Patrick Hawes's news

Lazarus recording begins

2012-01-17T02:43:00.001-08:00

Well, today we begin recording the Lazarus Requiem and I am so excited! It's seven years now since I completed the work, and finally we are beginning the process of getting it on to a CD. I am shortly to take the train from Edinburgh to Glasgow, and then it will be straight to the recording venue to meet up with Andrew Mellor (the excellent engineer from Floating Earth). Later in the afternoon, I plan to have an hour's session with the two soprano soloists - Elin Manahan Thomas and Rachael Lloyd - so that we are focused on the sort of sound we want. Becasue they sing mainly with the cathedral choir in the six tableaux, I don't want this to be too 'operatic' but more pure and ethereal. There is one three-hour session this evening during which we will record the big duet between Elin and Rachael - the Lux Aeterna. Tomorrow, Thomas Walker will take part in the sessions. He sang the role of Christ at the premiere and suits it so perfectly! It will be great to see him again. I am also really looking forward to meeting and working with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

New Year - New Ventures

2012-01-02T00:23:00.000-08:00

A very happy new year to all of my followers and friends! I'm feeling very optimistic about 2012, not only because the Lazarus Requiem is to be recorded at last - but also because I seem to be working at a high level of creativity. In particular, I want to produce more choral music, and there are already the seeds of ideas for new Christmas and Easter works. A Blue in Blue mark two is also on the cards. Two highlights of the year are going to be the performance of the Lazarus Requiem in Exeter Cathedral on March 17th and the UK premiere of my Te Deum in Rochester Cathedral on November 3rd.

Preparing to Record the Lazarus Requiem

2011-12-14T02:10:00.000-08:00

It's only a month now until we begin recording the Lazarus Requiem. This is an exciting time for me since it's seven years since I completed the work and three years since it was premiered at The Cadogan Hall. It has taken all this time to find a window of opportunity....

We have the Royal Scottish National Orchestra lined up to record in Glasgow. Then, because the Exeter Philharmonic Choir are preparing for a March performance and we have the cathedral choir to sing the tableaux, all the choral parts are being overdubbed in Exeter Cathedral in early February. Thomas Walker (who sang so brilliantly at the premiere) will sing the role of Christ with Elin Manahan Thomas as Mary and Rachael Lloyd as Martha. Albums will be available after the launch in Exeter Cathedral on March 17th.

Final Concert in Laura Wright Tour

2011-11-25T23:10:00.001-08:00

The last concert in my tour with Laura Wright takes place this evening at the city centre church in Peterborough - St. Johns. The Raven Quartet has been with us for the rest of the tour but, tonight, I'm delighted that the Toki Quartet are to appear. The concert starts at 7.45 pm. This is a neck of the woods that I can almost call home since its just a few miles from Bourne in Lincolnshire where my parents and brother have lived since the 1980's. It will be great to share this special occasion with friends and family.

Organ Recital in North Walsham

2011-10-13T00:51:00.000-07:00

On Saturday 22nd October, I'm giving an organ recital on the newly refurbished organ at St. Nicholas North Walsham. It's a beautiful building and a fantastic instrument. I hope to learn my Toccata in time! This was written for the organist Roger Sayer and he plays the piece so well on my album Song of Songs.

Rehearsal with Laura and The Raven Quartet

2011-09-15T09:45:00.000-07:00

Just finished my rehearsal with Laura and The Raven Quartet. We met at the Royal College of Music which brought back lots of memories. The last time I was there was to film for the Highrove Suite BBC programme with Claire Jones. The repertoire for the concert series sounds lovely - and we are all set now for the first performance in Lancaster Priory tomorrow!

Tour with Laura Wright Kicks Off!

2011-09-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited that my tour with the fabulous Laura Wright is about to begin. We start in Lancaster on Friday Night (16th) and then we visit Exeter, Norwich, Newcastle, Warwick, Bristol, Cardiff and Peterborough over the coming months. Laura's album has been a huge success - four weeks at number one.
http://www.patrickhawes.com/

An amazing premiere

2011-07-22T06:40:00.000-07:00

The premiere of my Te Deum took place in Lancaster, Ohio last night and received a tremendous standing ovation. I don't think I have ever been so moved by the warmth of the reception at a concert of my music. The Catholic Church of St. Mary was filled to capacity - an audience of just under a thousand. The Lancaster Chorale, the two soloists and the Festival Orchestra absolutely excelled themselves. Gary Sheldon conducted brilliantly. Thank you to all who performed on the night and the many generous people who made it happen.

