Farr's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra pays homage to his compositional heroes; Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Bartók, and Ravel - all of them being masters of writing for this form. In the work, Farr touches on the idea of piano concertos being stereotyped as romantic, sweeping and epic, but for the most part focusses on darker symphonic explorations. There is an ominous urgency to much of the first and third movements, while the second has an almost machine-like atmosphere.
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.
