Solo instrument
Jesus falls for the third time
For bass clarinet
Jesus falls for the third time was premiered by clarinettist Anna McGregor on 13 March 2008 at the Gus Fisher Gallery in central Auckland.
About the work
To commemorate Easter in 2008, St Helier’s Presbyterian Church commissioned 15 New Zealand composers and artists to create works in response to one of the stations of the cross.
My piece, not programmatic, refers to the ninth station, where Jesus stumbles and falls under the weight of the cross he is forced to carry to his crucifixion.
Score
Buy or borrow the score from SOUNZ.
Korimako
For descant recorder
Korimako was first performed by John Turner at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London on 19 September 1997.
About the work
After the outstanding English soprano Tracey Chadwell died at far too young an age, a number of composers wrote short tribute pieces for a concert that celebrated her life. Korimako — the New Zealand bellbird — was my contribution.
Korimako is included in the Grade 8 ABRSM descant recorder syllabus from 2022.
ABRSM treble recorder syllabus
Score
The score has been published by Forsythe in the United Kingdom.
Mata-au
for clarinet
Robert Carew commissioned Mata-au for Anna McGregor to play, to celebrate his partner Scilla Askew’s contribution to New Zealand music and mark her departure from the role of Executive Director of SOUNZ. Anna McGregor gave the first public performance on 16 March 2010 at St Andrew’s on The Terrace as part of the New Zealand Music for Woodwind concert series.
About the work
Mata-au is the original name of Central Otago’s Clutha river, which I saw from the Plischke house in Alexandra when I was artist-in-residence for the Henderson Arts Trust in 2009-2010.
Mata-au refers to the river’s characteristic whirlpools, caused by layered currents moving at different speeds, which resemble facial moko, or the wake of a giant waka, and the piece has its origins in Māori chant.
Instrumentation
Anna McGregor has prepared a score detailing fingerings for the extended techniques.
Score and recordings
Buy or borrow the score from SOUNZ.
RNZ Concert recorded the premiere performance.
Peter Scholes performed it in 2017 during a ‘composer portrait’ concert where I was asked to introduce the works.
Gillian Whitehead introduces her works — video
Review
‘Whitehead’s 2010 Mata-au is a masterpiece. If American poet Wallace Stevens found 13 ways of looking at a blackbird, then this clarinet solo does the same, and more, for water. The marvellous Peter Scholes captured it to the last drop, from luminescent shallows to the gnarliest of rapids.’
— William Dart, New Zealand Herald, 4 July 2017
Ngā Hā O Neherā
For bassoon
Ben Hoadley commissioned Ngā Hā o Neherā with funding from the Becroft Trust.
About the work
Ngā Hā o Neherā, which translates from Māori as ‘a breath from the past’ is a 5-movement suite, written after a taonga pūoro wananga at Ohinemutu on the shores of Lake Rotorua.
The first movement is ‘Ngā Hā o Neherā’, (a breath from the past), the second ‘puna wera’, which suggests the continual welling up of hot water from a spring at the edge of the lake, and the third, ‘Mokoia’, suggesting the soundscape of Mokoia Island which, as well as being a major historical site, is also a bird sanctuary. The fourth movement, ‘He pūrakau’ recounts a folk story — not a specific tale, but suggesting the elements of all strong stories.
The last movement, ‘Ohinemutu’, locates the piece in place, and reflects on the story of Hinetekakara, ancestress of the Te Arawa people, whose untimely death gave the place its name.
Scores and recordings
Buy or borrow the score from SOUNZ.
Atoll CDs has released a recording by Ben Hoadley.
The Resound project has made 2 video performances available — one of the whole work and one of the final movement.
Ricercare
For viola
Ricercare was commissioned by Philip Clark with funding from the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council, and first performed by him at the Maidment Theatre, Auckland in 1976.
About the work
In Ricercare a series of 3 recitatives and arias develop in and out of each other so that there is no clear-cut division between them.
Like much of my music at the time, the pitches, rhythms and section structure are based on proportions based on a magic square — this time the square of Mercury.
Score and recording
Contact me if you are interested in seeing the score.
RNZ Concert recorded Philip Clark’s performance.
Song without words
For solo violin, viola or cello
The first performance of Song without words was given by cellist Rolf Gjelsten in Wellington on 2 February 2014 at a private function.
About the work
Song without words was written to mark the occasion of Helen Young’s departure from Wellington to live in Auckland. Helen was always a champion of New Zealand music during her years as manager of Radio New Zealand Concert.
Instrumentation
The piece has been written to be played by violin, viola or cello — a score exists for each of the 3 instruments.
Score
Buy or borrow the score from SOUNZ.