Arrival in Lancaster, Ohio

2011-07-20T06:35:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Lancaster yesterday to a wonderfully warm reception. Last night the Lancaster Chorale rehearsed the Te Deum with piano ahead of the dress rehearsal with orchestra this evening. What a choir! Bob Trocchia has done the most fantastic job in preparing them - and Gary Sheldon (artistic director of the Festival) provided inspired direction. The magnificent Catholic Church of St Mary must seat almost a thousand, and the concert is a sell out for tomorrow night. I have to thank the Chorale board (particularly Susan Lantz) and Father Don Franks for their help and support.

Laura Wright

2011-06-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

I spent a few weeks in April working on seven new arrangements for Laura Wright's new album The Last Rose. This is due to be released late in July by Decca and I have just seen the album cover. It's really lovely and does real justice to Laura and her beautiful voice. Watch this space for more details over the next couple of weeks!

Te Deum Premiere

2011-03-02T07:57:00.000-08:00

I am delighted to say that my Te Deum has a premiere looming! Bob Trocchia and the Lancaster Chorale based in Ohio have performed quite a few of my pieces and have recently posted a beautiful rendition of Perfect Love on Youtube. They have now commissioned the Te Deum for premiere on July 21st this year at the opening concert of the Lancaster Festival. I am really excited about this and delighted that I will be there to hear the performance under the expert conducting of Gary Sheldon.

New Piece for Oboe and Harp

2011-01-18T01:23:00.000-08:00

I am sorry to any regular readers for the late arrival of a new blog. I had the dreaded flu virus just before Christmas and it's taken me ages to get over it properly. But I am back on course - and there are lots of exciting things happening in 2011. The first is a new piece for oboe and harp. It is just finished and is being rehearsed today by the oboist James Turnbull and my dear friend Claire Jones. They aim to premiere the piece on the 28th of this month at the Avon Valley Concerts

http://www.avonvalleyconcerts.com/concerts.html

The piece is called Earth Rise. It was James's idea and this is what he wrote to me about it:

The picture was taken by Apollo 8 in December 1968 and it was the first time humankind caught a glimpse of the planet from deep space. A while ago I read an amazing book about how the Apollo missions changed the way we view our existence and how it changed the astronauts and believe it is considered to be a highly significant moment, showing how fragile, and small the Earth actually is.

Talking about the Highgrove Suite

2010-11-18T04:16:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow (Friday) I'm going to Lincolnshire to talk about the Highgrove Suite at Edenham Regional House (my brother's vicarage). I'm really looking forward to it because the people who attend are such wonderful, grounded people and it's a real pleasure to share my experiences with them. And then on Sunday morning I am in Manchester to talk with Aled on his Good Morning Sunday show. He'll be playing bits of the Highgrove Suite.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wqvh/episodes/upcoming

Towards the Light

2010-10-25T00:53:00.000-07:00

Today sees the re-release of Towards the Light. This is the album I wrote for Classic FM during my time as resident composer. The new release is part of The Full Works Series and retails for around £6. It's great to know that it has a new life because a lot of people have been e mailing me about its lack of availabilty.

No 3 in the Classical Charts

2010-10-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

It was great to hear today that the Highgrove Suite CD is placed at No 3 in the Specialist Classical Charts. I'd like to thank everyone at Classic FM for their support - and also thanks to those who have bought the CD!

A new Organ Concerto?

2010-10-05T00:20:00.000-07:00

I spent yesterday in Rochester and met with my manager Paul and the cathedral organist Roger Sayer. It's Roger who plays the organ so magnificently on Song of Songs, and I'd love to write a new organ concerto for him. The cathedral itself is the perfect place with it's warm, bright and intimate nave and the mighty organ spanning the width of the chancel screen. If we can get a commissioner, this will be a major project for me in 2011.

BBC Look East

2010-09-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all those who’ve been in touch to say how much they enjoyed the BB2 Highgrove Documentary. And then - last night - there was a great piece on Look East about the Suite and the premiere. This media interest in the music has really helped to launch the CD sales! Finally people have got a chance to hear the full four movements rather than just snippets. If you do have a copy of the CD then I hope you enjoy....

