Dance of the Jaguar - Robin Hill 'Standing on Air'

'Dance of the Jaguar' is the 5th track on 'Standing on Air' and was initially inspired by many visits to Mexico and Costa Rica and by a beautiful wooden Jaguar head that Robin found in Mexico.

Here it is:



The piece itself contains an eclectic mix of ideas ranging from flamenco to Indian influences.
The dramatic opening certainly conveys a musical impression of high tension, I should add that Robin has always been fascinated by the Mel Gibson film, 'Apocalypto', and this whole piece seems to follow Jaguar Paw as he struggles with pursuit and then enjoys fleeting moments of respite.
The use of music within a filmic context can make or break a sequence, and sometimes a film itself can inspire new music.

Very soon tabla drums enter the piece to give a driving rhythm for the guitar riff to adhere too. This is then joined by the sitar.
Robin has had both the tabla and sitar for some time and had been waiting for the right opportunity to use them.
I feel they work very well in the context of this piece.

This piece is in ABA form, representing Yin and Yang. The second section being a release of the tension before an intermediary connecting section with improvised guitar solo. This leads into the final triumphant conclusion.

For those interested in the recording side of things, quite a few takes were required to get the bass unison with guitar in the rapid triplet section. But I feel the overall effect was worth the effort and it is used a couple of times.

The sitar has long been an instrument that we both love. We have spent many hours listening to Ravi Shankar, Anoushka Shankar and of course followed George Harrison's love of the instrument.
Although I should say that initially I was reluctant to add sitar to the piece.
I am so pleased that I was overruled as the snatches of sitar add perfect spice with its distinctive sound.

As you can imagine we have both listened to this piece many times during the recording, editing, mixing and mastering process.
From the whole album this is the one piece that Robin has mentioned that he may develop the idea into a concerto movement...

But for now, you can find the CD 'Standing on Air' and the track, 'Dance of the Jaguar' in many places, these are just a few: Robin Hill site, iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby etc....

'Standing on Air' - Robin Hill arrives on iTunes, Amazon etc...

'Standing on Air' is now available digitally on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby and many more digital outlets, plus of course, also in CD form.

To listen to extracts from all 14 tracks, read about and purchase, click here for iTunes, here for Amazon, and for CD Baby, here.


For a little extra insight into the making of the album, interviews with Robin and a look behind the scenes at the recording process you can watch this video.

Enjoy!

'Chill 22' - Robin Hill from the new album 'Standing on Air'

Today we released a video of 'Chill 22', the first track from the new album 'Standing on Air'

The album itself, featuring all original compositions by Robin and on which he plays all the instruments, will be available in January 2012, but we thought it would be nice for you all to have a sneak preview.

This composition was inspired by Robin's newly acquired Manuel Reyes guitar which was made by the master luthier in 1963. This instrument is capable of producing not only the aggressive rasp of the Andalusian flamenco, but also a beautiful sweetness of tone when played with sensitively and expression.

As he was in a hotel at the time, the title of the track was taken from his room key and initials, 'Chill 22', his first name being Charles.

As time went on the piece evolved.

Chill 22 has a laid back jazz groove yet the incisive triplets and use of rasgueados reflect Robin's love of flamenco music. The cuica drum, rainstick and shakers are Brazilian inspired.

Alongside these latin and flamenco elements you may also discover a quote from Igor Stravinsky's, 'Rite of Spring'.
This is one of Robin's favourite classical pieces and the tongue in cheek reference opening the guitar solo pays tribute to this.

Generally the album as a whole not only reflects Robin's diverse musical tastes but also his constant extensive travelling.

The influences of many countries can be heard in each and every track and he often returns home with an indigenous instrument from some far flung land.

Chill 22 also features a Neapolitan mandolin.
Back in 2008 Robin was in Sorrento when he came across the most beautiful mandolin.
The story about how we came about purchasing it is quite amusing, and restores ones faith in humanity.
Here's 'The Mystery of the Mandolin'.
The use of the mandolin was also an opportunity for Robin to use his enviable plectrum technique acquired after many years of playing electric guitar....

