Do You Speak Music?
If I were to ask you: "Parlez vous francais?" you would have a number of answers available to you according to your situation, without much thought being needed, such as "oui", or "non", or "un peu", or perhaps you would answer in English that you don't speak French. You would not ask "What do you mean?" because the original question is self-explanatory. But if I were to ask you "Do you speak music?" You might well think that this was a very unusual question, and wonder how to interpret it. The reason that I am asking this seemingly opaque question is that I believe everybody has an innate understanding of music, and therefore it follows that my question is really a rhetorical one, to which everybody can answer "Yes".
Coloured Lights with Cloud: for piano solo
Score for piano solo, eight movements. Music Publisher's number: KP 0376.
Words Written in Water: The Language of Music Composition
Dr Treloar, members of the Anderson family, distinguished guests: We are here tonight to honour the memory of Professor Gordon Anderson. It gives me great happiness to have this opportunity of acknowledging in the presence of Gordon's children, Heather, Jenny, and Jon Anderson, who are here with us tonight, that the memory of Gordon's amazingly generous contribution of his manifold skills and his loyal support to The University of New England was a sustaining strength for me during all the subsequent years when he was no longer here in person. I would like to quote briefly from the beautiful oration delivered by Berenice Roberts, then the President of the students' musical society called Mussoc, and now Berenice Scott, for many years a member of the Dixson Library and now Copyright Officer for The University of New England, at Gordon's funeral on Friday 3 July, 1981, because these words are just as current now as they were then:... ... I would also like to mention the strong support and incredibly warm hospitality, to me and to many others, of Gordon's wife, Laurel, who died in January this year.
White Butterflies with Rainbow
Score for piano solo. Four movements. Music Publisher's number: KP0290.
The Deforming Prism: Messiaen's 'Four Studies in Rhythm'
In 1972 I gave the Australian premiere of Messiaen's 'Four Studies in Rhythm' during the Adelaide Festival of Arts, and my performance was reviewed by John Horner for 'The Adelaide Advertiser'. Although to his credit Horner recognized the work as a major contribution by Messiaen to the piano repertoire, he thought that its effect on the audience was similar to that of a "minor earthquake".
Flowing Water and Birds: for Violin, Cello and Piano
Score and part for violin, cello and piano in 3 movements. Music Publisher's number: KP0357.
Blue Gazelles: for Soprano, Flute, Clarinet in B♭, Violin and Piano
Score and Part for soprano, flute, clarinet, violin and piano. Music Publisher's number: KP 0330, KP 0330a, KP 0330b, KP 0330c.
Only the Voice was Visible: Trio for Flute, Violin and Piano
Score for flute, violin and piano. Two parts. Music Publisher's number: KP 0347, KP 0347a, KP 0347b.
Birds on the Water: for solo clarinet
Score for clarinet solo. Music Publisher's number: KP 0353.
As Like the Moon: for Flute, Violin, Vibraphone and Piano
Composition in four movements. 'As Like the Moon' is the title of an Egyptian folk song. Like most such songs, it consists of an extremely short melody and a very large number of verses which are sung successively, in this case accompanying a bridal procession. The bride is imagined to be like the moon rising. Just as the title of the song is unfinished, letting us try to imagine the rest, so the very simple melody can develop different forms and colours. Music Publisher's number: KP3022. KP3022a (flute part), KP3022b (violin part), KP3022c (vibraphone part).