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Gareth Farr  

He Tango mo Elena

Duration: 07' 00" Year: 2002
tango for orchestra, solo violin, tenor and Kapa Haka

Rachael Morgan  

Mata[hou]rua

Duration: 07' 20" Year: 2009
for bass clarinet

  • Programme Note

    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.

  • Availability

Dan Poynton  

Roimata

Duration: 08' 00" Year: 2000
for soprano and piano

Carol Shortis  

Tangi

Duration: 09' 00" Year: 2009
for SSAATTBB choir with SATB soloists

  • Programme Note

    The poem Tangi was written my Megan Simmonds, a New Zealand poet who lives in the Bay of Plenty. I wanted to explore the use of vocal overtones in this piece; they have often been connected with the spiritual or other-worldly in the various cultures where the technique is practiced. Whilst researching this subject I came across the poem Overtone by American writer W. S. Merwin:

    …the names were read of those no longer there
    that sound of what made no sound anymore
    made up the chords that in a later year
    some still believed that they could overhear

    Notes by Carol Shortis

  • Availability

Carol Shortis  

Tangi

Duration: 09' 00" Year: 2007
for a cappella SSAATTBB vocal ensemble

  • Programme Note

    The poem Tangi was written by Megan Simmonds, a New Zealand poet who lives in the Bay of Plenty. I wanted to explore the use of vocal overtones in this piece; they have often been connected with the spiritual or other-worldly in the various cultures where the technique is practiced.

    A tangi (or tangihanga) is a Māori funeral ceremony. The opening material, and position of the singers, is influenced by the Māori powhiri, where visitors are received onto the marae in a customary series of calls and songs by the tangata whenua, each reciprocated in turn by the visitors.

  • Availability

Gareth Farr  

Tirohia atu nei

Duration: 06' 00" Year: 2000
for choir (SSAATB) and percussion

Robin Toan  

Tu-mata-uenga (God of War, Spirit of Man)

Duration: 06' 00" Year: 2005
for orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    2 (db. picc)222; 4331; 3 perc (crash cymbals, 3 suspended cymbals, xylophone, bass drum, tam-tam, gong, 3 tom-toms, anvil, woodblock, glockenspiel, snare drum, 5 roto-toms), timp, strings
  • Programme Note

    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.

  • Availability

Gareth Farr  

Wakatipu

Duration: 06' 00" Year: 2009
for solo violin

  • Programme Note

    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.

  • Availability