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Josie Burdon  

Manakohanga (Acceptance)

Duration: 04' 00"
For kendang, poi and voices

Philip Dadson   Wayne Laird  

Pacific 3,2,1, Zero

Duration: 25' 00" Year: 1982
for voices percussion and invented instruments

  • Instrumentation
    in part 1: tuned PVC pipes, metal chimes, roto-toms, voices, trom-tubes, spun drones, rattle-jackets and kerosene cans

    in part 2: voices, tuned wood, metal and PVC pipe lengths, 3 tenor slide trombones and 3 saxophones, soprano, alto, tenor and surf sticks
  • Programme Note

    Pacific 3-2-1-Zero (parts 1 and 2) is a work of protest against nuclear testing and waste dumping in Oceania. The structure is based on an image of isolated islands of acitivity connected by common waters whose currents now innocently carry nuclear contamination.

    The work takes place in the round, with the instruments in Part 1 arranged centrally to indicate the symbol for nuclear disarmament.

    The syllables heard in the first vocal section are taken from the names of individual islands within Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia. These are mirrored and inverted in the same way as the rhythms in the music are. In a later vocal section the names of contaminated islands testing sites: Mururoa (France), Fangata’ufa (France), Christmas Island (UK/USA), Johnston Island (USA), Enewetak (USA), Bikini (USA) are sung, then shouted and drummed on tins to sound both lament and warning.

    Part 2, developed in 1983, expresses hope and is dedicated to the emerging force of solidarity among the people of the Pacific.

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Gareth Farr  

Rona e te marama

Duration: 10' 00" Year: 2007
for Balinese and Javanese Gamelan combined

  • Programme Note

    Rona e te Marama was written for a collaboration between dancer Didik Nini Thowok, and Gamelans Taniwha Jaya and Padhang Moncar. In the traditional Maori Story, Rona goes out one night to fetch water. As she walks through the bush the moon disappears behind a cloud in the darkness Rona trips over a tree root. She curses the moon for making her fall. In retaliation the moon tries to pull Rona up into the sky. Rona grabs hold of a small shrub but the moon is too strong for her. Ever since, the story goes, if you look at the full moon you can see Rona there, still clutching the shrub.

    The unusual combination of Balinese and Javanese gamelan in this piece contrasts the different tuning systems which are generally thought to be incompatible.

    Gareth Farr

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