Introduced by Kenneth Young.
Kenneth Young Photo: Deborah Rawson
When Gillian Whitehead returned to New Zealand in 1975 after 9 years in Europe the first piece she penned was 'Voices of Tane' for solo piano. What’s more, she wrote it at Ruakaka, just south of Whangarei, and before all the developments at Marsden Point, when the township was still quiet; the population small. Idyllic. For me, this is reflected in what is some of her most evocative and translucent music.
The work is in seven short movements. Although some of the pieces reflect the voices of Tane - the God of forests, plants and birds (in particular the 3rd movement) - there are also allusions to Tawhirimatea, the God of weather in the wind inspired 5th movement.
