Work

Programme Note

The thing that struck me about Charm when I first read it, was the wonderful concept of the spirit of the land – te wairua o te whenua. The land is our mother, she cares for all of her children. We have all at some point in time been a stranger to this land, and as visitors, we have all been welcomed by her.

Charm is a poem from the mid 19th century, a time when all Europeans were recent visitors to the land. It is likely, however that this poem was a Maori charm originally, translated into English by settlers, suggesting that Maori also felt the same way about Aotearoa.

We now live in a unique multi-cultural society. Our many and varied contemporary art forms reflect this fact, and display something that could only be created here. This piece is a recognition of the similarities and differences of all of the cultures of New Zealand. It is a musical analogy to my idea that cultures can co-exist without overshadowing or changing one other. And finally, it is a musical celebration that we all have ended up here on the same soil.

Gareth Farr

Text Note:

The text, 'Charm', an anonymous 19th Century poem is taken from '100 New Zealand Poems', edited by Bill Manhire and translated into Maori by Tamatai Ngarimu

Commissioned:

Commissioned by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra for the opening of Te Papa Tongarewa, Museum of NZ

• New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

Difficulty:

Advanced

Influences:

• Historical Event
• Karanga

Related Works

Performance History

	14 Feb 1998	Performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kenneth Young with Mere Boynton (karanga), Virginia-Marie Stack (mezzo), Peter de Blois (tenor) at Te Papa Tongarewa/The Museum of New Zealand
		Kenneth Young    New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
	28 Aug 2008	Performed by Simon O’Neill (tenor), Haley Maxwell (Maori Karanga), Deborah Wai-Kapohe (soprano), Li Wei (cello)and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra