Generally in Javanese gamelan, the more virtuosic an instrument, the more quietly it is played. In Farr's Kebyar Moncar, the gender are featured. Usually played in a gentle, flowing style with very soft beaters, Farr employs them in a manner similar to Balinese Wayang Kulit, with hard beaters and in loud, fast interlocking patterns.
In the Balinese gamelan tradition, a kebyar is a loud, explosive, dramatic piece. Farr coupled this in the work's title with the word moncar both because it is a part of the name of the ensemble to which the work is dedicated and because it is a term which refers to something that develops and grows in intensity.
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.
