Whira – Maori for violin, or fiddle.
The seven pieces comprising this work were written over a period of three or four years for more or less personal reasons. The intention, however, was always to put them together to form one substantial piece. There are, therefore, a number of cross-references, and some material is developed throughout the course of the work. Although there are seven pieces, the overall shape is in five parts – numbers 3, 4 and 5 form a lighter middle section to the whole work.
Cresswell's Whira exhibit[s] astounding textural richness on a single instrument.
