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Commissioned by the Schola Cantorum of Dunedin to celebrate its 125th Jubilee in 1988, this work for for soprano soloist, mixed choir and orchestra sets the first part of S. Francesco d’Assisi’s Canticle of Brother Sun.

The Canticle is an expression of the medieval belief in the beauty, goodness and intelligibility of the created world. It is also an expression of Francis’s own idea of all creation living in a spirit of fraternity and community. This vision of the total reconciliation of humanity with the universe is symbolized in a number of ways. One such is the ordering of the elements in pairs, which combine the masculine and feminine: sun-moon, wind-water, fire-earth.

In this setting, the soprano soloist represents the feminine principle, and the choir the masculine. A version of the work has been arranged for a smaller orchestra, with organ replacing the strings. The work has been described by one critic as “one of the most exciting and satisfying works for choir and orchestra by a New Zealander”, and by another as a work which “will undoubtedly continue to be performed regularly on account of its accessibility and performability”.

• Speirs: Cantico del Sole; facsimile 

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• Speirs: Cantico del sole; facsimile 

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• Speirs: Cantico del Sole; facsimile 

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• Cantico del Sole 

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• Hamilton: Carol of the Mother and Child; computer-set 

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• Noises, Sounds and Sweet Airs  Year: 1990 

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• Williams, F.: Carol of the New Zealand Bush; facsimile 

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• Music by Felicity Williams 

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This splendid setting of Psalm 148 for for SATB choir and SATB soloists has some wonderful effects, but requires four good soloists.

• Griffiths, D.: Cosmic Praise; facsimile 

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• New Zealand Choral Music Vol. 1  Year: 1994 

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• Buchanan: Mary Magdelene and the Birds; facsimile 

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• Buchanan: Mary Magdalene and the Birds; computer-set  Year: 1993 

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• Buchanan: Mary Magdalene and the Birds 

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• Bellingham, Dennis, Rawson: NZ vocal music  Year: 2006 

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• Madden: Preces and Responses; computer-set 

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• Choir of St. Paul's Cathedral Dunedin: Evensong  Year: 1987 

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Undoubtedly, this is one of Whitehead’s more unusual collaborations. The work, intended for five dancers and organ, with soprano added at the composer’s request, was to have been performed in five cathedrals around Britain during the summer of 1982. Due to the cancellation of the dance component however, the work received performance in only one of the cathedrals – Carlisle – but was later presented with a solo dancer, Bronwyn Judge, at the 1987 Sonic Circus in Wellington. The singer on that occasion was Glenys Taylor and the organist Douglas Mews. The composer initially delayed beginning work on the piece, since her sister was expecting a baby, and a Requiem did not seem an appropriate preoccupation. The successful birth was however followed by two close-family deaths and it was these which provided the composer with the emotional impetus to proceed with the composition. (Programme note by Emma Carle and Jack Body).

• Whitehead: Requiem; facsimile 

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• Whitehead: Requiem; computer-set  Year: 2001 

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• Waiteata Collection of New Zealand Music Vol. 3 - Composer Portrait: Gillian Whitehead  Year: 2000 

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• Ritchie, J.: Christmas Carols; computer-set 

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• John Ritchie: Winter and Rough Weather 

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• Noises, Sounds and Sweet Airs  Year: 1990 

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