You will have to wait a little longer to hear all 14 original compositions from, 'Standing on Air', but for now, sit back and enjoy 'Chill 22'.

From New York to Cartoon...

It has been a long time since my last update, but then you all had 712 previous posts to look back through!

Whilst quiet on the writing front it has been very busy on the musical one.
Robin has performed 8 concerts and travelled to many places including the Norwegian Fjords, Italy, Greece, Croatia and finally New York.

Here is the welcoming sight of the Statue of Liberty, albeit a little hazy:




And the familiar New York skyline:



Plus the spectacular Verrazano Bridge:



But despite seeing some incredible places Robin was very sad to be away from home on youngest son's 8th birthday, the downside for the travelling musician is they frequently miss these significant family moments.

Now home again, recording of some 'warming' flamenco style pieces is underway, which has been particularly beneficial given the 'big freeze' currently sweeping across the UK.

Here the poor ducks have been reduced to a minimal swimming area, and believe it or not this is actually a very heavy frost rather than snow!



Another problem with frequent trips away from home is that 'others' take advantage of your comfortable armchair and refuse to give it back....



And if you are wondering how a musician relaxes when at home, well, they draw pictures of fictitious musicians of course!

'Cancion' Izzy Cooper & Robin Hill and 'Les Filles De Cadiz'

UPDATE:

We are all very pleased with this wonderful CD review:



'Cancion' is now available on CD Baby and on iTunes and all other major digital distribution stores.

Whilst you can hear snippets of each track we thought you may like to hear one piece in its entirety.

The piece we have chosen is track 13, 'Les Filles De Cadiz' by Leo Delibes and is the first piece on the music player in the sidebar.

'Les Filles De Cadiz' is basically a bolero rhythm which Robin has arranged in a typically flamenco idiom, and the lyrics are rather flirtatious and coquettish, for example:

'Tell me, neighbour, if I look good and my skirt is becoming this morning do you find my waist slender? The girls of Cadiz rather like to hear that.'

This suited Izzy very well.
In one review of the concert Izzy was described as a 'minx' 'mischievous, friendly, charming', all ideal qualities for 'Les Filles De Cadiz' and which can be heard in her lively and vibrant performance.
You can read the whole review by Jack Troughton here: 'Classic classical cocktail'.

One of the things I love about this recording is the energy and powerful synergy between the two musicians. You really can sense that both Robin and Izzy are truly inside the music.
In fact, make sure you listen right to the end as there is a spontaneous, and unrehearsed exclamation which was left in as it really captured the mood of the session.

The combination of voice and guitar captures the quintessence of the music, a point highlighted by Jack Troughton in his review:

'The highlights of the show were when Izzy and Robin strip the sound down to a very simplistic voice and guitar. The filigree of the instrument’s notes holding secure the jewel of the vocal, it was basic but breathtaking.'

A second review, by Nikki Luxford, 'The perfect goodbye', opens with:

"Outstanding and incredibly hypnotic...describe the polished performance given by Izzy and Robin Hill..."


You can read the rest of the article here:



And here's another review, just in:



We have been delighted with the reception of the 'Cancion' CD so far and hope that you will enjoy listening to it as much as Robin and Izzy enjoyed recording it.

Arrival in New York and a Baby Moonwalk

There has been a frustratingly small amount of communication from Robin over the last few days.
By now he will have performed his final concert on the QM2 and later today will be arriving in New York.
At least I shall then be able to speak to him and find out a few more details.

I do know that his first concert went very well and he was delighted with the response from both the audience and also fellow musicians.
Nicola Loud, winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year at the age of 15, and the Tenor, Preston Coe, were also on the QM2, and most enthusiastic about the performance.

Likewise, Robin thoroughly enjoyed their concerts and also enjoyed having the opportunity to 'talk music'.

Now for the 'Baby Moonwalk'.
Well, this is connected with a post earlier in the week about the marketing strategies that are now an essential part of promoting your product.
And it is a rather funny example from Evian and their 'Live Young' campaign.
The outcome is somewhat given away in the title but it is still worth watching.
The interesting thing about this campaign is that the rest is unknown.
The only brief I have at this stage is, "They're small, they're incredible...and they're back on July 3rd."

