This major work traces the stages of the grief process, mixing poems by James K. Baxter, Sam Hunt and Janet Frame with an evocative and powerful libretto by Pat White. It is direct in style, and well within the capabilities of most city choirs and orchestras.

Opus No : 42

Category : Choir & orchestra

Year : 1990

Duration : 37'00"

Texts: Mainly by Pat White, commissioned for the work; also includes 'The Bay' by James K.Baxter, 'My Father Today' by Sam Hunt, and 'The Suicides' by Janet Frame

Commissioned by : The Schola Cantorum and Dunedin Sinfonia

Instrumentation: song cycle for solo baritone, large SATB choir, and orchestra: 2222/3220/timp, 2 perc, strings

Level : 3 - for professional and semi-professional musicians

Available from the composer

Recording information

The Schola Cantorum and Dunedin Sinfonia, for archives

Programme Note

This work for choir, baritone and orchestra was composed for The Schola Cantorum (now City of Dunedin Choir) and The Dunedin Sinfonia (now Southern Sinfonia), with the assistance of a grant from Creative NZ. It is a song cycle, using ten poems especially written for the work by New Zealander Pat White. Three other poems are by Baxter, Frame and Hunt.