Composer Ross Harris and poet Vincent O’Sullivan have created a work in memory of the New Zealander soldiers who lost their lives in World War I, with a ‘dreamy quality’, writes Olivia Wannan .
Programmes might describe composer Ross Harris’ Requiem for the Fallen as a passionate plea against the horror of war, but he’s not so certain.
“I don’t really know what the final message of this piece is. Maybe there’s hope. That will be up to the people to decide for themselves.”
Requiem is a musical commemoration of World War I and makes its world premiere at the New Zealand Festival.
Harris’ take on the war, which claimed more than 18,000 New Zealand lives, focuses on its aftermath. “It’s not about fighting. It’s much more about reflecting on the hopelessness of war.
“It’s almost like the whole thing is a dream of an old soldier, who actually sings at the end of the work. It’s got a very dreamy quality.”
The title, Requiem for the Fallen, came with the project brief given to Harris and poet Vincent O’Sullivan. “From that came the idea of using the Latin words of the Requiem Mass, which go back to about the 12th century.
“Vincent’s words are interwoven with the Latin, and is a commentary – it brings the Latin, which is kind of universal, back. . .
“It’s a New Zealand work, about New Zealand soldiers.”
Poetry and composition might seem like contradictory arts, but the pair had worked together before, Harris says.
“We’ve done about 13 pieces together over 11 years. We met each other late in life, so to speak, but we’ve really clicked. He’s a very fine poet.”
The New Zealand String Quartet and Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir commissioned the work and will perform alongside traditional Maori musical instruments.
Harris also collaborated with taonga puoro composer Horomona Horo to bring the indigenous elements into the work.
“He’s become a symbol of the land and of New Zealand, so far distant from the war.
“The earthy sounds of the Maori instruments are very important to the piece.”
Even while keeping such a distinct focus on our country’s past, Harris says the wars of today remained on his mind.
“It is a requiem for those 18,000 who died but it must also be seen in the bigger picture, for the terrible human cost all around us even now.”
The work contains theatrical elements, including lighting arrangements and a procession of musicians.
Preceding Requiem are four works by master composers Purcell, Messiaen, Beethoven and Schnittke.
“They are religious works, and the Beethoven is a spiritual work – one of the most strange and wonderful pieces ever written. This leads on to a New Zealand interpretation of all these sorts of things.”
After falling in love with music at high school in Christchurch, Harris spent 33 years lecturing at Victoria University, before taking early retirement 10 years ago. Based in Aro Valley, he is a freelance composer, and has been awarded several musical residences around the country.
THE DETAILS
Requiem for the Fallen, Wellington Cathedral of St Paul’s today, 8pm.
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