Farr's Duggan Theme (1997) is a simple and effective duo for flute and marimba that is suitable for beginning chamber music students. It was written for the television police-drama series Duggan, in which a New Zealand Detective Inspector solved grisly murder cases set against the scenic backdrop of New Zealand's Marlborough Sounds. The work follows a simple ternary form, beginning and ending in the Aeolian (or natural minor) mode, shifting through a variety of major keys in the B section.
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.
