Farr: Taheke

for harp and flute

Taheke is the Maori word for ‘waterfall’. The composer writes: “The three movements of this work each represent a diferent New Zealand waterfall. The first is the Huka Falls near Taupo. The placid Waikato River is gradually channelled into an increasingly narrow chute, finally erupting into a waterfall of unbelievable power and fury; then, as quickly as it has built up, the water subsides back into a calmly flowing river.In contrast to the famed reputation of the Huka Falls, the waterfall of the second movement is known only to my family, on our land in the Marlborough Sounds. It is utterly secluded in the bush, only accessible on foot through thick undergrowth. The waterfall is cool, dark and mysterious. The finale represents the sprightly elegance and grandeur of the Whangarei Falls in Northland, a beautiful cascade of sparkling rivulets.”