Farr's intriguing Forbidden Colours sees the piano trio become a somewhat impressionistic entity, with statements emerging from the overall texture with increasing clarity. Above the piano's shimmering, gamelan-like waves, the strings gradually reveal busy, soaring lines, with the work's hypnotic spell broken only by a brief strident middle 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.
