255:
The four string quartets were recorded by the
Villiers Quartet in 2013-14. They show a stylist journey from the pre-classical and folk-song models of the first two (only Number 1 was performed during the composer's lifetime and was premiered in 1948), to the "without key" polytonality of the second
83:. Both his father and grandfather were solicitors in a long-established London firm, and he had been intended for the law. He studied music at Oxford under Ernest Walker, Sir Hugh Allen and others (ancestor Peter Still had acted for George III), and then spent two years at the
235:
Operatic
Society, for which he was the conductor while still teaching at Eton. His compositions came to include many other songs, four symphonies, violin and piano concertos, four string quartets and other chamber music, three piano sonatas and an opera.
823:
203:
was published by The
American Imago Society. Still presented a radio broadcast for the BBC on this subject in 1964. He also sat on a selection board for Berkshire Education Authority and advised prospective students over a period of 15 years.
243:
recorded a number of his chamber works, including the
Quintet for three flutes, violin & cello and the Viola Sonata No 2. His Third Symphony (1960) was submitted to the University of Oxford in 1963, after being championed by
584:(Brighton, UK: Sussex Academic Press, 2006), p. 51. "A little-known composer, Robert Still, asked me to copy his music, which in due course led to recording a choral work of his for Decca and to conduct his
279:'s poem 'A Summer Night'). A number of earlier recordings from the 1960s and 1970s were revived for his centenary in 2010. The "fearsomely difficult" Violin Concerto was revived on 18 May 2013 in
110:
After Oxford, Still returned to Eton to teach music, moving on in 1938 to become conductor and arranger of the Ballet Trois Arts, a travelling company. Having refused a commission, he spent the
951:
966:
961:
231:
Still's composition remained predominantly tonal, but with strong use of dissonance. Early in his career he wrote songs and a since-lost light opera for the
916:
886:
753:
199:
lay psychoanalyst. This interest led him to form the London Imago
Society in 1956, along with Adrian Stokes. An article by Still on the psychology of
921:
911:
956:
946:
72:, where he graduated in History and French, and then in music. He had a younger brother who died aged 16 and a sister who emigrated to Australia.
252:. Goossens recorded the Symphony in 1966. The single movement Symphony No 4 was composed in 1964 and also recorded, conducted by Myer Fredman.
207:
Still died of a heart attack on 13 January 1971, having just been elected to the
Executive Committee of the Composer's Guild. In an obituary,
901:
891:
906:
971:
896:
639:
931:
165:
close to his house. Describing a tale explaining the name and sign of the pub, the composition's debut performance was at the
926:
176:
Much of his time in later life was spent giving free advice and lessons to students. His local friends included the composer
40:, who made strong use of dissonance. He produced four symphonies and four string quartets. As a songwriter he set words by
267:
Following his death in 1971 his work was neglected. The BBC broadcast his
Concerto for String Orchestra in 1979 and his
764:
173:
described it as "duly bucolic" with "pleasant tunes", but said that it failed to send a "shiver down the spine."
100:
80:
60:
Still was born in London on 10 June 1910 into a family with a strong interest in music. He was a descendant of
20:
177:
742:
612:
245:
138:
137:. There he devoted himself to composition, working from a studio hut in the garden. Visitors there included
122:
travelling orchestra, which he conducted. He married
Elizabeth Westman in 1944 and they had four daughters.
69:
185:
84:
542:
838:
941:
936:
863:
220:
49:
775:
588:
at the Royal
Festival Hall followed by a recording of the same work for the Lyrita Record Edition."
446:
166:
27:
557:
232:
189:
812:
801:
705:
671:
240:
170:
162:
75:
At school and at university Still developed a lifelong interest in racquet sports, including
858:
111:
249:
119:
790:
853:
691:
456:
436:
276:
223:; he was also a symphonist, in a conservative vein." His widow Elizabeth died in 2008.
