Bill Hopkins
Encyclopedia
G.W. Hopkins (5 June 1943 – 10 March 1981) was a British composer, pianist and music critic.
Hopkins was born in Prestbury, Cheshire
and educated at Rossall School
, Lancashire
; his mother's learning difficulties meant she was unable to look after him, and he was raised by aunts. An encounter with Luigi Nono
at Dartington
consolidated his interest in serialism; subsequently he studied at Oxford University
with Edmund Rubbra
and Egon Wellesz
.
In 1964 he went to Paris, ostensibly to study with Olivier Messiaen
but with the prime objective of meeting and studying with Jean Barraqué
. Returning to England, he supported himself as a music critic in London and then, after moving first to Tintagel
, Cornwall and subsequently to Peel, Isle of Man, by translation and writing music criticism. He married Clare Gilbert in 1972. Subsequently he taught at Birmingham University
and University of Newcastle upon Tyne before succumbing to a heart attack
, in Chopwell, near Newcastle, at the age of 37.
He was upset at an under-rehearsed first performance of 'En Attendant' in 1977 and this possibly discouraged him from composition for a while. He was working on an opera project, tentatively called Ness, but little if any of this was completed.
His principal compositions were:
His complete piano works have been edited and recorded by Nicolas Hodges
, (col legno, 2000). En Attendant, Two Pomes, Pendant and Sensation have been recorded by Music Projects/London and Richard Bernas
, (NMC
, 1992).
Prestbury, Cheshire
Prestbury is a village, civil parish and ecclesiastical parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Prestbury is a long, narrow parish covering 1,165 hectares to the west of the Peak Park foothills and to the east of the sandstone ridge which is...
and educated at Rossall School
Rossall School
Rossall School is a British, co-educational, independent school, between Cleveleys and Fleetwood, Lancashire. Rossall was founded in 1844 by St. Vincent Beechey as a sister school to Marlborough College which had been founded the previous year...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
; his mother's learning difficulties meant she was unable to look after him, and he was raised by aunts. An encounter with Luigi Nono
Luigi Nono
Luigi Nono was an Italian avant-garde composer of classical music and remains one of the most prominent composers of the 20th century.- Early years :Born in Venice, he was a member of a wealthy artistic family, and his grandfather was a notable painter...
at Dartington
Dartington Hall
The Dartington Hall Trust, near Totnes, Devon, United Kingdom is a charity specialising in the arts, social justice and sustainability.The Trust currently runs 16 charitable programmes, including The Dartington International Summer School and Schumacher Environmental College...
consolidated his interest in serialism; subsequently he studied at Oxford University
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
with Edmund Rubbra
Edmund Rubbra
Edmund Rubbra was a British composer. He composed both instrumental and vocal works for soloists, chamber groups and full choruses and orchestras. He was greatly esteemed by fellow musicians and was at the peak of his fame in the mid-20th century. The most famous of his pieces are his eleven...
and Egon Wellesz
Egon Wellesz
Egon Joseph Wellesz was an Austrian-born British composer, teacher and musicologist, notable particularly in the field of Byzantine music.- Life :...
.
In 1964 he went to Paris, ostensibly to study with Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
but with the prime objective of meeting and studying with Jean Barraqué
Jean Barraqué
Jean-Henri-Alphonse Barraqué was a French composer and writer on music who developed an individual form of serialism which is displayed in a small output of highly complex but passionate works.-Life:...
. Returning to England, he supported himself as a music critic in London and then, after moving first to Tintagel
Tintagel
Tintagel is a civil parish and village situated on the Atlantic coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The population of the parish is 1,820 people, and the area of the parish is ....
, Cornwall and subsequently to Peel, Isle of Man, by translation and writing music criticism. He married Clare Gilbert in 1972. Subsequently he taught at Birmingham University
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
and University of Newcastle upon Tyne before succumbing to a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, in Chopwell, near Newcastle, at the age of 37.
He was upset at an under-rehearsed first performance of 'En Attendant' in 1977 and this possibly discouraged him from composition for a while. He was working on an opera project, tentatively called Ness, but little if any of this was completed.
His principal compositions were:
- Sous-structures. Solo piano. 1964, first performed 1965
- Two Pomes. Soprano, bass clarinet, trumpet, harp, viola. 1964, first performed 1968
- Sensation. Soprano, tenor sax, trumpet, harp, violin. 1965, first performed 1965.
- Etudes en serie. Solo piano. 1965-72, first complete performance 1997.
- Pendant. Solo violin. 1969, rev 1973, first performed 1975.
- Nouvelle etude hors serie. Solo organ. 1974, first performed 1993.
- En Attendant. Flute, oboe, cello, harpsichord. 1976-7, first performed 1977.
His complete piano works have been edited and recorded by Nicolas Hodges
Nicolas Hodges
Nicolas Hodges is a British pianist and composer. He specializes in avant garde music. He was educated at Christ Church Cathedral School, Oxford, Winchester College, and the University of Cambridge....
, (col legno, 2000). En Attendant, Two Pomes, Pendant and Sensation have been recorded by Music Projects/London and Richard Bernas
Richard Bernas
Richard Bernas is a British-based conductor.He studied Music at York University and conducting with Witold Rowicki in Warsaw ....
, (NMC
NMC Recordings
NMC Recordings is a British recording label which specialises in recording works by living British composers.-History:The composer Colin Matthews founded NMC in 1988, with financial assistance from the Holst Foundation. NMC is an abbreviation for "New Music Cassettes", which refers to the intended...
, 1992).