Robert Hugill (born 1955) is a British composer, journalist, lecturer and blogger. He runs classical music blog "Planet Hugill".

Opera

''The Genesis of Frankenstein'' (setting a libretto by the composer based on

Mary Shelley Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley ( , ; ; 30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel ''Frankenstein, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' (1818), which is considered an History of science fiction# ...

Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a Sapience, sapient Frankenstein's monster, crea ...

) was premiered by the Helios Collective at the CLF Art Cafe, Peckham on 28 October 2015, directed by Ella Marchment, choreography by Sarah-Louise Kristiansen, musical director Noah Mosley. ''When a Man Knows'' (setting a libretto by the composer based o
Alan Richardson
s play of the same name) was premiered at the Bridewell Theatre, London on 31 March 2011 The production was directed by Ian Caddy and musical director was David Roblou, Dario Dugandzic was the Man and Zoe South the woman.

Other compositions

''Three pieces from the Book of Common Prayer'' for viola and piano was premiered by Rosalind Ventris (viola) and James Willshire (piano) at Cheltenham Cheltenham Contemporary Concerts in

Dean Close School Dean Close School is a co-educational private boarding and day school (for pupils aged 3–18) in the public school tradition, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. The school opened in 1886 and is divided into pre-prep, prepa ...

, Cheltenham on 11 Feb 2018. The motet ''Dominus Illuminatio mea'' was premiered on 8 December 2016 at Priory Church of the Order of St John, St John's Square, Clerkenwell Road, London, EC1V 4JJ, by London Concord Singers, conducto
Jessica Norton
as part of the choir's 50th-anniversary concert. The cycle of 70 motets for the church's year, ''Tempus per Annum'', is available for free download fro
www.cpdl.org
The pair of cantatas ''Out of the Shadows'' and ''Et expecto resurrectionem'' were premiered on 3 February 2023 at Hyde Street Methodist Church in London
Chapelle du roi
conductor Alistair Dixon, premiered the motet ''Videte Miraculum'' at

St John's Smith Square Smith Square Hall (formerly St John's Smith Square) is a concert hall in the centre of Smith Square, Westminster, London. Its name was changed by its current operator, Sinfonia Smith Square, in 2024. Originally a church, this Grade I listed ...

on 19 December 2009.

Recordings

The disc ''Quickening: Songs by Robert Hugill to English and Welsh poets'', released in September 2017 on the Navona Records label features Robert Hugill's settings of poems by

Rowan Williams Rowan Douglas Williams, Baron Williams of Oystermouth (born 14 June 1950) is a Welsh Anglican bishop, theologian and poet, who served as the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 to 2012. Previously the Bishop of Monmouth and Archbishop of W ...

Ivor Gurney Ivor Bertie Gurney (28 August 1890 – 26 December 1937) was an English poet and composer, particularly of songs. He was born and raised in Gloucester. He suffered from bipolar disorder through much of his life and spent his last 15 years in psy ...

A. E. Housman Alfred Edward Housman (; 26 March 1859 – 30 April 1936) was an English classics, classical scholar and poet. He showed early promise as a student at the University of Oxford, but he failed his final examination in ''literae humaniores'' and t ...

and

Christina Rossetti Christina Georgina Rossetti (5 December 1830 – 29 December 1894) was an English writer of romanticism, romantic, devotional and children's poems, including "Goblin Market" and "Remember". She also wrote the words of two Christmas carols well k ...

performed by Anna Huntley (mezzo-soprano), Johnny Herford (baritone), Rosalind Ventris (viola) and Will Vann (piano). In reviewing the disc fo
Music-Web International
Rob Barnet referred to Hugill's 'candid gift for gracious melody' Robert Hugill's songs also feature on the disc ''Sappho, Shropshire and Supertramp'', released in January 2018 on the Divine Art label. The disc features songs by English composers associated with the English Poetry and Song Society performed by

Sarah Leonard (singer) Sarah Jane Leonard, (10 April 1953 – 31 October 2024) was an English classical soprano, known for her performances of contemporary classical music by composers such as Helmut Lachenmann, Harrison Birtwistle, Pierre Boulez and Michael Nyman. Bi ...

(mezzo-soprano), Johnny Herford (baritone) and Nigel Foster (piano). Robert Hugill's songs on the disc include settings of

Hart Crane Harold Hart Crane (July 21, 1899 – April 27, 1932) was an American poet. Inspired by the Romantics and his fellow Modernists, Crane wrote highly stylized poetry, often noted for its complexity. His collection '' White Buildings'' (1926), feat ...

and

Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...

. Robert Hugill's motet, ''Populos Sion'' features o
Harmonia Sacra
and conducto
Peter Leech
s disc ''Lux Memoriaque'' on the Nimbus Alliance label.

References

External links

Personal WebsitePlanet Hugill classical music blog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hugill, Robert 1955 births Living people British composers