Back from Greece

2010-09-25T00:52:00.000-07:00

I'm back from a marvellous two-week holiday in Crete and feel full of new ideas and creativity! It has been great to come back to so many positive comments about the BB2 Highgrove documentary. I have to congratulate the producer/director Charlie Clay on doing such a marvellous job. The visuals (and I hope the music!) are really beautiful. From Monday, the album of the Suite is CD of the Week on Classic FM and the pre sales on Amazon and on my own site are very encouraging.

New Website/Song of Songs live performance

2010-09-09T10:56:00.000-07:00

It's great to have my revised website up and running! The new layout makes it easier to navigate, and there is now more detail about the Highgrove Suite and also about live performances of Song of Songs. I love to support local amateur choirs so if you would like me to work with you towards a performance of Song of Songs, please click here.

Song of Songs at Marlborough

2010-07-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

Last night, there was a performance of Song of Songs in Marlborough Chapel as part of the Summer School Concert Series. The Raven Quartet appeared, along with Claire Jones and the wonderful soprano Natalie Clifton-Griffiths. The choir was the Avebury Vocal Ensemble. I took a rehearsal of the choir on Monday evening and was really impressed with their warmth of tone and enthusiasm. As well as Song of Songs they performed Quanta Qualia, Reflexionem and a couple of my anthems accompanied by Roger Sayer on the mighty chapel organ. There must have been 500 or so in the audience and they gave us a fantastic reception. It was great to meet many of them afterwards.

Highgrove Suite News

2010-07-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

It is now a month or so since the premiere of the Highgrove Suite. This took place in front of a private audience at Highgrove House and was without doubt the highlight of my career to date. The Philharmonia and Claire Jones played so beautifully and the setting was absolutely perfect. The day after the premiere we all transferred to the Henry Wood Hall in South London to make the recording. This too was a great success, and I am now in the middle of listening to all the edits before we do a final mix the week after next. The recording is to be released in the autumn on the Classic FM label. The build up to the premiere was filmed and is to form part of a BBC2 documentary about the Highgrove gardens. This too is expected to air in the autumn.

The Highgrove Suite

2010-04-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

I am delighted to announce that I have just completed The Highgrove Suite. There is still some orchestration to do but the four movements are all now in place. I wrote Goddess of the Woods for The Prince of Wales’ sixtieth birthday in November 2008. Now, this piece (inspired by The Stumpery of the Highgrove gardens) has been joined by The Wild Meadow, Sanctuary and The Gladiator. The premiere, which is to take place in June at Highgrove in front of a private audience, will be performed by the royal harpist Claire Jones and the string section of The Philharmonia. The occasion will be in aid of The Prince’s Foundation for Children and the Arts. A London premiere will take place later this year.

Premiere of new piece for Horn and Piano

2010-03-13T02:59:00.000-08:00

I am premiering a new piece this evening at a lovely church near Great Yarmouth. Martham church is one of those architectural jewels hidden away in an almost forgotten corner of England. Just a few miles from the coast, it stands strong and proud against the open skyline, and inside it is genuinely imposing yet thoroughly warm and welcoming. I am putting on a concert in aid of the church with my friend Linda Purdy. Linda plays the E flat horn beautifully and the instrument's mellow singing quality is just right to evoke the simple beauty of the Broadland area. The new piece is called Womack Water and we are playing it towards the end of the evening. Linda will play other ‘concert’ pieces and I am playing the Widor Toccata and some Handel on the organ.

‘After the Rain’ on A level Dance Syllabus

2010-02-15T08:44:00.000-08:00

I have had many enquiries from A level dance students about my piece After the Rain. This piece which features on the album Fair Albion appears on the A level syllabus as one of the choreography questions. For the interest of those who are taking the exam (and other readers of this news page, of course) I wrote After the Rain about five years ago while living in a boathouse on the River Thames at Maidenhead. It was inspired first by the gentle rain falling on the murky water, and then by the feeling of 'freshness' and the beautiful sweet smell once the rain had stopped.

I am delighted that so many young people are finding my music an inspiration for the medium of dance - and I wish you all every success with your A level.

New Commission for Lincoln Cathedral

2010-01-30T03:46:00.000-08:00

I am thrilled to have a written a new piece for the choir of Lincoln Cathedral. I was commissioned to write a special anthem for the visit of The Archbishop of Canterbury to mark the centenary of the death of Bishop Edward King. This is to take place on Saturday March 6th. Entry to the occasion is by ticket only.

