Work
Sun Wu Kong "Monkey"
central Javanese gamelan (including frog toys), string quartet, Chinese sheng, rebab player, singer(s) - male or female
About
Sun Wu Kong "Monkey" is a tribute to mentor and friend Jack Body. Jack invited me to write this piece for his retirement concert "Gong Crazy" during my term as Jack C Richards / Creative New Zealand Composer in Residence (2008–2009).
The title "Monkey" refers to the kecak rhythms of the Balinese monkey dance which permeate the score, also to the irrepressible spirit of Sun Wu Kung – the "Monkey King" of Wu Ch'eng-en's classic 16th century novel, and to the year of Jack's birth.
Commissioned note
Requested by Jack Body for his retirement concert on October 2nd and 4th, 2009 and written during the Jack C Richards / Creative New Zealand Residency 2008–2009
Difficulty note
intermediate to advanced
Dedication note
Dedicated to Jack Body
Text note
Traditional Javanese texts