'Chimaera' is a term to describe a mythical creature made of parts taken from various animals. It also describes concepts perceived as wildly imaginative.
The fourth movement duet of New Zealand composer Tabea Squire's Chimaera, for violin and pipa, is the most energetic and virtuosic. The instruments share much of the same material and imitate each other's styles - sometimes quite overtly, as though purely for fun.
Chimaera was commissioned and first performed by members of the Beijing Forbidden City Chamber Orchestra and the NZSQ as part of the 'Tales from the Forbidden City' project in 2013 and 2014.
Recorded 28 September 2017, St Mary of the Angels, Wellington by RNZ Concert.
Producer: David McCaw
Engineer: Graham Kennedy
