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Mata[hou]rua is the first in a series of solo works that focus on timbral exploration.

This piece was originally inspired by a painting by New Zealand artist Sofia Minson, exploring the spirit of the legend of Kupe – the first navigator to travel from Hawaiiki to NZ on the waka Matawhaorua.

There are many different translations for the component parts of the word Matahourua. In relation to this piece ‘mata’ is taken to mean fresh, green and not fully developed. ‘Hou’ is seen to bind together the two (‘rua’) elements of human breath and the clarinet itself.

Underlying this is my continuing passion for the koru. From its natural organic growth patterns, to its numerous associations and symbolic meanings.

Mata[hou]rua was written for Richard Haynes.

• Morgan: Mata[hou]rua; computer-set 

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• Morgan: Mata[hou]rua; computer-set 

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These three vocalises, using Maori vowel sounds, were first recorded by the Wellington members of the National Youth Choir. They were composed for the opening section of ‘Wahine Toa’, a dance theatre celebration of Maori female ancestral figures. This work was performed at Taki Rua Theatre in Wellington in 1992 and in Christchurch in 1993. The three pieces are: 1. Te Po Nui, Te Po Roa, where male voices hum a series of sustained chords. 2. The Earth Lay in the Womb of Darkness – inspired by Robin Kahukiwa’s painting of the same title. This choral vocalise by full choir begins with alto melodic line, soon building to a widely spaced texture of superimposed fifth chords. 3. Papatuanuku – the Separation of Ranginui and Papatuanuku. The vocalise begins gently, becoming increasingly contrapuntal, building to five strong chords, and ending with a sighing texture of vocal glissandi. Wahine Toa was choreographed by Keri Kaa, Jan Bolwell and Sunny Amey, and was commissioned with assistance from the Queen Elizabeth 11 Arts Council of New Zealand.

• Fisher: Papatuanuku; facsimile 

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• Fisher: Papatuanuku; facsimile 

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• Helen Fisher: Various Works 

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• Poynton: Roimata; facsimile 

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• Poynton: Roimata; facsimile 

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• Premieres: Poynton, Ritchie, Whitehead 

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• Poynton and Wai Kapohe: Roimata   Year: 2000 

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Translation of title: ‘The winds of Kaiaua’

In Maori mythology, Kaiaua was a child of Tahwiri, the great god of the wind. The winds of Kaiaua are the nor’-westers that frequently sweep across the Canterbury plains. This piece describes an old Maori legend about a chief who disliked the hot nor’-westers so much that he instructed a tohunga (or priest) to perform a chant, making the mountains bigger and stopping the winds coming. However, this caused the plains to become too damp and miserable for the people to live there. The chief prayed for the return of the winds, and eventually they do indeed return, forcing their way over the Southern Alps. The music for this one-movement piece is directly programmatic, owing something to the composer’s experience as Composer-in-schools (1987), where childrens’ imagination very readily turns sounds into images. Consequently, a theme from Ritchie’s own youth (from age 13) is used in the piece, to depict the march of the wind at the end.

• Ritchie A.: Te Hau-a-kaiaua; facsimile 

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Tū-mata-uenga “God of War, Spirit of Man” was inspired by the Maori story of creation. In summary, the story starts in the beginning when the world between Rangi-nui, the Sky Father, Papa-tua-nuku, the Earth Mother, was cramped and dark. Their children could not grow in this environment and were forced to take action to survive and Rangi and Papa were forced apart – creating the world, as we know it today. I have portrayed the part of the story where Tū-mata-uenga struggles to tear Rangi from Papa. Tū-mata-uenga…leapt at the task, hacking wildly at the sinews that bound Earth and Sky, making them bleed. It is with this act that the sacred red clay, or ochre, was made. But even Tū, the fiercest of the sons, could not sever Rangi from his lover Papa.

There are two distinct themes alternating throughout the work. To represent the ‘God of War’ there are two dominant motives; the semitone, which is used to portray his frustration from his incapability to separate his parents. Secondly, I have used militant rhythmic passages to emphasise the act of war. The second theme is more angular. It reflects another side of Tū-mata-uenga, the more complex ‘Spirit of Man’. It leaps and slides around the dissonant augmented 4th interval. Gradually, another more legato melodic line is infused with the angular theme that takes the piece into a calmer section, which has an almost triumphant melodic line.

• Toan: Tu-mata-uenga (God of War, Spirit of Man); computer set 

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• Toan: Tu-mata-uenga (God of War, Spirit of Man); computer-set 

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• NZSO National Youth Orchestra 2005  Year: 2005 

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Commissioned by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra for the 2009 Michael Hill International Violin Competition, Wakatipu is a virtuoso romp around the violin, employing angular driving rhythms and unusual scales built on minor seconds and minor thirds.

The title of the piece refers to Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown NZ, and the Maori legend behind it.

One of the great mysteries of the lake is that its level rises and falls every few minutes. Scientists explain that it is due to changing atmospheric pressure – but the legend has it that this fluctuation is caused by the beating heart of a giant demon.

Long ago, the demon abducted the daughter of a local Maori chief and took her to his home in the heights of the ice clad mountains. After the long climb he became tired and lay down to sleep – however, the girl’s lover had followed close behind them all the way, and set the giant on fire as he lay sleeping. His burning flesh carved into the ice and snow and created a huge lake – but his heart remained indestructible, causing the rising and falling of the water level to this day.

• Farr: Wakatipu; computer set  Year: 2011 

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• Gareth Farr: Wakatipu; video 

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