My brother Andrew provided the text. My Dearest Wish is based on the last letters from Edward King to the people of his diocese and the recurrent theme is ‘My dearest wish - be Christ-like Christians’. We are thinking of developing the same text into a hymn, using the melodic material from the anthem. I am really looking forward to being present on the 6th March and hearing Lincoln’s wonderful choir premiere the anthem with accompaniment from the mighty Father Willis organ.

Classic FM Hall of Fame

2010-01-25T02:24:00.000-08:00

Classic FM's Hall of Fame is the biggest survey of its kind, asking people to vote for their three favourite pieces of Classical Music. I had the honour of being the highest new entry on two occasions, and my best known track Quanta Qualia did particularly well last year. It's well worth registering your three favourite Classical pieces and making your opinion count. Click here to visit the relevant page.

Ambassador for the Prince’s Foundation for Children and the Arts

2010-01-07T04:10:00.000-08:00

I am deeply honoured to have been asked to become an ambassador for The Prince’s Foundation for Children and the Arts. This charity carries out invaluable work in many areas of the arts - particularly music. Through the charity, I hope to reach out to underprivileged children and help them discover their creative abilities. I had the opportunity of witnessing one of the Foundation’s orchestral days last year which culminated in a concert at the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome. The atmosphere was electric, and I was reminded how much natural creative energy lies within young children. Somewhere out there are our future composers, poets, artists, architects and novelists, and it will be a great privilege and joy to be part of an organisation which aspires to discover them.

Filming of Eye to Eye

2009-12-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

Following the success of The Eye to Eye concert at The Cadogan Hall in September, a generous American patron arranged for my piece - along with The Holy City - to be recorded and filmed in the same venue in front of a private audience. This time I conducted, and it was a real joy to work with the English Chamber Orchestra and the highly talented young Palestinian soprano Dima Bawab. I will soon be able to post some of the film on my website - so watch this space.

Fair Albion made CD of the Week on Classic FM

2009-11-06T21:42:00.000-08:00

Last week, Fair Albion was Classic FM's CD of the Week. Every morning between 10 and 10.30, Simon Bates played a different track from the album, and there was a terrific response from the Classic FM listeners. It is always a strange but wonderful experience to hear your music being transmitted over the airwaves, and I consider it a great honour to have had two albums making it to CD of the Week during a six month period.

Standing Ovation in Douai Abbey

2009-10-23T15:11:00.001-07:00

The world premiere of Song of Songs in Douai Abbey was a huge success. The Cecilia Consort sang with real professionalism and it was wonderful for me to work once again with Patrick Craig and Tim Bennett, both of whom sang on the original recording of Blue in Blue. To hear my great friend Jan Coxwell sing the soprano solo in Song of Songs, though, was the highlight of the evening. She effortlessly managed the top C's and D's and gave real passion to her interpretation of my brother's words. The standing ovation and electric atmosphere made this an occasion I will never forget. I sincerely thank the audience for their warm response as well as all those who performed and were involved with the event's organisation.

Here I am pictured with Jan rehearsing Song of Songs. Many thanks to Harry Cruickshank for the photo.

Concert in Douai Abbey

2009-10-15T04:27:00.000-07:00

This coming Saturday I am conducting a concert of my music in Douai Abbey. This will be a special occasion for me for all sorts of reasons. My first teaching post was at Pangbourne College which is very near Douai. I coached a rugby team which played Douai School, and I used to visit the abbey many times for concerts and services. Just before I left Pangbourne, I played a Handel Organ Concerto on the newly restored (beautiful!) organ with a local orchestra. Being back there this coming weekend will evoke many happy memories.

I am also thrilled to be working with the Cecilia Consort. This excellent choir was formed by my dear friend Janet Coxwell and I have been involved in various projects with them over the years. Jan premiered my song cycle The Call with The English Chamber Orchestra in Lincoln Cathedral in June 1999, and it is Jan who appeared as soprano soloist on my debut album Blue in Blue. It will be a joy to hear her sing the Blue in Blue pieces and also Song of Songs. I am going to accompany her in three songs from The Call as well. Roger Sayer is playing the organ and my great friend Hugh Webb will be playing harp. I hope to see you there!

