Antonio Soler (1729-1783)
Soler was a remarkable and a prolific composer, having produced more than 500 musical works, including 150 keyboard sonatas.
A highly inventive, optimistic and adventurous composer, his music is perfect for the guitar, yet rarely recorded.
Hill and Wiltschinsky have arranged all the sonatas on this album to give a small insight into the wonderful music of Antonio Soler.
HILL/WILTSCHINSKY GUITAR DUO
Robin Hill and Peter Wiltschinsky gave their first public recital together in 1973 and have played as a permanent duo ever since, performing extensively worldwide. Through their numerous recordings (over 45 CDs to date), television and radio broadcasts and foreign tours they have established themselves as one of the finest duos in the world.
It was whilst Robin was studying at Huddersfield College of Music that he met Peter Wiltschinsky and their partnership was formed.
As well as their duo performances they have collaborated with many fine orchestras such as, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the BBC Concert Orchestra (under Barry Wordsworth), the Irish National Symphony Orchestra and the Caracus Symphony Orchestra.
Robin Hill, as a soloist, has also performed Rodrigo’s famous ‘Concierto de Aranjuez” with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, with Carl Davis conducting, (to an audience of 3500), and, in 1997, this same orchestra premiered his own composition ‘Concerto Primavera’, a concerto for guitar and marimba.
Robin and Peter have also recorded and played in concert with soprano, Lesley Garrett and Robin has performed with such diverse artists as Luciano Pavarotti, Russell Watson, Atarah Ben Tovim and American soprano, Denise Greaves, at the 2003 Proms at the Royal Albert Hall. He has also played with rock bands Jethro Tull and Deep Purple and toured extensively worldwide with American jazz/soul singer, Madeline Bell!
Robin also teaches classical guitar at Leeds University and, for aspiring guitarists, he has written the substantial and highly-acclaimed book, ‘The Guitar Gymnasium’, published by Mel Bay, which is used in conservatories throughout the world.
‘Then the stars came out. Robin Hill and Peter Wiltschinsky are mind-blowing, brain-bogglingly good. You know how good someone is when they make reaching the pinnacle of polished perfection look so effortless. I’ve heard that 3,500 people once gave this pair a standing ovation in Rome. The audience in Conisborough was pretty pleased too.’ Eileen Grey
‘Wonderful for their precision, touch and clarity of sound… refined virtuosity, the achievement of a long interpretive process.’ Il Giornale D’Italia (Rome)
‘There’s nothing they can’t play. The whole evening constituted a breath of stimulating fresh air in a scene where so many duos simply lack the technical equipment to make it to the big time. From Robin Hill and Peter Wiltschinsky anything is possible.’ Colin Cooper ‘Classical Guitar’ Magazine
‘I loved your CD, and thought your technique and performance were fabulous.’ Rick Wakeman
Photography: Jonathan Keenan
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