This Requiem was created to mark the centenary of World War I, honoring the memory of over 18,000 New Zealanders who died in the war.
Instruments
Horomona Horo, a Māori musician and composer, performs on taonga pūoro, which are traditional Māori musical instruments including flutes, trumpets, and percussive instruments.
Composer Biography
Ross Harris, the composer, has written over two hundred compositions and has won the prestigious SOUNZ Contemporary Award more times than any other New Zealand composer.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The composers, Ross Harris and Vincent O'Sullivan, approached this Requiem as New Zealanders, rejecting conventional patriotism and emphasizing the dreadful physical reality of war.
Compositional Technique
The work combines movements from the traditional Requiem Mass in Latin with new words by Vincent O'Sullivan, which interweave and comment on the Latin text.
Composer Biography
Vincent O'Sullivan, the librettist, is a prolific New Zealand writer who served as Poet Laureate from 2013-2015 and has collaborated with Ross Harris on over a dozen works.
Performer Biography
Richard Greager, a tenor on this recording, has sung over 80 operatic roles and 40 concert works across major stages in Europe, Britain, and Australia during his 40-year career.