David Dane Exhibition

2009-10-09T04:09:00.000-07:00

As well as being a wonderful artist, David Dane is a neighbour and trusted friend. His paintings are quite magical and really do capture the spirit of the Norfolk Broads. I am delighted to be associated once again with his bi-annual exhibition at the Broads Wildlife Centre in Ranworth. The exhibition opens on 7th November and runs through to the 22nd November. On the three Sundays, I will be at the Wildlife Centre from 2.00 pm to talk about my music and perform some of my pieces on the piano. I will feature the Three Broadland Preludes which appear on my brand new album Fair Albion:Visions of England and also play pieces from Towards the Light. Signed copies of all of my albums will be on sale. Hope to see you there!

Interview with Aled

2009-10-08T11:36:00.000-07:00

On September 6th I was Aled Jones’s guest on his Radio 2 'Good Morning Sunday' programme. It was great fun and a real pleasure to meet Aled. I spoke about my album 'Song of Songs' and they have been playing tracks from the album on the show over the last couple of weeks. I also provided the 'moment of reflection'.

Premiere of Eye to Eye

2009-09-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

The world premiere of my latest piece ‘Eye to Eye’ took place at The Cadogan Hall a week ago - 16th September. The concert, in the presence of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, was in aid of St. John’s Eye Hospital in Jerusalem, and the programme was rich and varied. The English Chamber Orchestra played beautifully under the direction of Jason Lai, and there were memorable offerings from Charlie Siem (violinist), the Raven Quartet (with whom I've had the pleasure of working with before) and Claire Jones. My new piece finished the programme and was wonderfully interpreted by the Palestinian soprano Dima Bawab. My thanks also go to Jason for his sensitive interpretation. We have just heard that a generous sponsor has come forward to ensure the recording of 'Eye to Eye' later this year. I am thrilled that it will now be heard be a wider audience.

Premiere of How Hill

2009-07-27T01:03:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, the Royal Harpist Claire Jones premiered my new piece ‘How Hill’ at the Summer Reception of North Norfolk District Council. How Hill is one of the most beautiful spots on the Norfolk Broads with its distinctive windmill, majestic thatched house and sweeping lawns by the side of the River Ant. The new piece is to appear on my next album due for release in November. It was marvellous to be able to show Claire the exact spot which had inspired the music and, as usual, she played not only with real technical prowess but also an in-depth understanding of the music’s sentiments. Claire and her partner Chris spent the weekend with us, and here we are in the garden before saying goodbye yesterday. Thank you Claire for your friendship and your wonderful playing!

Eye to Eye Premiere at the Cadogan Hall

2009-07-16T23:13:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on a new composition for premiere at the Cadogan Hall on Wednesday, September 16th 2009. The occasion is a major fundraising concert in aid of the St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group. The English Chamber Orchestra will be conducted by Jason Lai (of BBC 'Maestro' fame) and will be joined by a whole array of wonderful artists. My new piece will be called' Eye to Eye'. It is a setting of words by my brother Andrew and will feature soprano, harp and clarinet solos against a backdrop of string quartet and orchestra. You can read more about the concert and the Eye Hospital here.

Inspiration in the Chilterns

2009-07-02T23:28:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, I spent a few days with some friends who run a wonderful B & B in the Chilterns. The house backs on to open fields and, at the moment, they are full of the most beautifull flax blossom. Sue is a fantastic gardener and it was a joy to walk around and soak up the peace and quiet. Some exciting musical ideas formulated while I was there - in particular, the opening to a Te Deum!

If you want a few days away from it all, yet within close proximity of London and the M25, you should certainly consider giving Field Cottage a try. The proprieters are Sue and Mike Jepson and the phone number is 01494 837602.

Organ Recital at Worstead Parish Church on Friday 26th June at 7.30 pm

2009-06-24T02:17:00.000-07:00

I am giving an organ recital this coming Friday at 7.30 pm in the beautiful church of Worstead near North Walsham in Norfolk. Worstead was the original home of Worstead cloth and, though now a small village, it was once a thriving, wealthy community. For this reason, it has a very large church - almost on the scale of a cathedral! The organ is lovely too and the acoustics are fantastic. Do come along and listen. Entrance is only £5 (all of which goes to the church) and this includes wine and nibbles afterwards. I will have CDs and scores on sale. Among other things, I am playing a Handel Organ Concerto, Elgar's Nimrod, some Scarlatti, a new piece by Nick Barton (a local composer) and my new Toccata which appears as the final track on my latest album 'Song of Songs'. Hope to see you there!

