Huia

About

This work is named after the beautiful Huia Bay near the entrance to the Manukau Harbour.

While not necessarily directly programmatic, this piece evokes a day at Huia. The opening chords suggest the morning mist across the bay, and then the following organ solo, sunrise. Some bird song and a variety of weather (ranging from bright sunshine to the odd thunderstorm) follow, and the piece ends in a contemplative mood watching the day’s last rays of sun through the clouds. I’ve been very inspired by the light at Huia, reflected in the water and on the hills, and its constant changes, sometimes very subtle and other times more striking. I have also wanted to capture the spirit of a certain Indra Hughes who lives there, to whom the piece is dedicated.

It is an unashamedly Romantic work in style and scope, and although I have given the organ a prominent solo part it is also used as a member of the orchestra in places. I have been very interested in the juxtaposition of the orchestral woodwind with the organ (also a woodwind of sorts) and the new colours created by combining various solo stops with the orchestral winds. I was also keen to explore the quieter end of the organ’s dynamic range and the many subtle shades of sound that are possible, resisting the temptation to let the organ “roar” except in one or two climactic moments.