If I had words for Saint-Saëns Symphony No.3 and Gareth Farr's Ripple Effect

Yesterday I attended the opening of the refurbished Nelson School of Music, which was a delight. I found the end of the first half and second half stronger than the beginning, which was interesting in itself, with the first half having two pieces played by the New Zealand String Quartet (a Beethoven and a Bartok). 

However, the first half ended spectacularly with Gareth Farr's composition gift to the school, "Ripple Effect", played by Nelson music students alongside the New Zealand String Quartet. This made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I would buy a recording in a heartbeat. It was fabulous. What a Taonga Gareth has created for Nelson. The percussion sounded like the bells of Pikimai ringing through deepening fog to bring our ships safely to harbour...

Then into the second half, Nelson City Brass opened with the Fanfare for the Common Man; pianist Matteo Napoli with Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1 alonside the Nelson Symphony Orchestra; followed by the NSO with a very polished rendition of Saint-Saëns Symphony No.3 in C minor featuring the Cawthron organ, which itself has had a close to million dollar upgrade. Ha, ha: I kept wanting to sing "If I Had Words" (taken from symphony's maestoso by Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley way back in 1978, and it is famous itself for loads of mondegreens, including "Sister Moonshine", "if you are not deeply moved, child", and "If I had words to make your dream come true"). A couple of videos below:





If I had words lyrics were by J. Hodge, a UK jingle writer:

If I had words 
To make a day for you 
I sing you a morning golden and new 
I would make this day 
Last for all time 
Give you a night 
Deep in moonshine 

The concert closed with the Hallelujah Chorus form Handel's Messiah, sung by the Nelson Civic Choir with the NSO. 

It was a wonderful opening for the rebuilt school, but I would like to have seen a deputation from Wakatu Marae there, particularly for the investiture of the Taonga Pūtātara. 


Sam (& Jan)