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Ben Hoadley (Composer)  

and I was there

Duration: 03' 30" Year: 2012
for soprano, bassoon and piano

Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal  

Baxter Songs

Duration: 09' 50" Year: 2010
A setting of three poems by James K Baxter for baritone and piano.

  • Programme Note

    ‘Baxter Songs’ is a setting of three poems by James K Baxter. The three poems are ‘High Country Weather’, ‘Let time be still’ and an extract from ‘Stephanie’. The first two poems were composed early in the poets career and express his more romantic sentiments. When I hear these poems, I think of Baxter as a young poet in the South Island (Otago and Canterbury universities) exploring the Otago hinterland. I think, too, of the early days of his relationship with Jacqui Sturm and imagine the two of them exploring the hills and mountains. The extract from ‘Stephanie’ is from much later in Baxter’s life. He is older now and life has had its way with Baxter (or perhaps the other way around?). The poem follows a family tragedy and there is a sense of heartbreak in the voice.

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Anthony Ritchie  

Bele Doette

Duration: 05' 00" Year: 2005
for soprano and oboe

  • Programme Note

    Bele Doette (‘Lovely Doette’) is based on an anonymous 12th century Chanson de Toile. The vocal line follows the original song-line closely for two of the eight stanzas and refrains.

    Doette is at a window, reading, when she receives the news that her friend Doon has been killed in a jousting contest. The refrain reads “See now what grief I have”, and at the end she vows to become a nun in the church of St Paul. The original transcription of the song is published in the Anthology of Medieval Music, edited by Richard Hoppin (1978). Pitches are notated in the transcription but no rhythm. Therefore, rhythm is freely interpreted while the original melismas and word setting are maintained. The refrain is expanded beyond the original. The oboe has a dual role. First, it freely develops motifs based on the song-lines by a process using magic squares. These motifs are used in the introduction and interludes between stanzas and refrains. Second, the oboe has a dialogue with the soprano that involves imitation and decoration, particularly in the refrains.

    Bele Doette was commissioned by Pepe Becker, and written for her and oboist, Robert Orr. It has been composed as part of Ritchie’s research at the University of Otago.

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Willow Macky  

Better Than War!


for voice and guitar

David Hamilton  

Chamber Music 5

Duration: 34' 00" Year: 1979
for soprano and chamber ensemble

Brigid Ursula Bisley  

Come Back Safely

Duration: 16' 00" Year: 1995, r. 1999
for soprano, string quintet and percussion

Anthony Ritchie  

Five Songs of Colour

Duration: 12' 00" Year: 1980
for soprano and piano

Lyell Cresswell  

Four Sentimental Songs

Duration: 07' 00" Year: 1972
for soprano, piano, and a bag of wooden clothes pegs

Eve de Castro-Robinson  

Hau

Duration: 05' 00" Year: 2008
a short vocal lament for voice and crystal glass

  • Instrumentation
    crystal glass - B flat; best performed by a non-trained voice which is able to produce effective vocal harmonics
  • Programme Note

    While thinking about producing a tribute to Stockhausen specifically for singer-songwriter Karen Hunter to perform, I decided to base it on Stockhausen’s famous vocal work Stimmung, focussing only on names of Maori gods. I then learnt of the very sad early death of NZ singer Mahinarangi Tocker, literally while I was eating muttonbird for the first time, at Moeraki. Various elements thus came into play in the work – tuning, lamentation, the elements, Maori waiata and a strong sense of ritual.

    The Maori word hau has a variety of meanings including wind and breath.

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