This week the playlist features…
Southern Alps by Gary Daverne
Gary Daverne is a composer and conductor with the distinction of being New Zealand’s most prolific arranger and composer of music for accordion. This piece, Ka Puke Maeroero, is a tone poem that evokes the mountains of Te Waipounamu/ The South Island of Aotearoa.
Driving Cattle by Jin Wei
Zhang Ye is a renowned Chinese soprano, trained in the art of Classical Chinese opera. There is little information about this track online but AI came up with this.
This song is a traditional Chinese folk tune that reflects the pastoral life and experiences of herders. The music typically embodies the following characteristics:
- Melodic Structure: Utilizes pentatonic scales, common in Chinese folk music, creating a distinctive and culturally resonant sound.
- Instrumentation: Features traditional Chinese instruments such as the erhu (a two-stringed bowed instrument), dizi (bamboo flute), and pipa (a plucked string instrument), which together evoke the ambiance of rural landscapes.
- Rhythmic Elements: Incorporates rhythms that mimic the steady pace of cattle walking, providing an auditory representation of herding activities.
- Vocal Style: Showcases expressive and emotive singing techniques, conveying the herder’s connection to the land and their livestock.
This song, like many in Zhang Ye’s collection, serves to preserve and celebrate the rich tapestry of Chinese rural traditions through music.
Herding Sheep by John Konsolakis
Greek composer, John Konsolakis, hails from Athens and writes music for public performance, film, games and television. This track comes from a video game called “Farewell North” in which players take on the persona of a collie dog who travels through the Scottish Highlands with his owner, a young woman called Cailey who has suffered the loss of loved ones. In this bleak world the characters must conquer that loss and restore colour.
Honey Bee by Nino D’Angelo
Gaetano “Nino” D’Angelo is an Italian singer, songwriter, actor, television personality, film director, screenwriter and author. (Wikipedia entry). This jaunty track is, what else, a love song! https://www.ninodangelo.com
Good On Yer Kiwi by Kev and the Kiwi Fruits
The phrase “Good on yer, kiwi” is a New Zealand expression that translates roughly as “Well done, mate!” Kiwi is a nickname for New Zealanders, known the world over, and shows the iconic status of the native bird. This song features lots of kiwiana and famous names, , sports commentary, Kiri Te Kanawa, Katherine Mansfield and James K Baxter amongst them.
Honeydew by anaiis and Grupo Cosmo
anaiis is a French-Senegalese singer-songwriter who is based in London. She is noted for her diverse style, introspective lyrics and her multilingualism.
Grupo Cosmo is a Brazilian band that captures the well-known sound and feeling of the country’s popular music such as the Tropicalia movement.
Better Be Home Soon by Crowded House
This song is about “how it’s better being home”. It was once voted “33rd best New Zealand song of the 20th Century” in the Australasian Performing Rights Association music awards!
Nga ara pikinga by Richard Nunns
Translated as “Ascending Heights” the title of this track by Dr Richard Nunns means “the paths or routes upwards”, an apt title to celebrate the release of kiwi into the foothills of the Paparoa Ranges of Te Waipounamu. The composer was a principal revivalist of taonga puoro, Māori musical and healing instruments, and the song features some of these as well as te reo Māori/ Māori language.
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