11 November 2022 - 0 Comments

“It is her remarkable ability to unsettle with one chord and comfort with the next, that makes this much-needed secular requiem a musical experience that is awesome in the truest sense.” - Nick Bollinger

Videos have been created for each version by director Jonathan King:

Watch Requiem ft Simon O’Neill

Watch He Taurere ft. Anika Moa

Award winning composer Victoria Kelly is releasing the first song from her highly anticipated Requiem today. Two versions of the song - Requiem - based on a poem by Sam Hunt CNZM QSM - will be released together, one in English and one in Te Reo.

The release heralds the world premiere of the Requiem at the Auckland Arts Festival on 11 March 2023, and an album release of the complete work on 17 March 2023.

Details of the performance can be found here.

The single Requiem - is performed in English by internationally renowned, Grammy Award winning tenor Simon O’Neill ONZM.

The companion - He Taurere - is a te reo Māori interpretation of Sam’s poem by leading reo exponent Sir Tīmoti Kāretu (Ngāi Tūhoe / Ngāti Kahungunu) and performed by multi-faceted performer and songwriter, Anika Moa (Ngāpuhi / Te Aupōuri.)

Both versions can be pre-saved / pre-ordered here.

ABOUT REQUIEM / HE TAURERE

Victoria first met Sam Hunt in 2000 when they took part in Charlotte Yates’ production of Baxter (a collection of James K Baxter’s poems set to music by a range of NZ musicians). This production saw the birth of many transformational friendships for Victoria, including her friendship with the late performer and songwriter Mahinārangi Tocker (to whom He Taurere is dedicated).

One day at a rehearsal, after learning that it was her favourite of his poems, Sam recited Requiem to Victoria - a memory she treasures. In 2002, she asked Sam’s permission to set the poem to music. He's been waiting patiently ever since.

Victoria’s setting begins sparsely, with a piano signalling the footsteps of the singer on an infinite staircase leading into the stars. The choir and orchestra join the singer as he ascends.

She was inspired to write for Simon O’Neill after hearing him sing in a concert with NZTrio during which he reached up to a falsetto note far beyond his normal range. She was so captivated by the sound that she asked Simon if he'd be willing to sing an entire work in that register.

“As a Heldentenor, Simon represents the ultimate embodiment of musical masculinity. He's the hero of every opera. I wanted to look beyond that and find the fragility in this mighty voice as a way of expressing the vulnerability we all feel in the face of our mortality. It’s extraordinary that he agreed to do it. In this piece he’s not a hero… he’s just a human reckoning with the universe."

He Taurere was made with the support of Pokapū – and with the guidance of Dame Hinewehi Mohi and Stacey Morrison.

"I was inspired to release a Māori version of Requiem because Sam’s poem calls to mind a beautiful intersection between Māori and Pākeha world views. Each have their own philosophical concept of the stars, not only as a place we return to but also as a source of music. In Greek philosophy this is known as Musica Universalis (the Music of the Spheres) and in te ao Māori it's expressed in the story of Tane spilling a basket of stars which ring as they fall and collide with each other. Once Sir Tīmoti had interpreted the poem, Anika and I worked with Dame Hinewehi and Stacey to intertwine the reo and the music and I reworked the accompaniment. The result feels completely different to the English version despite the musical DNA being the same, because the reo transforms the flow and intention of the piece."

ABOUT THE COMPLETE WORK

Requiem is a deeply personal exploration of mortality, wonder, loss and longing told through music. It’s themes and textures are drawn from the natural world. It offers a way to contemplate mortality in a secular way that recognises, but doesn’t require or involve, religion.

The full 40 minute work - for choir, orchestra, soprano and tenor revolves around the words of five of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most beloved poets (Bill Manhire, Sam Hunt, Ian Wedde, Chloe Honum, James K Baxter), and incorporates the visual language of photographer and Arts Laureate, Anne Noble ONZM.

Victoria has been contemplating this work for 30 years. It was initially inspired by two profound losses (the death of her friend when she was 16, and the death of her father when she was 20) – and over time by other major life events (friendships, marriage, the death of her mother and the birth of her children).

Victoria finally felt ready to bring the work to fruition during the Covid pandemic. With support from Creative New Zealand she began to write and record it. The Requiem was scheduled to be premiered at the Auckland Arts Festival in March 2022 but, like so many other productions and performances, it was cancelled due to lockdown.

Requiem will be performed by the APO conducted by Vincent Hardaker and sung by Luminata Voices, Jayne Tankersley (soprano) and Simon O’Neill (tenor).

REQUIEM

World Premiere

Auckland Town Hall

March 11th

Tickets from Auckland Arts festival

The album of the Requiem will be released on 17 March 2023. Digital / CD / Limited Edition Music Score Books from https://victoriakellymusic.com

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