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This music was originally commissioned by Richard Campion for the New Zealand Players’ production of Ring Round the Moon by Jean Ahhouil, translated by Christopher Fry. In the second act there is a ball taking place offstage and demanding a large number of dances which are specified in the text.

The music was first recorded on acetate discs by a ad hoc orchestra led by Alex Lindsay; these small recordings were then played through speakers for the production, sounding very loud to the cast but filtering out more gently to the audience. At the end of the long national tour, the cast knew the music very well and suggested to me that I should do something with it.

The result, some years later, 1957, was a suite of nine dances first performed by the Alex Lindsay Orchestra. This rapidly became my most performed piece and was commercially recorded by the Alex Lindsay Orchestra in the 1960s, a recording still available today from Kiwi Pacific Reords.

Ashley Heenen, through the NZ APRA Committee, commissioned an arrangement for full orchestra for the NZ Youth Orchestra to take on a tour of Europe and China in 1975. This version was shortened to six dances by leaving out the first three numbers. The music has also been used for a ballet, The Wintergarden, choreographed by Arthur Turnbull for the Royal New Zealand Ballet Company – this version included a tenth dance not in the 1957 Suite. Since 1975 two further version have been commissioned: Waltz Suite (1989), for string orchestra (five dances) for the Nova Strings, and an arrangement of the original Dance Suite (1992) for violin and piano (nine dances) for Isador Saslav.

• Farquhar: Short Suite from Ring Round the Moon; computer-set 

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• Farquhar: A Short Suite from Ring Round the Moon; computer-set 

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• Farquhar: Short Suite from Ring Round the Moon; computer set 

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• SOUNZ Orchestral 1993 

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• New Zealand Composers  Year: 1995 

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• Farquhar: Anniversary Suite No 1; facsimile 

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• Farquhar: Anniversary Suite No.1; facsimile 

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• Farquhar: Anniversary Suite No 1; facsimile 

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These pieces were originally piano duets, written with one easy part for my wife to play, and presented to her on various anniversary occasions in the 1960s. This orchestral suite was arranged for the 1965 Cambridge Summer Music School, and first performed there by the school’s orchestra. The translation from piano to orchestral sounds makes many opportunities for variety of colours and for real sostenuto. But while orchestral sound is bound to be very different, I have attempted in the Trio of the Mexicana to capture something of the effect of the piano’s harmonic resonance to provide sustaining echoes of the oboe’s tune.

• Farquhar: Anniversary Suite No. 2; facsimile 

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• Farquhar: Anniversary Suite No. 2; facsimile 

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• Farquhar: Anniversary Suite No. 2; facsimile 

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• Farquhar: Anniversary Suite No. 2; facsimile 

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• David Farquhar: Auras  Year: 1997 

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The opening running chord is this work suggests the first day of spring with first the dawn opening to the promises of a beautiful spring day.

The work is in three movements – “morning”, “afternoon” and “evening”. The “morning” movement is in the form of a light-hearted dance suggestive of lambs in the field fill of the joy of living as they jump and play about in the green grass.

“Afternoon” gives the impression of a leisurely walk in the countryside. However this is interrupted with a short storm with thunder and rain following. This storm soon passes and the afternoon walk is resumed.

In the third movement, “Evening”, you will be aware of a gathering of the villagers to celebrate the coming of spring with an evening of dancing, laughter, merry-making and conversation.

• Blume: The Coming of Spring; computer-set 

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• Blume: The Coming of Spring; computer-set 

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This work was composed as a millennial tribute to the great country of Canada. The piece is constructed around various traditional folk melodies. The main theme is based on Land of the Silver Birch and, symbolically, other themes come from I’s the b’y that built the boat, Freres Jaques and of course, a reference to the national anthems of France and England (distorted to reflect those cultures being modified to Canada’s use). Within the tone-poem is an evocation of sunset on the prairies, a hoedown and a magnificent climax representing the Rocky Mountains and reflecting the optimism that should continue to be Canada’s birthright.

• Twomey: Works by Ray Twomey; computer-set 

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• Twomey: The Spirit of the Land (Opus 18); computer-set 

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• Twomey: The Spirit of the Land (Opus 18); computer-set 

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• Ray Twomey: The Spirit of the Land 

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• NZ Works for Orchestra 

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• Twomey: Music for Orchestra and Concert Band 

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• McLeod: Three Celebrations; computer-set 

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• McLeod: Three Celebrations; computer-set 

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• McLeod: Three Celebration; computer-set 

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• Jenny McLeod: The Emperor and the Nightingale 

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