So who knows what the next stage will be.
I'm hoping for a baby playing playing Rodrigo's, 'Concierto de Aranjuez', with a whole baby orchestra.
Or even a 'baby' soloist playing a fast and exuberant flamenco style piece such as Malaguena.
But we will have to wait and see.
I'll keep you posted.
Enjoy the Baby Moonwalk!

Track 4 - 'Arrival' - Mario Gangi

Track 4 on 'Arrival' was composed by the Italian Mario Gangi.

'Suite Spagnola' was composed in 1948 and is in three movements.
1. Andalusa
11. Fandango
111. Sevillana

This is a fantastic piece of music which I have heard performed by Hill/Wiltschinsky many times.
The opening, with it's precision playing by both performers, is perfectly synchronised and always impresses.
As the piece develops it's flamenco roots become ever more apparent and it becomes increasingly difficult to keep one's feet still!
In this recording Robin made slight adjustments to the original score to ensure both players had equally important roles, he also duplicated certain passages in octaves to strengthen the impact.

After hearing this recording of Hill/Wiltschinsky playing 'Suite Spagnola' Mario Gangi was inspired to compose one of his best known works for guitar duo, with Hill/Wiltschinsky as the dedicatees, the 'Suite Italiana'. You can read more about that here.

However, only the first part of the first movement of 'Suite Spagnola' can be heard, unless of course you buy it!
A few years ago I was lucky enough to meet Maestro Gangi, whilst in Bari, Italy, with the Hill/Wiltschinsky Duo.
We spent a very pleasant evening together and he took great delight in teaching me how to eat spaghetti like an Italian!
So have a listen to 'Suite Spagnola' and enjoy.

Leo Brouwer's 'Danza del Altiplano' - Robin Hill

Leo Brouwer is a Cuban guitarist/composer/conductor who started playing the guitar at the age of 13, giving his first performance at 17.
He was initially drawn to the guitar by flamenco music and encouraged by his father, a doctor, and amateur guitarist.

'Danza del Altiplano' is the only solo piece of music on Robin Hill's Eklectica, and is track number 11.
It is an atmospheric arrangement of a Peruvian folk song, and the late Peter Sensier, the BBC Radio 3 presenter said of it:

"To me it embodies all the best aspects of guitar playing, it's authoritative, musicianly, it's stamped with the personality of the soloist and is full of the sheer joy of playing music on the guitar."

There's no doubt it is a beautiful piece of music.
Robin frequently performs this piece, and consequently I often hear him rehearsing it pre concert.
It never fails to make me stop whatever I am doing to listen.
Think the Andes.
Soaring condors.
Enjoy.

Track 1: Malaguena and 'Classical Star'

So, here we have the first in the series of liner notes for 'Virtuoso'.
The track is 'Malaguena'.

The word Malaguena can mean many things, literally it's meaning is 'A woman living in the Spanish port city of Malaga'.
However, it is also commonly used in the music world as being 'a traditional flamenco song of Malaga'.

In this case, Malaguena is a traditional, fast and exuberant flamenco style piece, which has evolved from the sevillana and the fandango.
Originally Malaguenas were sung and played at high speed, with rhythmic patterns in 6/8 time, to accompany dance.

However, towards the end of the 19th Century the Malaguena developed further incorporating more from 'real' flamenco.
The music was slowed down, and the melody enriched with flourishes and ornaments, as the number of performers was reduced to a single guitar.

Virtuoso techniques were gradually incorporated, such as the rapid arpeggio, scales and the tremolo, which then created a much more varied palette.

Whilst the Malaguena had always derived from local fandangos, with regional variations, it was the guitar that allowed for the independence of the malaguena from the fandango, due to the changes in character of the playing with solo guitar and an ability to produce a sharper and richer sound.

