Martin Lodge is an Associate Professor of Music in composition
at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand. This
CD features eleven of his works. Two were written in memory
of fellow composers, Douglas Lilburn and David Farquhar. The
remainder reflect of his feelings for nature and the world around
us. They combine the use of classical, electronic and native
instruments.
Epitaph for Douglas Lilburn is a cello solo - a sad,
slow lament. It mourns the passing of a lost friend and the
mixed emotions that accompany this stage of life. Farewell
for David Farquhar is a slow cello duet that captures the
essence of paying final respects and memorializing a fellow
traveler through life.
One of my favorite numbers here is Toru, meaning three
in Maori. Written for clarinet, cello and taonga puoro, it is
performed in seven sections without a break. Taonga puoro is
the term for native Maori musical instruments, made from bone,
wood, gourds, shells and other local materials. The music created
by these instruments is similar to background music used in
film-making, with many different wind sound effects. Many of
the sounds of New Zealand are recreated in all their splendor;
bird-calls, such as the trill of the Kiwi, the toot of the Kokako,
the high twitter of the tiny Miromiro, the chatter of the Tui
and the Tieke. The listener can hear the wind moving its way
through the beech forests as a storm blows in from the south.
Then there’s the long, low moaning of a sperm whale on
Pegasus Bay calling for its mate. The composition titled Hau,
(meaning wind or breath) uses native percussion instruments
to beautiful effect. The listener can picture rain dripping
from the top of a giant Kauri tree, hear the yapping of a Poaka
Stilt, the hoot of the tiny Ruru owl and the Rirorio’s
sweet chatter. One can even picture a tiny Katipo spider silently
waiting in the dark.
Martin wrote his own program notes and gives a brief, interesting
description of each piece. This CD was engineered, mastered
and produced by Wayne Laird.
The CD will appeal to those who are already Martin Lodge enthusiasts
as well as those who enjoy the music of nature generally and
the taonga puoro in particular.
Bruce McCollum
Full tracklist & performance details
Epitaph for Douglas Lilburn, (2001) [4:25]
Summer Music, for piano trio, (2000) [7:02]
Toru, for clarinet, cello and taonga puoro, (2003) [9:55]
Aequora tuta silent, for saxophone, viola and electronic
effects, (2006) [7:46]
Pacific Rock, for solo viola, (2001) [5:06]
Pan Dreaming, for solo flute, (2011) [3:35]
Nightwind, for two cellos, (2011) [4:55]
Aria with Commentary, for two cellos, (2011) [8:34]
Voices Within, for harpsichord and recorded sound, (2011)
[4:57]
Farewell for David Farquhar, for two cellos, (2007) [3:45]
Hau, for cello and taonga puoro, (2005) [8:30]
James Tennant (cello), Lara Hall (violin), Katherine Austin
(piano), Richard Nunns (taonga puoro), Peter Scholes (clarinet),
Carrie Koffman (saxophone), Timothy Deighton (viola), Robert
Ashworth (viola), William Dowdall (flute), Edward King (cello),
Santiago Canon Valencia (cello), Rachel Griffiths-Hughes (harpsichord),
Martin Lodge, Jeremy Mayall (electronics), Horomona Horo (taonga
puoro).
rec. Gallagher Concert Chamber, Waikato University, Hamilton,
NZ, Aug 2011 (Epitaph, Pan Dreaming, Nightwind, Aria, Farewell),
Nov 2011 (Summer Music, Hau); Helen Young Studio, Auckland,
NZ, June 2004 (Toru); Berkman Recital Hall, University of Hartford,
Connecticut, Sept 2011 (Aequora); Stebbing’s Studio, Auckland,
NZ, Nov 2011 (Pacific Rock); Wayne Laird (Voices)
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ATOLL ACD 143 [69:35] 