‘The poems are set around the West coast of Auckland which has alway has a special significance for me – not least because that intrepid seafarer Abel Tasman (The Tasman Sea) came to New
Zealand from the same province (Groningen) as I did – although there as a considerable difference in the time-span. [1642 / 1951]
The poems for Storm Warning- after McCahon came about when I was asked to curate an exhibition of ‘west coast’ art at the Corbans Estate Arts Center in Henderson in 2003.
We were even lucky enough to secure a McCahon for the occasion, which was especially marvellous. A friend and colleague was quite happy to lend it.
The artists whose works were shown in the exhibition were: Rex Armstrong, Alice Blackley, Len Castle, James Ensing -Trussell, John Madden, Colin McCahon, Stanley Palmer, Felicity West.
Beth Sergeant searched out the French out-of-production Cromatico Carmine endpapers for the book, immediately picking up on the red in the McCahon painting, but rejecting the more
terrifying connotations for the ‘seductively enticing translucence’ of the paper
Dame Cheryll Sotheran, then at Te Papa, was there to launch the book and open the exhibition. A momentous occasion and a huge crowd.’
For his composition of these poems, Alex van den Broek has chosen a somewhat unusual combination of instruments as well as voice that will be fascinating and intriguing to hear.
Storm Warning – World Premiere
Music – Alex van den Broek Text – Riemke Ensing
Voice – Naomi Ferguson
Oboe – Jennifer Johnson
Clarinet – Gretchen La Roche
Trombone – Scott Taitoko
Percussion – Mark La Roche