Balinese Pieces (1996-2003) is a set of three piano works influenced by gamelan music of Indonesia. This set includes Sepuluh Jari ("ten fingers"), Tentang Cara Gamelan ("on the technique of gamelan"), and Jangan Lupa ("don't forget"). Farr perfectly captures the exciting rhythms and beautiful sonorities of this gamelan music and combines it with sounds and textures reminiscent of French impressionism. His writing for piano in these pieces is virtuosic with fast melodic passages and complex rhythms. The three pieces can be performed together as a set or separately as stand-alone works. Balinese Pieces is sure to be a highlight in any professional piano recital programme.
Gareth Farr is an indisputably colourful figure in New Zealand music. And whether scored for percussion duet or the resources of two large orchestras, Farr's music reflects his personality – bold, brash, or delicate and sensuous, but inevitably, immediately, engaging. Rhythmic elements of his compositions can be linked to the complex and exciting rhythms of Rarotongan log drum ensembles, Balinese gamelan and other percussion music of the Pacific Rim. In addition to his music for the concert chamber, Farr has written music for dance, theatre and television.