150:
880:
647:
506:
486:
476:
200:
196:
142:
96:
577:
181:
154:
146:
92:
88:
65:
496:
104:
76:
37:
839:
British Music
Society Records: Section V, Robert Still Archive Vol. 2 (1948-95)
870:
466:
261:
216:
212:
134:
130:
61:
45:
41:
115:
126:
211:
wrote of him as "a song writer of genuine lyrical impulse set words by
36:(10 June 1910 – 13 January 1971) was a wide-ranging English composer of
280:
275:, originally written for the Newbury Choral Society, is a setting of
257:
837:
The contents of a folder of British Music Society records of Still:
264:, and of Hans Keller, whose advice Still sought out at this period.
873:, Efi Christodoulou, Ealing Symphony Orchestra, cond. John Gibbons
526:
516:
669:
Bayliss, Stanley (December 1957). "Opera and Concert Notices".
582:
Maestro: Conductor or Metro-Gnome. Reflections from the Rostrum
859:
A biographical account by the composer's wife, Elizabeth Still
103:(modern harmony and counterpoint) and later in life under
256:
two, which date from the 1960s and show the influence of
864:
Robert Still archive, British Music Society catalogue
188:, the harpsichordist Michael Thomas (1922-1997) and
195:As well as music, Still also considered becoming a
192:Choral Society conductor and pianist John Russell.
689:Robert Still, "Gustav Mahler and Psychoanalysis,"
397:Trio in A for clarinet, violin and piano (fp 1964)
64:, bishop of Bath and Wells. Still was educated at
26:Not to be confused with African-American composer
286:An archive is held by the British Music Society.
271:for baritone, chorus and orchestra in 1990. (The
133:, Berkshire, where he lived at Bucklebury Lodge,
824:Ealing Symphony Orchestra premiere, reviewed at
791:Clark, Edward. Notes to Naxos CD 8 571353 (2015)
679:(1378). London: Musical Times Publications: 682.
640:"Broadcast Performances of Robert Still's Music"
607:
605:
341:) for baritone, chorus and orchestra (1963-4)
8:
248:, the conductor. This earned him an Oxford
99:. He also studied under Wilfred Dunwell at
394:Trio in D minor for flute, cello and piano
391:Quintet for three flutes, violin and cello
373:String Quartet No 4, "without key" (1960s)
370:String Quartet No 3, "without key" (1960s)
161:, an orchestral overture inspired by the
611:Still, Elizabeth. Biographical note to
952:20th-century British conductors (music)
601:
570:
169:on 23 October 1957. Stanley Bayliss of
967:British Army personnel of World War II
416:Piano Sonata No 1 in B major (fp 1969)
157:. While at Bucklebury Still composed
720:, Vol. 112, Issues 1535–1546, p. 272.
364:String Quartet No 1 in A minor (1948)
7:
854:Still's setting of the Lord's Prayer
962:20th-century English male musicians
708:', BBC Third Programme, 29 Feb 1964
184:'s only pupil), painter and critic
125:After the war, the couple moved to
114:first manning a searchlight in the
765:Reviewed at MusicWeb International
14:
917:Alumni of Trinity College, Oxford
887:20th-century classical composers
731:British Music Society Newsletter
533:The sea hath many thousand sands
422:Piano Sonata No 3 in C (fp 1971)
354:, libretto Adrian Stokes (1950s)
922:People educated at Eton College
912:English male conductors (music)
871:Violin Concerto, third movement
318:Symphony No 4 (Sinfonia) (1964)
312:Symphony No 3 in C major (1960)
159:The Ballad of the Bladebone Inn
957:20th-century English composers
947:Military personnel from London
802:18 September 1979, BBC Radio 3
549:Upon Julia's Clothes (Herrick)
367:String Quartet No 2 in D major
1:
706:Mahler and his Tenth Symphony
304:The Ballad of Bladebourne Inn
902:English male opera composers
483:Shall I, wasting in despair?
