Pianophilia

Since New Zealand is such a culturally active country (I love Wellington), I thought that someone might have some music from there. Like Australia, there may be a vast quantity of 'new' music, but I admit my absolute ignorance of anything but the most recent works.
Did we ever have a New Zealand discussion?
Helen

I personally like the Friendly Orchestra.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB4vxQDllFU

davida march wrote:Since New Zealand is such a culturally active country (I love Wellington), I thought that someone might have some music from there. Like Australia, there may be a vast quantity of 'new' music, but I admit my absolute ignorance of anything but the most recent works.
Did we ever have a New Zealand discussion?
Helen

No we've never had a New Zealand thread before, but a nice idea Helen. On the now defunct Cziffrania, Elizabeth and I managed to have a small group of pieces by the kiwi composer Alan Cruise-Johnston who kindly gave us permission to post them. Without his permission they cannot be posted again here, although if someone would like to contact him we could of course repeat the exercise in our Twenty-First Century forum - and that of course goes for any other contemporary composer. We also had a very good response from several composers in Australia when we carried out that exercise several years ago now.

Rob

davida march wrote:Since New Zealand is such a culturally active country (I love Wellington), I thought that someone might have some music from there.

You call a haka musical?

Actually, I can upload a piece by arguably New Zealand's finest composer.

Alfred Hill (1870-1960) - trained in Europe (he knew Brahms) and althought born in Melboune spent much time in NZ during the 1890's and was very much influenced (as much as possible given his style) by Maori music and legends - his oratorio Hinemoa was the first work built around a Maori legend.

He spent much time in Sydney, and in fact was the teacher of a man I got to know very well in his later life - John Antill.

I'm including as a sample of his work.

Regards
Fred

fredbucket wrote:You call a haka musical?

Did someone say Haka? Trinity High School in Euless, Texas (between Dallas and Ft Worth), has a big contingent of Tongan students (the parents moved here to work at American Airlines). Many of them ended up on the football team and all of the school teams now do an intimidating haka before any game, scaring the pants off their opponents, who don't know what the hell is going down.

Here's one version of it on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmQBsJyE ... re=related

passthesalt wrote:Many of them ended up on the football team and all of the school teams now do an intimidating haka before any game, scaring the pants off their opponents, who don't know what the hell is going down.

It's a tradition amongst South Sea Island sporting teams - mainly popularised by the NZ All Blacks rugby team.

Regards
Fred

fredbucket wrote:

passthesalt wrote:Many of them ended up on the football team and all of the school teams now do an intimidating haka before any game, scaring the pants off their opponents, who don't know what the hell is going down.

It's a tradition amongst South Sea Island sporting teams - mainly popularised by the NZ All Blacks rugby team.

Regards
Fred

Aaah, that would explain the snarky comments from Kiwis who say the Trinity haka is wimpish. However wimpy, the Trinity haka is a refreshing change here in yokel-land.

http://www.trustcds.com/pages/recordings/MMT2053.html

Piano music of Douglas Lilburn. (The copyrights of Douglas Lilburn’s music are owned by the Alexander Turnbull Library Endowment Trust. Royalties from Douglas Lilburn’s music are paid to the Lilburn Trust for the fostering and preservation of New Zealand music.)

But at least something to comment about,
H

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue ... pid=686337

Not sure of composers yet.
dm

fredbucket wrote:

davida march wrote:Since New Zealand is such a culturally active country (I love Wellington), I thought that someone might have some music from there.

You call a haka musical?

Actually, I can upload a piece by arguably New Zealand's finest composer.

Alfred Hill (1870-1960) - trained in Europe (he knew Brahms) and althought born in Melboune spent much time in NZ during the 1890's and was very much influenced (as much as possible given his style) by Maori music and legends - his oratorio Hinemoa was the first work built around a Maori legend.

He spent much time in Sydney, and in fact was the teacher of a man I got to know very well in his later life - John Antill.

I'm including

hill - valse triste.pdf

as a sample of his work.

Regards
Fred

Alfred Hill


Alfred Hill was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1870 but spent his formative years in New Zealand. He began his musical studies on the cornet and later learned the violin and began composing at the age of twelve. He was sent to Leipzig at 15 to continue his studies on the violin and in composition. Here, he came into contact with many of the great masters including Grieg, Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Strauss. Upon his return to the antipodes, he became a leading conductor and teacher. He eventually settled in Sydney where he was a founding professor at the Conservatorium of Music. He remained active as a violinist, violist and conductor. He retired in the 1930's and dedicated himself entirely to composition.

As a composer, he was prolific. Because he did not keep track of his works with Opus numbers, it is impossible to be sure of his total output. A catalogue compiled by Allan Stiles lists more than two thousand titles including ten operas, nine symphonies, four string orchestra symphonies, five concertos, overtures, tone poems, two ballets, film scores, marches and a wide range of choral and solo works. His Chamber music compositions include seventeen string quartets, and many miniatures for strings and piano.

http://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au ... ll,+Alfred

As usual, Hill is claimed by Australia. The List above is very good -
dm