Free Download of the Moonlight Sonata (first movement)

2009-06-17T05:32:00.000-07:00

You can read on my homepage about how this recording came into being. John Timperley was one of the greatest sound engineers of all time - and a lovely guy too. I'll never forget playing this piece for him on a lovely summer morning after a cup of tea and a chat. Download here and enjoy!

Song of Songs Quiet Day at Edenham, Lincolnshire

2009-06-11T01:21:00.000-07:00

Not so long ago, a friend and colleague met my brother Andrew who is a priest and poet in Lincolnshire. She commented that, having met him, she finally understood ME! Certainly, we are peas in a pod, and there is nobody else I work with who is on quite the same wavelength as Andy. He has written words for me since I was at school and it was Andy who came up with the ideas of The Wedding at Cana and the Lazarus Requiem. He wrote the words too for my best-known piece Quanta Qualia.

Every year or so I lead a quiet day at his vicarage near Bourne in Lincolnshire. Known as the Regional House, there are retreats, meetings and quiet days there most days of the week. The hundreds of people who associate with the house bring to it a marvellous atmosphere of warmth, hospitality and spirituality. In the photo above, you can see those who joined Andy and me last week. Andy spoke about the three main areas of the Song of Songs - desire, intimacy and union/marriage. I then added to what he had said and spoke about the way these things are reflected in the actual music. There were breaks throughout the day for people to reflect, a midday Mass and a delicious lunch. We finished with Perfect Love and The Lord's Prayer - and the Toccata formed a suitable Recessional!

Andy and I are in the middle of the photo. On the very left is the old French Assistant from my secondary school. (We hadn't met for almost forty years!) Hidden in there too is Pauline, a remarkable, visionary lady. She would like to form a prayer support group to assist Andy and me in our work. I'll be posting an e mail address for her if you are interested in getting involved.

Discussing a point of interpretation with Julian

2009-06-11T01:16:00.002-07:00

It was a real joy to work with Julian Lloyd Webber last week. He has a tone richer and more beautiful than any I have heard in live performance. We recorded the piece he premiered for me at Leeds Castle last year - Gloriette - which is the name of the main round building of the castle.

Some more photos from the latest recording session

2009-06-11T01:08:00.001-07:00

Alex and Claire are in the first photo. Alex has been producer on all of my albums, starting with Blue in Blue which we recorded in 2002. I absolutely trust his judgement! Claire is a great friend and a fantastic harpist - the current royal harpist in fact. On this new album, she plays a piece with Julian Lloyd Webber, accompanys Elin in a setting of a poem by Christina Rossetti and plays a brand-new solo harp piece called How Hill.

Below this, I am with the two studio engineers Nick and Tom.

Elin Manahan Thomas and the Raven Quartet

2009-06-11T00:59:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, I had the privilege of working with Elin Manahan Thomas again. It is Elin who features on the latest album Song of Songs and now has two new items on the next album (for release in October.) Here we are in the studio, together with two members of the Raven Quartet - Natalie and Steph.

New CD Recording Session

2009-06-08T23:03:00.000-07:00

The recording of some tracks for my new CD took place on Thursday 4th June as outlined in my last blog. It was all a great success - and great fun too! We started with the new piece for the sensational Raven String Quartet who then went on to accompany Elin Manahan Thomas in one of my song settings. Claire Jones brought her beautiful gold harp and also accompanied Elin in a song before recording her brand new piece 'How Hill'. Julian Lloyd Webber arrived in the afternoon and joined forces with Claire for a new transcription of 'Reflexionem', and then I really enjoyed accompanying Julian in the cello and piano piece 'Gloriette'. I finished off the day by playing my three new Broadland Piano Preludes. Like 'How Hill', these are all inspired by the area of Norfolk where I now live.

Alex Van Ingen was producer again and as professional as ever - and, throughout, my manager Paul Wing was at my side, helping to keep me sane. I am very grateful to all who took part - and also to my niece Hannah who helped things to run smoothly in her role as agent to Elin and The Raven Quartet. On this occasion, I managed to get some great photos. I will be posting these on this part of my website in a day or so's time - so do come back!