419:Piano Sonata No 2 in G major
892:English classical composers
743:Reissued by Ismeron Records
315:Concerto for Strings (1964)
129:, Hampshire and in 1949 to
988:
907:English conductors (music)
554:When I am dead, my dearest
25:
18:
972:Royal Artillery personnel
729:Musto, Graham, obituary,
626:British Composer Profiles
300:Symphony No 1 in C (1954)
813:4 July 1990, BBC Radio 3
644:Robert Still - 1910–1971
388:Piano Quintet in F major
101:Trinity College of Music
81:university sporting blue
21:Robert Still (cricketer)
897:English opera composers
695:, XVII/'3 (Fall, 1960).
493:Song of Pain and Beauty
376:Cello Sonata in D minor
70:Trinity College, Oxford
19:For the cricketer, see
932:People from Bucklebury
754:Saga STXID 5256 (1966)
638:Musto, Graham (2004).
628:(3rd ed., 2012) p. 195
503:The Song of the Sirens
321:Violin Concerto (1969)
85:Royal College of Music
927:Composers from London
324:Piano Concerto (1970)
733:, No 117, March 2008
309:Symphony No 2 (1956)
79:, in which he won a
523:Sunset on the Morea
447:Chidiock Tichbourne
246:Sir Eugene Goossens
167:Royal Festival Hall
139:Sir Eugene Goossens
28:William Grant Still
650:on 2 February 2009
613:Ismeron CD JMSCD 8
443:Awaiting Execution
250:doctorate in music
239:In the mid-1950s,
118:and then with the
718:The Musical Times
672:The Musical Times
403:Viola Sonata No 2
400:Viola Sonata No 2
306:, overture (1956)
209:The Musical Times
171:The Musical Times
95:and the organist
979:
841:
835:
829:
826:Classical Source
821:
815:
810:
804:
799:
793:
788:
782:
773:
767:
762:
756:
751:
745:
740:
734:
727:
721:
715:
709:
702:
696:
687:
681:
680:
666:
660:
659:
657:
655:
646:. Archived from
635:
629:
622:
616:
609:
589:
575:
473:Ode to a Skylark
379:Clarinet Quintet
112:Second World War
16:English composer
987:
986:
982:
981:
980:
978:
977:
976:
877:
876:
850:
845:
844:
836:
832:
822:
818:
811:
807:
800:
796:
789:
785:
774:
770:
763:
759:
752:
748:
741:
737:
728:
724:
716:
712:
703:
699:
688:
684:
668:
667:
663:
653:
651:
637:
636:
632:
624:Leach, Gerald.
623:
619:
610:
603:
598:
593:
592:
576:
572:
567:
429:
413:
361:
348:
331:
297:
292:
229:
120:Royal Artillery
58:
31:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
985:
983:
975:
974:
969:
964:
959:
954:
949:
944:
939:
934:
929:
924:
919:
914:
909:
904:
899:
894:
889:
879:
878:
875:
874:
867:
866:
861:
856:
849:
848:External links
846:
843:
842:
830:
816:
805:
794:
783:
780:, January 2015
768:
757:
746:
735:
722:
710:
697:
692:American Imago
682:
661:
630:
617:
600:
599:
597:
594:
591:
590:
586:Third Symphony
569:
568:
566:
563:
562:
561:
551:
546:
536:
530:
520:
510:
500:
490:
480:
470:
463:The Kingfisher
460:
453:Beauty Bathing
450:
440:
428:
425:
424:
423:
420:
417:
412:
409:
408:
407:
404:
401:
398:
395:
392:
389:
386:
383:
380:
377:
374:
371:
368:
365:
360:
357:
356:
355:
347:
344:
343:
342:
330:
327:
326:
325:
322:
319:
316:
313:
310:
307:
301:
296:
293:
291:
290:Selected works
288:
277:Matthew Arnold
228:
225:
151:Heather Harper
68:(1923–29) and
57:
54:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
984:
973:
