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Jodi Chen  

A message to Han Cho

Duration: 06' 06" Year: 2003
for orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    1 piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in B flat, 1 bass clarinet in B flat, 2 bassoons, 4 French horns in F, 2 trumpets in C, 2 trombones, 1 bass trombone, timpani, percussion 1: suspended cymbal, percussion 2: triangle, harp, vibraphone, strings
  • Programme Note

    A message to Han Cho (the Yangzhou magistrate) for orchestra was inspired by the Chinese poem, A message to Han Cho by Du Mu (803-852AD, China) in the Chinese Tang dynasty. In this poem Du Mu expresses the sadness of the magistrate yearned for the day to return to his distant love. This orchestral work contains musical ideas influenced by the Eastern culture and utilising Western orchestration to imitate the sound of Chinese instruments (Chinese zither and vertical bamboo flute) to purposely maintain the cultural connection with the original tenor of the poem. To achieve this synthesis I experimented with the pronunciation of the poem in Mandarin, and then compose the melodic lines to suit the four-line poem which became the theme of the music. The image of a fair lady plays the flute under the moon on the Twenty-Four Bridges is a traditional Chinese painting specially selected for this particular poem.

    青山隱隱水迢迢, From mist the green hills emerge and afar the river flows,
    秋盡江南草木凋. grass still grows in Jiangnan, yet the end of fall is close.
    二十四橋明月夜, Over the Twenty-Four Bridges the bright moon glows,
    玉人何處教吹簫. where the fair lady teaches the flute no one knows.

  • Availability

Maria Grenfell  

Alegria

Duration: 07' 00" Year: 2004
for orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    1(1)1(1)1(1)2; 4231; timp., 2 perc.; strings
  • Programme Note

    ‘Alegria’ is an education piece for children of primary school age. It focuses on aspects of rhythm and ostinato, and it is based on the flamenco principle of 3+3+2+2+2 (12 beat cycle). Flamenco music is based on Spanish gypsy music, and is often accompanied by clapping, so there are clapping parts included for members of the orchestra. The audience may learn the simple clapping patterns so they can accompany the orchestra when they hear the patterns. The central section in 5/8 is intended as an asymmetrical contrast to the duple and triple meters of the outer sections. “Alegria” means ‘joy’ or ‘happiness’ in Spanish.

  • Availability

David Hamilton  

Concertino For Percussion and Chamber Orchestra

Duration: 07' 55" Year: 2009
for percussion and chamber orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    for solo percussion: triangle (medium size), cow bell, three suspended cymbals (small, medium and large), four temple blocks, a pair of bongos, four roto-toms and xylophone (or marimba); 3120; tenor sax; 0221(opt.); strings
  • Programme Note

    This short work was written for the orchestra of Auckland Grammar School and a talented senior student percussionist. It is in a straight-forward tonal style, including a cadenza for the soloist.

    The work consists of three main ideas. Follow a short introduction the xylophone presents the main melodic material of the first idea. The 2nd main idea is chromatic chord that builds through the orchestra several times. Against this the percussion has more angular melodic material and more syncopated rhythmic ideas. The second section builds to a climax which immediately gives way to the 3rd section which is fugal. The melody from the 1st section re-appears, not as the fugue subject, but rather as the counter-subject of the fugue. This section mainly features the woodwind section of the orchestra interacting with the percussionist. The fugue winds down into a short cadenza for the soloist, and then material from the opening two sections is recapitulated in abbreviated form. The music builds to a final climax.

    The percussion part avoids exotic or unusual instruments, favouring basic equipment found in most school music departments with an active instrumental programme. The only tuned percussion instrument is a xylophone, with the remainder being a mix of wood, skin and metal instruments.

  • Availability

Hannah Gilmour  

Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?

Duration: 07' 00" Year: 2008
for full orchestra

Tony Lin  

Gumboot Waltz

Duration: 05' 50" Year: 2005
for orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    2222; 4321; timp.; 3 perc; strings
  • Programme Note

    Gumboot Waltz pays tribute to an iconic Kiwiana, with a few beats added to this traditional dance to accommodate the clumsiness of the heavy-duty footwear.

    This piece was given its first public performance by the Burnside High School Orchestra in 2005 and subsequently recorded by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra at the 2006 NZSO/Todd Young Composer Awards.

  • Availability

Leonie Holmes  

In the Lair of the Cave Weta

Duration: 05' 00" Year: 2008
for school orchestra

Alex Taylor  

Noughts and Crosses

Duration: 07' 45" Year: 2009
for orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    2222; 4331; 2perc; timp; strings
  • Programme Note

    Noughts and Crosses is a series of five satirical vignettes, re-scored from an original set of piano miniatures. The pomp and swagger of the opening is almost immediately undercut by a mischievous woodwind tune, supported by snare drum and rhythmic string pizzicati. This brief and playful first movement ends abruptly, the mood turning seriously Wagnerian and self-important with the full power of the orchestral brass blaring in octaves. Relentless sforzandi and crescendi give way to a single clear horn line, before collapsing back into solemnity. Now the spiky arpeggios of the first movement return, bassoon and clarinet leading a jaunty escapade through fast, limping rhythms. The fourth movement is a passacaglia reminiscent of Shostakovich, arching perpetually downwards into dark string gloom before bursting into a raucous Bartokian crash-and-bash finale.

  • Availability

Anthony Ritchie  

Rain

Duration: 06' 00" Year: 2008
for baritone and orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    (picc)21(cor)22; 4; perc; cl; string and baritone
  • Programme Note

    Rain is an iconic poem by Hone Tuwhare, describing beautifully a feature of the weather but also subtly ruminating on death. The setting is quiet and lyrical, with an optional part for a rainmaker (to be played by the singer). This setting for baritone and piano was written for Matt Landreth, and recorded by him. The recording and score were auctioned to raise funds for the Otago Hospice appeal in May 2008. The song was subsequently scored for orchestra and recorded by Matt Landreth and the Auckland Philharmonia.

  • Availability

Ryan Youens  

Somnium

Duration: 05' 00" Year: 2008
for full orchestra

David Hamilton  

Taharoto

Duration: 05' 00" Year: 2004
for orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    2221; 2310; timp., perc. (3-4 players), pf; strs
  • Programme Note

    This work was written for the Taharoto Orchestra – a group consisting of students from both Westlake Girls and Westlake Boys High Schools conducted by Liz Cable.

    The name ‘Taharoto’ is derived from two Maori words and is an approximation of the idea of ‘Westlake’. Literally it means ‘beside’ (taha) ‘lake’ (roto). The lake is Lake Pupuke on Auckland’s North Shore. A feature of the lake is the swans, and the symbol for Westlake Girls High School is the swan. I was asked to include ideas of the lake covered in mist and the swans taking flight, but also to include music which suggested aspects of the characters of the students at Westlake Girls High School: generous, assertive and energetic!

    Overall the music has a sense of spaciousness, building to an emphatic climax, and subsiding into silence again at the end. The music includes some ‘contemporary’ playing techniques for the string players, with some more challenging parts for the leading wind players.

  • Availability