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Lachlan McKenzie  

Alice in Wonderland - a ballet suite

Duration: 21' 00" Year: 2003
a ballet suite for orchestra

Chris Adams  

Anastasis

Duration: 20' 00" Year: 2009
for full orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    3*3*3**3*;4331;timp; perc; hp; strings
  • Programme Note

    Anastasis is an exploration of musical contrasts where chamber music elements of intimacy and social interplay are juxtaposed with the colour and power of a full symphonic orchestra. Baroque Concerto Grosso traditions form the conceptual basis of Anastasis: instrumental divisions within the orchestra, like the wind sections, are exploited, and new instrumental groupings have been created using combinations of individual players across the ensemble. Elements from the twentieth century Concerto for Orchestra form have also been utilised, particularly the focus on the diversity of instrumental colour, extended instrumental range and virtuosity, and the array of dynamic and textural possibilities.

    Anastasis, our first taste of the APO’s resident composer, Chris Adams, proved to be a most attractive score.

    Adams knows where and how to uncover unexpected colours in a piece that enjoys jolting us with huge orchestral shouts in among more subdued, almost filigree passages.

    The second movement unfolds, with woodwind patterning, from lounge-laden harmonies and Adams nods to all manner of musics throughout the piece, right through to its conga-line finale.

    It is an appealing score that deserves a life beyound this single performance."

    William Dart, NZ Herald 7th September, 2009
    For the full article please click here

  • Availability

Gareth Farr  

From the Depths Sound the Great Sea Gongs

Duration: 25' 00" Year: 1996
for full orchestra

Ray Twomey  

High Valley (Opus 20)

Duration: 29' 00" Year: 1998
for symphony orchestra

Ashley Heenan  

Jack Winter's Dream

Duration: 24' 00" Year: 1958, r. 1984
nine portraits for orchestra

David Hamilton  

Leukos

Duration: 25' 00" Year: 2000
for orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    3223; 4231; timpani 3 perc. ( glockenspiel,suspended cymbal,sleigh bells, snare drum, tam tam, xylophone, tubular bells, bass drum, 4 wood blocks triangle, tambourine, mark tree,vibraphone, claves, clash cymbals, ratchet...); celesta, piano, harp; strings
  • Programme Note

    The marking, in July 1999, of the 30th anniversary of the first moon landing finally provided a focus for my thoughts about this piece. Although each movement has a programmatic title they are intended only in a very general sense and exist mainly as a starting point for my own conception of the musical material. The idea of ‘light’ became a unifying idea in the music.

    The derivation of the name ‘Moon’ relates to words involving time or measurement, and lead directly to the English ‘month’. The root of the word is ‘me-‘ and can be found in several other languages: Greek mene, Latin mensis and German mond. The “Dictionary of Astronomical Terms” continues:

    “…there is also a ‘lunar’ group, typically represented by words for ‘Moon’ such as Latin luna and French lune (and Russian luna). The root here, now not much more than the initial letter ‘l-‘, is related to ‘light’ and so to Latin lux, ‘light’, Greek leukos, Russian luch and so on. The Moon, therefore, can be regarded as either a ‘measurer’ or an ‘illuminator’.”

    The first movement suggests a bleak, barren and deserted landscape. Musically the most complex movement, the melodic and harmonic material are derived from an 8-note pattern of pitches. The central section resolves into more tonally centered music and uses a special technique whereby the strings play ‘out of phase’ with each other. This movement also sidelines the woodwind completely, allowing the darker colours of the brass to dominate.

    The second movement is a fast and furious scherzo. Picking up from the final chord of the first movement, the movement unfolds in a series of climaxes and cascades of sound. There’s even a passing hint of Holst’s ‘winged messenger”, particularly in the scoring.

    The final movement gradually unfolds in one long crescendo. Here, the harmonic basis is much more tonal although elements of the first movement’s material return at key points. There’s even a touch of ‘Hollywood’ in the final climax to the work!

  • Availability

John Elmsly  

Pacific Hockets

Duration: 20' 00" Year: 1991
for orchestra

Jack Body  

Pulse

Duration: 21' 00" Year: 1995
for full orchestra

Lyell Cresswell  

Salm

Duration: 20' 00" Year: 1977
for orchestra

Nigel Keay  

Symphonic Poem: Ritual Dance of the Unappeasable Shadow

Duration: 22' 00" Year: 1994
for symphony orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    2222; 4231; strings; piano; percussion: timpani, bass drum, cymbals, sus. cymbal, tamtam
  • Programme Note

    Symphonic Poem: Ritual Dance of the Unappeasable Shadow is a single movement work based on material from the opera At the Hawk’s Well. In some cases there has been extensive reworking, affecting also its construction which follows an arch form with a lively opening and closing.

    Symphonic Poem was given a workshop reading by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Sir William Southgate in 1994. This event was recorded by Radio New Zealand’s Concert FM. It was also performed by the New Zealand Secondary School’s Symphony Orchestra in 1995 as part of its Auckland Course.

    Peter Adams wrote of the work in a review for the Otago Daily Times (August 1, 1994): “Nigel Keay’s Ritual Dance of the Unappeasable Shadow made a powerful impact on first hearing; the dark core of the work had a brooding intensity while the flanking outer sections were vital and colourful with their Indonesian gamelan-inspired sound world.”

  • Availability