970:
968:
965:
963:
960:
958:
955:
953:
950:
948:
945:
943:
940:
938:
935:
933:
930:
928:
925:
923:
920:
918:
915:
913:
910:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
884:
882:
872:
869:
868:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
851:
847:
840:
834:
831:
828:
827:
820:
817:
814:
809:
806:
803:
798:
795:
792:
787:
784:
781:
779:
772:
769:
766:
761:
758:
755:
750:
747:
744:
739:
736:
732:
726:
723:
719:
714:
711:
707:
701:
698:
694:
693:
686:
683:
678:
674:
673:
665:
662:
649:
645:
641:
634:
631:
627:
621:
618:
614:
608:
606:
602:
595:
587:
583:
579:
574:
571:
564:
559:
555:
552:
550:
547:
544:
540:
537:
534:
531:
528:
524:
521:
518:
514:
511:
508:
507:Thomas Browne
504:
501:
498:
494:
491:
488:
487:George Wither
484:
481:
478:
474:
471:
468:
464:
461:
458:
454:
451:
448:
444:
441:
438:
434:
431:
430:
426:
421:
418:
415:
414:
410:
406:Violin Sonata
405:
402:
399:
396:
393:
390:
387:
385:Oboe Sonatina
384:
381:
378:
375:
372:
369:
366:
363:
362:
359:Chamber music
358:
353:
350:
349:
345:
340:
336:
333:
332:
328:
323:
320:
317:
314:
311:
308:
305:
302:
299:
298:
294:
289:
287:
284:
282:
278:
274:
270:
265:
263:
259:
253:
251:
247:
242:
237:
234:
226:
224:
222:
218:
214:
210:
205:
202:
201:Gustav Mahler
198:
193:
191:
187:
186:Adrian Stokes
183:
179:
178:Anthony Scott
174:
172:
168:
164:
160:
156:
152:
148:
144:
143:Edmund Rubbra
140:
136:
132:
128:
123:
121:
117:
113:
108:
106:
102:
98:
97:Basil Allchin
94:
90:
86:
82:
78:
73:
71:
67:
63:
55:
53:
51:
47:
43:
39:
35:
29:
22:
833:
825:
819:
808:
797:
786:
777:
771:
760:
749:
738:
730:
725:
717:
713:
700:
690:
685:
676:
670:
664:
652:. Retrieved
648:the original
643:
633:
625:
620:
585:
581:
578:Myer Fredman
573:
553:
548:
538:
532:
522:
512:
502:
492:
482:
472:
462:
452:
442:
432:
382:Oboe Quartet
351:
338:
334:
303:
285:
272:
268:
266:
254:
241:Argo Records
238:
230:
208:
206:
194:
180:(1911-2000,
175:
158:
155:Myer Fredman
147:Deryck Cooke
124:
109:
93:Gordon Jacob
89:C. H. Kitson
74:
66:Eton College
59:
34:Robert Still
33:
32:
942:1971 deaths
937:1910 births
558:C. Rossetti
105:Hans Keller
77:real tennis
38:tonal music
881:Categories
778:Gramophone
596:References
467:W H Davies
295:Orchestral
283:, London.
262:Schoenberg
135:Chapel Row
131:Bucklebury
62:John Still
437:Masefield
116:Cotswolds
776:Review,
654:25 April
539:To Julia
197:Freudian
127:Ampfield
543:Herrick
535:(Anon.)
477:Shelley
352:Oedipus
233:Windsor
221:Shelley
190:Newbury
50:Shelley
615:(2006)
513:Sonnet
497:Gurney
457:Munday
433:August
339:Elegie
337:(also
329:Choral
281:Ealing
273:Elegie
269:Elegie
258:Bartok
87:under
565:Notes
527:Byron
517:Keats
427:Songs
411:Piano
346:Opera
335:Elegy
227:Music
217:Keats
213:Byron
182:Finzi
46:Keats
42:Byron
656:2010
260:and
219:and
153:and
56:Life
48:and
163:pub
883::
677:98
675:.
642:.
604:^
580::
215:,
149:,
145:,
141:,
107:.
91:,
52:.
44:,
704:'
658:.
560:)
556:(
545:)
541:(
529:)
525:(
519:)
515:(
509:)
505:(
499:)
495:(
489:)
485:(
479:)
475:(
469:)
465:(
459:)
455:(
449:)
445:(
439:)
435:(
30:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.