Toccata Premiere

2009-05-11T22:52:00.000-07:00

The premiere of my organ toccata took place on Sunday (May 10th). The occasion was the LONDON FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY CHURCH MUSIC at Westminster Cathedral. Roger Sayer, who plays the Toccata on my new CD, played and this was the official world premiere! Unfortunately, I couldn't attend but I'd love to hear from anyone who was there. Please tell us all what you thought about it by commenting on this blog.

I am busy now preparing for the recording of my October release THE ESSENTIAL PATRICK HAWES. We record in early June. Julian Lloyd Webber, Elin Manahan Thomas and the wonderful royal harpist Claire Jones are all contributing. Julian is playing a new version of Reflexionem with Claire on the harp. Elin is recording a song with me at the piano and another with Claire, and I am recording a set of new piano pieces. And all this in one day!

Welcome to my new site!

2009-04-16T13:58:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my new website! I hope you'll enjoy the new features which include a more comprehensive audio section, this interactive 'news' page and a paypal facility for the purchase of signed CDs and scores. There is also more information about my work for film and television, and the facility now exists for regular updates to the news and information pages. So, do watch this space...

The end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009 has been very exciting for me. It has just been confirmed that I am to complete The Highgrove Suite for HRH The Prince of Wales. This began as a single work for harp and string orchestra and was performed on the Prince's 60th birthday at the Floral Hall, Covent Garden. The harp part was written specially for the Royal Harpist Claire Jones who has not only become a great friend but also plays the harp with such finesse and artistry. My thanks go to Owain Arwel Hughes and the Philharmonia strings for supporting Claire on that occasion. The piece I wrote was inspired by the gardens at Highgrove and is called Goddess of the Woods. It depicts that part of the garden known as the The Stumpery which is pervaded by such a feeling of magic and mystery, and the statue of the Goddess of the Woods seems to emanate warmth and majesty to the garden in its entirety. It is a great honour to have the opportunity to write pieces about three other parts of the garden, though I still have to decide exactly which these will be.

My choir Conventus has joined forces again with The English Chamber Orchestra for the recording of our latest album Song of Songs. The choir is now five years old and, with the help of its new manager Rob Johnston, is going from strength to strength. This time, we asked the stunning soprano Elin Manahan Thomas to join us. Elin's voice is so pure and rich and seems to perfectly match the clean textures of the music. She interpreted my brother's words with real integrity and emotion and I'm sure you will all be delighted with her performance. Most of the new album was recorded in December at St. Gile's Cripplegate (next to the Barbican) and then we moved to Rochester to work with Roger Sayer who is organist of the Cathedral. We spent four hours on a Friday evening listening to Roger make that mighty instrument talk, drawing out so many colours and effortlessly providing the first definitive recording of the Toccata. This piece means so much to me since I wrote it in the weeks following my father's death and it really does seem to capture something of his exuberant and fun-loving personality. Mike Hatch and the team at Floating Earth did a sterling job in capturing the sound of the two buildings, and my thanks goes out to them for their commitment, expertise and advice. I'd also like to thank Steve Long and the two Matts at Signum records and Alex Van Ingen for his outstanding work as producer. Like me, he is painstaking in his efforts to make sure everything is correctly in place and that we have drawn the very best out of our gifted players and singers. His input has been invaluable.

Some of you will have been present at last year's premiere of Lazarus Requiem at the Cadogan Hall. A recording of this work is planned for later this year and we are offering supporters of my music the chance to invest in the recording. See LAZARUS REQUIEM for more details. An album entitled The Essential Patrick Hawes is also underway for release in November. This contains some of my film music and two pieces performed by Julian Lloyd Webber. The first, Gloriette was premiered at Leeds Castle last year and the second is a new arrangement of Reflexionem which you may remember from my first album Blue in Blue. There are also new pieces featuring the saxophonist Christian Forshaw, the tenor Thomas Walker and, of course, Elin Manahan Thomas. More details about The Essential Patrick Hawes will be available in the summer.

It only remains for me to thank my family, my friends and you my supporters for all the encouragement you give me. A composer is nothing without his audience and, for me, the audience will always come first. I also want to thank Pauline Gilbertson at the English Chamber Orchestra, my manager Paul Wing and Rod Steele for creating this great new site for me.

Happy listening!