Chris Gendall is the 2016 Mozart Fellow in residence at the University of Otago, and the Wednesday lunchtime concert at Marama Hall showcased his compositions, success and recognition as a New Zealand composer, Elizabeth Bouman writes.
Gendall appeared in an enlightening and informative on-stage conversation with Dunedin composer Anthony Ritchie, interspersed with performance and recorded excerpts.
Originally from Hamilton, Gendall's study of composition began at Victoria University (Wellington) and progressed to include an American doctoral degree, and international recognition with performances of his works in Britain, Europe, Asia, both North and South America and at home with NZSO.
Gravitas for Orchestra definitely explored the concept of gravity being ''poles around which things orbit, and featured totally unexpected big explosive outbursts which were left to fall away''.
''Lie back and let it wash over you and don't try to listen intellectually,'' was Gendall's advice.
Pianist Terence Dennis interpreted excerpts from Blur Circles for Piano Solo, crammed with very short demanding motifs, abruptly separated by silence or sometimes with just one lingering note hanging over.
The composer's interest in 15th and 16th Japanese music and a tui birdcall inspired Choruses for Sho, Koto and Recorder.
A sho can be likened to a mouth-organ, koto is a string instrument, and the instrumental blend was very satisfying, with very recognisable bird calls suggesting a raucous and frustrated bird, rather than one of great beauty.
Excerpts from a four movement Suite for String Quartet and Triple Concerto demonstrated a great understanding of orchestral colour and performance from this composer who works with pencil and large sheets of manuscript, and preferred background ''noise'' such as a cafe atmosphere, rather than silence.
Throughout the recital I was aware of Gendall's compositions being outstanding and elite in the contemporary classical genre, where microtones and a spectrum of harmonics and interpretation are not easily appreciated by the more traditional music-lover.
