Blog

13 Aug 2025

Composing in the XXI century

I do not consider myself as an innovative composer and I have never been interested in creating the new for the simple sake of being different. I am a firm believer that a dissonance is a dissonance, be it in a XVI century madrigal by Gesulado or in a symphony by Penderecki. The endless piling of dissonance over dissonance destroys the very reason for dissonance in the first place. In the arts red is a very strong colour, but a canvas with is completely red is not as impressive as one in which red plays ...

12 Aug 2025

Patreon

If you like my music and want to support my work, please consider donating to my Patreon profile! https://www.patreon.com/richardwillmer

12 Aug 2025

Scuola di Musica di Fiesole

In October 2024 I began attending the two-year Specialisation Course in Composition at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, the main instructors being the celebrated composer Andrea Portera and the conductor Valentina Peleggi. https://www.scuolamusicafiesole.it/corsi-di-perfezionamento/corso-perfezionamento-composizione-andrea-portera/

12 Aug 2025

Echoes of the Monastery

The video of my contribution to Anna Heller's project with piano music inspired by Gregorian chant, the Two Gregorian Chants to Mary the Mother of God op 41 is available on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3m6eciCXfw&list=RDj3m6eciCXfw&start_radio=1 You can purchase the sheet music on MusicaNeo! https://richardwillmer.musicaneo.com/sheetmusic/sm-612935_two_gregorian_chants_to_mary_the_mother_of_god_op_41.html

12 Aug 2025

Richard Willmer on Intagram

Please visit my profile on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/willmerrichard/

29 Jun 2022

Endorsement

I received an important endorsement from Jeremy Barlow, a recorder player, flautist, harpsichordist and conductor, member of the Broadside band and a musical critic to boot: Many thanks for the samples of your music; all attractive, with a melancholy quality and also at times a quasi-extemporised feel that takes the melodic line in unexpected directions. The Biber [Passacaglia in g minor] arrangement is extremely effective. ...

05 Okt 2020

Franz Ignaz Franz von Biber - Passacaglia in g minor, C.105 - Sonata XVI from the Rosary Sonatas

A magnificent rendition by the Roman harpsichordist Fernando de Luca of my transcription of Heinrich Ignaz Franz Von Biber's Rosary Sonata No XVI in g minor, apocryphally known as "The Guardian Angel", for violin solo, without bass.The sonata consists of a single movement, a Passacaglia, I did add some notes myself to compensate for the different sororities and possibilities of the harpsichord.An immense thank you to Fernando for breathing life into my simple work. The sheet music is available here: ...

30 Jun 2020

YouTube Video

Yesterday I uploaded a video with the second of my Three Pieces for Flute and Harp op 26. I hope you enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXUiVlzXgK8 If you liked it, you can find the sheet music here: https://richardwillmer.musicaneo.com/sheetmusic/sm-507681_three_pieces_for_flute_and_harp_op_26.html

30 Jun 2020

Recording of Elegia d'Autunno (Autumn Elegy)

On 18 September 2018 a fine recording of my Elegia d'Autunno Op 2/2 by the Munich-based pianist Anna Sutyagina was released on YouTube. You may watch it here: Richard Willmer - Elegia d'Autunno. Anna Sutyagina, pianist The sheet music is available at: https://richardwillmer.musicaneo.com/sheetmusic/sm-380930_due_impressioni_il_pianto_di_arianna_-_elegia_d_autunno_op_2.html

30 Jun 2020

La Catedral

The other day I was practising the Allegro Solenne from my transcription of Barrios' La Catedral at a well.known music school when a gentleman entered the room. After excusing himself for interrupting he told me that he knew the piece but that it was originally for the guitar (he knew because he played the guitar himself) and he was interested in knowing who had transcribed it for the piano. He commented that guitarists are always accused of pinching piano pieces (Albéniz and Granados), so it was nice ...