Farr's Ngā Hihi o Matariki (The Rays of Matariki) is an orchestral work of seven connected movements that incorporate taonga puoro and reo oro. Each movement is named after one of the seven stars (or pairs of stars) of Matariki, a constellation which rises in the mid-winter night skies of Aotearoa New Zealand. First movement Waiti/Waita's reverberant xylophone and glockenspiel chords evoke bodies of water, while the vocalists pay homage to the waters that nourish us. The contrasting and energetic second movement, Waipuna-a-rangi, features strings and winds exchanging scuttling figures, punctuated by ringing chords. The putorino features in the gentler third movement, Tupu-a-nuku, accompanying vocals that acknowledge the land. The fourth movement, Uru-a-rangi, sees repeated wind figures at the forefront along with powerful bursts from the percussion and brass sections. Fifth movement Pohutukawa features a touching song acknowledging lost loved ones, with powerful atmospherics provided by the soft puoro, while the contrasting sixth movement features beautiful, unhurried string phrases before breaking into a vigorous passage for strings and winds. The triumphant final movement Hiwa-i-te-rangi boasts rigorous rototom and timpani patterns, with putatara, voice and percussion rousing the orchestra to a thrilling climax.
This work celebrates Matariki as an event embracing New Zealand's past and present, and a time to think about where we are going as a nation. I am fascinated by the fact that this constellation has such importance in many cultures around the world, and that it links us all together in the recognition of a celestial event of uniqueness and beauty.
