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Judith Whitaker  

'On a Drawing of His Mother' by Toss Woollaston

Duration: 05' 00" Year: 1992
for string orchestra

Jonathan Besser  

5757 A Symphonic Tone Poem

Duration: 22' 00" Year: 1998
for orchestra

Anthony Ritchie  

A Bugle will Do

Duration: 09' 00" Year: 1995
for full orchestra

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

    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.

  • Availability

Bryony Jagger  

A New Day Dawns

Duration: 10' 00" Year: 1999
for orchestra

Bryony Jagger  

A song for my Lover

Duration: 03' 00" Year: 1991
for contralto, narrator and orchestra

Edwin Carr  

Akarana

 Year: 1999
four symphonic sketches for large orchestra

Christopher Blake  

Auckland!!!

Duration: 03' 00" Year: 1999
fanfare for orchestra

David Farquhar  

Auras

Duration: 14' 00" Year: 1994
for solo piano with orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    1111;4230; timp, perc, strings
  • Programme Note

    Imagine the harmonics associated with each musical sound as its “aura”. This piece brings these auras into fuller consciousness: at the start the orchestra’s staccato chord is immediately decorated by the solo piano’s flourish on its harmonic series. These auras permeate the work. The piece is in a single movement – its various sections related rhythmically. It was first performed by Barbara King and the Victoria University Orchestra under Peter Walls in August 1995.

  • Availability

Eve de Castro-Robinson  

Aurora

Duration: 03' 00" Year: 1990
fanfare for orchestra

Andrew Perkins  

Ave Maris Stella

Duration: 04' 00" Year: 1999
for string orchestra