For this recording, Robin decided to start the CD with Malaguena as the idea was to market to a wide range of audience, and this particular piece is always popular in concert. Most people instantly recognise the main theme, and it's always good to start with something very exciting and , at the same time, familiar!
The main theme is stated in the bass which is then followed by a rapid variation section and the theme is then repeated with an accompanying tremelo in the treble. The piece then modulates from E major to C major maintaining the tremelo. A slow expressive section in C major ensues..this section being reminiscent of the canto libre style....a rapid scale flourish re-introduces the main theme and the first section is then repeated.
So I hope that you enjoy it!

On another subject, yes, we did watch 'Classical Star' last night, and I did make it through the whole day without finding out who had won!
It was exciting to watch and nerve wracking waiting to hear the final results.
At the risk of sounding too politically correct, I do think they all did very well.
The stress of performing a concerto is something most people will never experience. There's a huge pressure to get it right and the thrill of an orchestra playing behind you is incredible.

Sophie did very well with an incredibly difficult piece, and it will be interesting to see how her career develops now that she has won the competition.

Karen took the bassoon onto another level. Whatever the outcome of the competition, she has done herself and her chosen instrument an huge favour. I'm sure we will be hearing more of her in the future.

Ian, well, I'm not surprised that he didn't win, but he was up against some very strong competition.
He also has youth on his side and I feel that he can, and will, improve his interpretive skills as he matures. As I have already said, technically he is very good, but he needs to learn to add more soul and emotion. Even in the brief clips we saw and heard on the programme his improvement was evident.

'Concierto de Aranjuez' is a formidable piece for any guitarist to undertake. It is deceptively difficult throughout all three movements.
I always remember watching a video of Julian Bream performing the piece and he can clearly be seen to mouth the words, "It's a bugger", to the conductor!

From personal experience, Robin first performed the concerto with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, with the conductor, Carl Davis. He had a couple of months to prepare the piece and practised it so much that our young son used to sing the main theme in his cot as he went to sleep!
No guitarist takes this piece for granted and we discussed it with Paco Pena, who was on the same programme.
Robin asked him if he would contemplate recording it, as Paco de Lucia had just recorded and performed it, and Paco's reply was that he may do one day but would need at least a year to prepare.

So, it was a very brave move to play this piece, however an understandable one. It is by far, and quite desevedly, the most well known classical guitar concerto.

'Star' quality also incorporates an artists ability to communicate with the audience, and Ian certainly seemed able to do that. His comments about tuning the guitar could have come from an 'old' pro!

So to sum up, Ian did very well given his age and I'm sure we will hear more of him as he develops as a person and as a player.
As for the programme itself, well, the classical music world is full of competitions, and all the stresses, strains and tears that go along with them.
At least on this occasion the criticisms were always constructive and delivered in a positive way, and I'm sure that all the participants have therefore benefited from the experience.
Also, the exposure of classical music on mainstream T.V. can only be a good thing. If there's another series, it would be nice to hear longer extracts, or even whole performances, so that those of us at home can evaluate each student, rather than basing our decisions on edited highlights.

Entry of the Gladiators

Well last night the audience were blown away.
Metaphorically speaking that is...
The charity concert in a marquee went really well and even the weather held out.
In fact it was a rather pleasant summer's evening over in Yorkshire - unlike Lancashire - don't tell them though.

If I were to say, 'Entry of the Gladiators', to you would you be able to guess where we have been this afternoon?
Another clue, this piece is also known as 'Entrance of the Gladiators' and 'Thunder and Blazes'.
Got it yet?
How about the fact that it was composed by the Czech composer and conductor of military bands, Julius Fucik.

If you haven't got it yet you will with this clue.
Clowns.
Yes, 'Entry of the Gladiators' is universally recognised as the theme tune of clowns and the circus.

We have been to the circus and a great time was had by all.
Except that Robin does find it difficult to cope, whenever he finds himself amongst an audience that all clap along to encourage the artist, on 1 and 3.
He stands his ground, and takes a stance, by clapping on 2 and 4, which results in an 'alternate clapping' more frequently heard in flamenco.
The clowns didn't seem to be bothered.
Son number two didn't notice.
Son number one just laughed - he's used to it...