Farr's fascinating, skillfully constructed Rehu ma Tangi pulls together a diverse range of performers and abilities. Passages for the recorder quartet range from outright virtuosic to entry-level, while the smooth rhythmic sequences and patterns of its call-and-response material between different parts of the ensemble display the influence of the gamelan orchestras so loved by the composer.
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.
