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Richard Oswin: The Last to Leave (from 'Three Gallipoli Settings') - downloadable PDF SCORE
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These three a cappella folksong settings were written for the 2011 – 2012 NZSSC to sing during their NZ concerts and on their trip to the Ihlombe South Africa Music Festival in July 2012. The texts were selected to reflect the futility and horrors of war, and the dreadful conditions in which our soldiers suffered at Gallipoli. There is an Australian text to acknowledge the 'A' in ANZAC. The final setting, 'Spirit of ANZAC' is more modern and encourages reflection on the meaning of ANZAC and how fortunate we as a country are for the sacrifice made by our servicemen and women.
Commissioned note
Commissioned by Andrew Withington and the 2011 – 2012 New Zealand Secondary Students' Choir
Text note
The lyrics to 'Gallipoli Peninsula' are by Alistair Te Ariki Campbell, whose father fought in the Gallipoli campaign. The poem comes from a 1999 publication entitled 'Gallipoli and other poems' published by Wai-te-ata Press. 'The Last to Leave' is a poem by Leon Maxwell Gellert, an Australian poet who landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, 1915. He was a lance sergeant. The text comes from an anthology of poems he wrote under the title 'Songs of a Campaign' published in 1917. Mike Subritksy, the author of 'Spirit of ANZAC' is one of NZ's best known war poets. He wrote 'Spirit of ANZAC' in 1986; the text was the first NZ poem to be read at the ANZAC War Memorial, Hyde Park, London.
Performance history
20 Oct 2011: Performed by the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir at the Ashburton College Auditorium, in Ashburton.
22 Oct 2011: Performed by the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir at St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, in Christchurch.
28 Jan 2012: Performed by the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir at Waiapu Cathedral of St John the Evangelist, in Napier.
14 Apr 2012: Performed by the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, in Wellington.
04 Jul 2012: Performed by the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir at St Andrew’s First Presbyterian, in Auckland.
07 Jul 2012: Performed by the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir at the Ihlombe South Africa Music Festival - Gallipoli Peninsula, at the Groenkloof Campus Auditorium, University of Pretoria, in South Africa.
31 Mar 2019: Antipodes - Hamilton Civic Choir