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7 vln, 3 vla, 2 celli, 1 d bass.

• Whitaker: "On a Drawing of His Mother"; facsimile 

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32(ca)22; 42cornets231, timpani, perc, cannon, strings– ie same instrumentation as 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky plus piano

• Larry Pruden: Collected Edition Volume 7 - works for orchestra (III) 

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• Pruden: 1218; facsimile 

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3[1.2.p/afl]3[1.2.ca]3[1.2/Ebcl.3/bcl]3[1.2.cbsn]; 4331; timp.; 3 perc.; organ; harp; strings

13 was inspired by the Renaissance art I saw while studying and travelling in Italy in 2009 – 10. I was taken with the bold depictions of martyrs with the attributes of their lives and deaths.

13 is a set of 13 variations on a theme first presented by the organ. Each variation is based on one of the thirteen present at the Last Supper. The details of their lives are often sketchy, and sometimes sit somewhere between fact and legend. The order is as follows:

Theme
Var. I
St Simon Zealotes – Revolutionary; went to Armenia and Persia; sawn in half.
Var. II
St Thomas - Doubted Christ’s wounds; went to India; pierced with lance.
Var. III
St Philip – Sober-minded; went to Greece and Phrygia; crucified upside-down.
Var. IV
St Bartholomew - Honest; went to Armenia; flayed alive.
Var. V
St Jude Thaddeus – Farmer; went to Syria and Armenia; clubbed to death.
Var. VI
Judas Escariot – The betrayer; eternally punished; hung himself.
Var. VII
St James the Great – Fiery temper; ‘Son of Thunder’; Judaea; beheaded.
Var. VIII
St James the Less – Brother of Christ; Jerusalem and went to Egypt; thrown off temple.
Var. IX
St Matthew – Tax collector; accompanied by an angel; Ethiopia and Persia; martyr.
Var. X
St Andrew - The first-called; went to Ukraine and Black Sea; crucified on saltire.
Var. XI
St John – Author of Revelations; ‘Son of Thunder’; went to Asia Minor; died of old-age.
Var. XII
St Peter – Holder of the keys to the Gates of Heaven; went to Rome; crucified upside-down.
Var. XIII
Apotheosis

• Anthony Young: 13 - Theme and Variations - hardcopy score 

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(pc)3(alto)3(ca)3(bcl)2;4331;3 perc (timp,s-dr,vibe); cel,hp,pf; strs

2 picc.232 cb. 433 tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, piano/celeste, strings

• Besser: 5757; computer-set 

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• Besser: 57 57 

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2222 4331 2perc timp harp strings (incl. solo viola)

“Perhaps a lunatic is simply a minority of one.” – George Orwell, 1984

• Taylor: [inner]; computer set 

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• Alex Taylor: [inner]; audio 

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fl. (3-3rd dbl picc.), ob. (3-3rd dbl CA), cl. in A (3-3rd dbl bass cl.), bsn (3-3rd dbl contra.), alto sax.; 4,3 (trumpets in C), 3,1; timp., perc. (5), hp, cel., pno; strings. Percussion includes tri., tambourine, sus. cymbal, clash cymbal, gong, xylophone, glock., bells, woodblk, claves, rattle, whip, side drum, bass drum.

• Lilburn: A Birthday Offering; computer-set  

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• Lilburn: A Birthday Offering; facsimile  Year: 1991 

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• Douglas Lilburn: A Song of Islands  Year: 1987 

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• Lilburn: Prodigal Country  Year: 1987 

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• Lilburn: Prodigal Country  Year: 1987 

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• Douglas Lilburn: Orchestral Music  Year: 1995 

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• Douglas Lilburn: Orchestral Works   Year: 2004 

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pc2233cb; 2331; timp.; 3 perc (triangle, tomtoms, bass drum, suspended cymbal, xylophone, tam tam, log drum); strs

In 1995 I was approached by the NZSO to write an overture to commemorate the recent death of New Zealand’s most famous war hero, Sir Charles Upham. Upham was famous for having won the Victoria Cross twice for bravery during World War II. He was, however, extremely modest when it came to discussing his achievements. Some years before his death it was suggested to Upham that he have a state funeral; he simply replied, “A bugle will do”. This comment seemed like a good starting point for my piece.

There are no bugles in the orchestra, but the opening section depicting the horrors of battle contains plenty of brass. Sub-titled Maleme and Ruweisat Ridge, the music is fast and furious, built from several motifs, and includes the opening rhythm for the most well known Maori haka (war dance), Kamate, kamate. The music builds to a climax, and the scene changes to a bleak Colditz Castle, where Upham was imprisoned during the war. While in prison he dreams of rural NZ, and the farm near Kaikoura called ‘Landsdowne’, where he eventually settled after the war. This brief pastoral section links into a coda celebrating the outbreak of peace. Motifs from earlier in the piece return but changed into brighter modes. ’

A Bugle Will Do was first performed by the NZSO in 1996 under Andrew Sewell, and was subsequently performed in the USA.

• Ritchie, A.: A Bugle will Do; computer-set 

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• Ritchie A.: A Bugle will do; facsimile 

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• Anthony Ritchie: A Bugle will Do; video 

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• Music by Anthony Ritchie 

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• Anthony Ritchie: A Bugle Will Do 

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(1)2(1)222;4321; timp, perc (b-dr, s-dr, 3toms, xylo, cym, tamtam, glock), hp; strs

• Utting: A Celebration; facsimile 

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2222;2221;timp,2perc,keyboards;strs

Our version of A Christmas Carol began as a glint in Russell Kerr’s eye. I remember a phone call from Russell in late 1988: “Philip – I think I’ve got an idea for a ballet that might work…”.

Two years later, A Christmas Carol opened in the Theatre Royal, Christchurch in a polished production by Southern Ballet, with Russell himself in the demanding dual roles of Scrooge and choreographer.

The success of the Southern Ballet’s presentation led to an unexpected invitation from Angela Gorton, then General Manager of Canterbury Opera.

“Would it be possible to convert the ballet into an opera?” Angela asked. “You’ve got to be joking” I remember thinking. “Yes, of course, no problems” I replied.

The temporary bout of insanity continued. I chose to write the libretto, as well as taking on the challenge of converting what was an electronic tape score into a 500-page manuscript for live orchestra and singers.

Thankfully, as it transpired, much of the original electronic score translated fairly readily into the different medium. At most, keys and speeds were altered, and occasional phrases tweaked to suit the range and breath requirements of the human performers. This left under half the ballet requiring either substantial revision or fresh material.

1993 disappeared in a blur of notes, rhyming couplets and spectral apparitions. One memory remains clear, and that is the thrill of seeing my labours brought to life in a gratifying premiere season of the opera by Canterbury Opera.

Someone once said ‘being a composer in New Zealand must be like being a bullfighter in Finland”. Certainly conventional wisdom has it that while a first performance of a new work is relatively easy to secure, opportunities for subsequent performances are as rare as a happy Wagnerian heroine.

Thus it was with relish and gratitude that I leapt upon the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s invitation to turn my opera score back into a ballet. This time, it was to be for humans to play, and a full orchestra no less. Oh joy oh bliss.

And it has given me the opportunity to use the wonderful line – I spent most of 2001 decomposing.

I feel enormously privileged to have the opportunity to work once again with Russell, Kristian, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and, of course, Charles Dickens.

Philip Norman
Composer
“A Christmas Carol”