well for an appreciative audience.
Robin wasn't disappointed.

It was one of those nights when all factors seemed to fall into place.
Not just musically with a lovely programme including pieces by, Tarrega, Sor, Brouwer, Dyens, Albeniz and Sabicas. Not to mention some of Robin's own compositions, one being 'Return to Islay', which he composed after being inspired by the beautiful island of Islay on a previous Scottish tour.

This piece he dedicated to the memory of an old friend, and previous manager, Dave Barnes, who had first introduced Robin to Mugdock, and seen him perform there many times.
Some of his family and friends were present and a few tears were shed during this tranquil and evocative piece.

But equally as important as the music are the spoken introductions.
It's vital that any artist engages with their audience to create a wonderful and entertaining evening.
As I have said previously here on the blog, luckily for Robin, he is quite at ease with this aspect of his performance.
That isn't to say he doesn't invest a lot of time and energy researching the pieces he is playing, and deciding the points of interest which may just add that little bit more to the audiences enjoyment.
Alongside short discussions about the techniques employed in certain pieces this makes for interesting listening for guitarists and non-guitarists alike.

There was one difficult moment for Robin, right at the beginning of the concert, in the first piece, Malaguena.
Part way through his false thumb nail flew off.
Regular readers will know this happens from time to time.
On this occasion he was able to complete the piece and the offending nail was pointed out to him by some of the more observant members of the audience.
He retrieved it and re glued it into position all whilst introducing the next piece.

Many of the audience spoke to him after the concert which is always a nice way to receive feedback.
Then it was back to the hotel before a quick dash to a local pub to partake in a little post concert relaxation.

Now he is home but not for long.
Packing is underway for an exciting trip next week.
Although Robin does find it difficult spending such a lot of time away from home, even he is looking forward to this one.
It will be a first for him and you will just have to keep checking in to find out where he is and what he is doing......

Sun, Sea, Silk, and Second Concert Success

The QE2 was cruising the Straits of Florida yesterday, and Robin spent the day rehearsing for his second guitar concert.
The news is good, and I've had reports from various sources, that the concert was a great success.

There was a minor hiccup about 2/3 of the way through, when Robin's silk nail wrap became unstuck.
For any guitarists out there, they will realise that this is a problem, and one that has to be dealt with before play can continue.
For the non-guitarists amongst you, Robin uses silk wrap on any damaged areas of nails of his right hand.
Classical guitarists require long, and strong, nails to produce the correct sound.
When performing as frequently as Robin does it is inevitable that nail damage will occur.
The problem is how to repair that damage without losing any sound quality.
Over the years Robin has tried many things and his current method is to use a special silk wrap and glue.

Consequently, as the wrap became unstuck, he had to leave the stage for a few minutes, and do an emergency repair.
This happens occasionally, and whilst rather stressful for Robin, the audience don't seem to mind, especially as he always explains what has happened, and occasionally actually carries out the repair on stage as he introduces the next piece of music.

He went on to perform the Mozart variations, which if you recall had been requested on this particular trip.
It must have gone well, as some of the audience showed their appreciation by standing, along with some of the resident musicians.

After the concert he spoke to a few members of the audience and was delighted with their comments.
Particularly the compliments paid by two Spanish men, who are friends with the incredible guitarist, Paco de Lucia.

Meanwhile, back in the UK, I was surprised yesterday by a large increase in the number of hits to the blog.
Sometimes you can work out why, sometimes not.
The trend seems to have continued so far today which is nice.
One of the reasons could be a report by the BBC, about an appeal to identify a body found in 2006 on Islay.
I know that's rather gruesome, and you may be wondering why I have made this connection.
Well, it's because Robin composed a piece called, 'Return to Islay', featured on 'Virtuoso', and as people have been searching this story, they have come across a rather more uplifting side to the beautiful Island of Islay.

Robin Hill's New Site - Download Sheet Music for 'Return to Islay'

We are very pleased to announce the launch of a new site today, 'Robin Hill', which has many exciting features.

You can access this blog, read all about Robin in his biography, look at a few pictures in the gallery, watch some videos, and, feel free to leave a message in the guest book!

One of the most exciting aspects is the store.
For more than 30 years Robin has arranged, and composed, many pieces for solo guitar, duo guitar, guitar and flute, orchestra and original compositions.
We have literally hundreds of scores to hand.
So, we have decided to gradually add them to the site, so any aspiring guitarists can download the piece of their choice, and start some serious practice.

This will be a gradual process and I'll update as we go along and inform you of any new pieces we have added.

We have started with one of Robin's most popular solo guitar pieces, 'Return to Islay', so the sheet music is now available to download. In fact, in various parts of the world, people have already done so!

We are often asked if Robin's music is available in tablature form. So, due to popular demand, he is arranging each piece, so you will have normal notation, with fingering, and tablature.
That's why the pieces will be appearing gradually, but you can't play them all at once anyway...

As I have severe technophobic tendencies, I would like to add that all this couldn't have been achieved without the help of our friend, Andre.
So thank you Andre!

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.