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Work


Pao

for mezzo-soprano, piano and clarinet

Year:  1981   ·  Duration:  16m

Year:  1981
Duration:  16m

Films, Audio & Samples

Performed by Gina Sanders (soprano) on 14 December 1995.

Gillian Whitehead: Pikeri f...

Embedded audio
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Sample Score

Sample: Page 1 of "Pikeri", from 'Pao'

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Sample Score

Sample: Pages 1-8 of full score of 'Pao'

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Borrow/Hire:

To borrow items or hire parts please email SOUNZ directly at info@sounz.org.nz.

About

'Pao' is the name given by Maori to two-lined epigrammatic songs which comment on a wide range of subjects such as love, war, politics or religion; often topical, often improvised. Most of the songs set here were collected in 1864 from Maori prisoners captured during the the land wars in the Waikato area south of Auckland. The couplets are not connected in any way except for the central group, for unaccompanied voice, concerning Pikeri, a character famous at the time for his escapades evading the police; in this instance, enforced separation during a love affair is charted.

The English translations of these pao are used with the kind permission of the late Margaret Orbell, and come from her Maori Poetry, an introductory anthology (Heinemann, 1978).

Pao was commissioned by the Northumberland-based Syrinx Trio, with financial assistance from Northern Arts; the first performance was given by Syrinx in Newcastle in 1981.


Commissioned note

Commissioned by the Syrinx Trio with assistance from Northern Arts (UK)


Contents note

21 very short poems (pao) - translations of Maori poems


Text note

Text from Maori poems translated by Margaret Orbell


Performance history

14 Dec 1995: Performed by Gina Sanders (soprano)