User:Robertstill

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Robert Still (1910 - 1971)

The English composer Robert Still was born in London on 10th June 1910. He was a direct descendent of Elizabethan Bishop John Still, the author of the farce "Gammer Gurton's Needle", and Peter Still, solicitor to George III.

He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Oxford where he gained the degrees of BMus and MA. He studied under C.H.Kitson, Basil Allchin and Gordon Jacob. Later in life he studied with Hans Keller. At Eton and Oxford he developed an interest in racquet games, becoming an Oxford Blue and in later life playing Real Tennis for the MCC.

After Oxford he returned to Eton to teach music, leaving there in 1938 to become conductor and arranger of the Ballet Trois Arts, a travelling company. By this time he had written a few songs and a light opera, "Love and Learning", for the Windsor Operatic Society. He had been their conductor whilst teaching at Eton.

The War years were spent: first manning a searchlight in the Cotswolds and then with the Royal Artillery travelling orchestra, which he conducted. His musical talks to the troops led him to meet his future wife. He married in 1944.

After the War the couple moved to Hampshire and in 1949 to Bucklebury in Berkshire. He now devoted his full time to composition, although he had contemplated becoming Freudian lay psychoanalyst. However he kept this interest and formed the London Imago Society in 1956, along with his friend, painter Adrian Stokes. Still's article on Mahler was published by The American Imago Society and he also wrote psychoanalytical articles on music and painting.

Still's 3rd Symphony was submitted to Oxford University in 1963, after being championed by Sir Eugene Goossens. As a result, he was awarded an Oxford DMus.

During this time his family had grown to four daughters and he had spent much of his time giving free advice and lessons to students. His friends included John Russell, Deryk Cooke, Anthony Scott, Adrian Stokes, Michael Thomas, Sir Eugene Goossen and Myer Fredman.

Still's compositions include: songs, four symphonies, a piano concerto, a violin concerto, instrumental & chamber works, orchestral works and motets. Details can be found on www.robertstill.co.uk. He remained predominently tonal, using dissonance to great effect.

Robert Still died suddenly of a heart attack on 13th January 1971. He was well liked by his friends and students, speaking out against elitist attitudes. Just before his death he had been elected a member of the Executive Commmittee of the Composer's Guild.