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Dorothy Freed  

Lament for Te Wano

Duration: 07' 00" Year: 1974
for a cappella SATB

David Hamilton  

Listen Tamaki Makaurau

Duration: 06' 15" Year: 2010
for solo voice(s), treble voices in 3 parts, piano, organ, optional percussion

  • Programme Note

    The Auckland Primary Principals’ Association holds an annual music festival and over the years several of my choral works have been included in the event. In early 2010 I was approached by former student Pip Faulknor who, along with two other conductors, was keen to include something specifically about Auckland in their programmes, and asked if I had anything suitable. I suggested something new might be appropriate and a text was devised by Mary Cornish. The text talks of many of the features of Auckland, but is also a call for the people of the area to listen to, and respect, the children of Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland).

    David Hamilton

  • Availability

Helen Fisher  

Papatuanuku

Duration: 05' 00" Year: 1992
vocalise for unaccompanied choir

  • Instrumentation
    1.TB; 2. and 3. SATB
  • Programme Note

    These three vocalises, using Maori vowel sounds, were first recorded by the Wellington members of the National Youth Choir. They were composed for the opening section of ‘Wahine Toa’, a dance theatre celebration of Maori female ancestral figures. This work was performed at Taki Rua Theatre in Wellington in 1992 and in Christchurch in 1993. The three pieces are: 1. Te Po Nui, Te Po Roa, where male voices hum a series of sustained chords. 2. The Earth Lay in the Womb of Darkness – inspired by Robin Kahukiwa’s painting of the same title. This choral vocalise by full choir begins with alto melodic line, soon building to a widely spaced texture of superimposed fifth chords. 3. Papatuanuku – the Separation of Ranginui and Papatuanuku. The vocalise begins gently, becoming increasingly contrapuntal, building to five strong chords, and ending with a sighing texture of vocal glissandi. Wahine Toa was choreographed by Keri Kaa, Jan Bolwell and Sunny Amey, and was commissioned with assistance from the Queen Elizabeth 11 Arts Council of New Zealand.

  • Availability

Helen Fisher  

Pounamu

Duration: 07' 00" Year: 1989, r. 1997
for SSAATB choir, alto soloist and koauau

  • Programme Note

    Inspired by sparkling waters of Tasman Bay Nelson, this choral work (SSAATB) was originally composed with flute accompaniment, which has been substituted in performances by the Shakuhachi (traditional Japanese flute) and also the Koauau (traditional Maori flute). There are recordings of Pounamu with each of these flutes. The piece’s choral texture uses Maori vowel sounds and a text which is a whakatauki (proverb) from the Waikato region.

  • Availability

Helen Fisher  

Pounamu

Duration: 07' 00" Year: 1989, r. 1997
for solo flute, SSAATB choir

Richard Oswin  

Sweet Sleep and Altered Days

Duration: 06' 00" Year: 2011
for SSATB choir

  • Programme Note

    These two a cappella folksong settings were written for the 2011 – 2012 NZSSC to sing during their NZ concerts and on their trip to the Ihlombe South Africa Music Festival in July 2012 . The settings were based on existing folk melodies and texts and were designed to challenge the choir. ‘Lullaby’ is a gentle song featuring both Maori and English text, in which a mother encourages her child to go to sleep. The rousing ‘Altered Days’ relates a tale of changed fortunes, for the better, of an emigrant from Scotland to New Zealand.

  • Availability

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

Douglas Mews  

The Love Song of Rangipouri

Duration: 07' 00" Year: 1974
for unaccompanied SATB choir and solo baritone

Gareth Farr  

Tirohia atu nei

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