Music of Don Kay WORKS FOR PIANO(S), FLUTE, CELLO Before discussing the music on this disc, it evocative of the natural world. To mention some of Don Kay will be instructive to consider Kay’s compositional these: Quiet Waters (high voice and string quartet, For too long Kay has been under-rated and rather philosophy. There are five dominant areas of 1977-80); At Night (female voices and assorted marginalised as ‘a Tasmanian composer’, as if motivation which he has identified in his creative instruments, 1982); Hastings Triptych (flute and being associated with the island state somehow process, that is, a quintet of qualities most likely piano, 1986); Night Spaces (flute, string trio and automatically conveys a sense of second-class to provide a wellspring of inspiration for his piano, 1989); Moonlight Ridge (string quartet and citizenship. To be sure, he was born there and has compositions. They are: the natural environment; double bass, 1994); River Views (trombone and spent all but 15 of his 77 years living and working the man-made environment; a sense of fantasy; string orchestra, 1995); The Edge of Remoteness there; yet not only has he produced an enviable history; and individual experience (including a (piano trio, 1996); Southern People and Places output of works encompassing all the principal specific event). Whatever the motivation involved (voice and piano with optional cello, 1998); and media – three symphonies, four concertos, two one- in finding, establishing and expressing a musical Bird Chants I and II (solo piano, 1998 and 1999). Of act operas, six string quartets, choral works, song idea, the composer then sets out to utilise a range course Hastings Triptych on the present disc is of this cycles, chamber music, solo piano works, music for of sounds which Kay sees as falling into four main type; even Kay’s first composition – a short piano theatre and film – but also it is precisely because of types: pure (that is, sounds made for their own piece written when he was a primary school pupil – his constant exposure and profound response to the sake); literal (sounds which imitate already existing is entitled A Green Meadow. Tasmanian environment that he has been able to ones); metaphoric (sounds that allude to, or can A few reflections on Kay’s harmonic language achieve a sonic and emotional distinctiveness in his suggest, extra-musical things or events); and finally and stylistic characteristics. His favoured intervals music. abstract (sounds which possess their own internal seem to be the tritone, the semitone (and its After primary and secondary education in patterns and logic). The composer feels that these variants, the major seventh and the minor ninth), northern Tasmania, Kay completed a Bachelor different classes of sounds can freely interchange the perfect fourth and the perfect fifth. These of Music degree at the University of Melbourne, and overlap, so that a musical idea initially expressed preferences often lend the music a transparent, subsequently teaching in country Victoria and in one way can develop – almost of its own will – in desolate quality which relates to aspects of the England. During his years in London (1959-64), unexpected and more complex fashions. Tasmanian bush (for example, The Edge of he studied privately with Malcolm Williamson, In much of Kay’s work, the literal and Remoteness). Sometimes there is a deliberate returning to a position as an inaugural lecturer at metaphoric sound-types often provide the starting- alternation between purely tonal procedures and Hobart Teachers’ College. Transferring in 1967 to points of pieces, or at least are decidedly important dissonant harmonies (the one-movement First the new Conservatorium of Music (later brought to the musical argument. For example, sounds String Quartet), and a powerful sense of stillness under the aegis of the University of Tasmania), he from the natural environment are employed to allied to an intriguing use of suggested or actual taught composition and music education, eventually varying effect: bird-calls, the sound of wind in trees, silence (Night Spaces). Williamson had attempted to becoming Senior Lecturer, Dean of the Faculty of leaves rustling, waves lapping, insect noises. And wean Kay away from the modal and other folksong Music and Head of School. He retired from the metaphoric sounds might conjure up broader, less elements of Vaughan Williams and his followers, Conservatorium in early 1998, and has since been ‘vocal’ aspects of nature: star-groupings, different instead fostering the adoption of dodecaphonic appointed Adjunct Professor in Composition. In times of day (especially night), contrasting seasons techniques, which Kay explored for some years 1991 he was made a Member of the Order of of the year, vistas of disparate land-formations such before realising that his true path lay elsewhere. Australia for services to music and music education, as valleys, hills or plains. These sound-expressions The ritualistic sense pervading certain works is and twelve years later received the Centenary are almost always, though not exclusively, found characterised to some extent by repetitive gestures, Medal for his outstanding, long-term musical in those works bearing place-names or titles but even more by the idea of the dance in all its achievements. variety. Indeed, many titles contain the term (Dance own words – from an interview with Simon Barber names. The work’s three pieces – Hastings Bay, Rituals, Dance Concertante, Dance Movement, and Simon Reade in March 1999 – supply a clear The Caves and Lune River – express responses to Dance Cameos, Dance Rondo), and one can statement of his musical intentions: “I believe that this area, on the edge of remoteness, characterised detect a vitality and buoyancy in quick movements whatever I do is the heart and mind…trying to work by water in its many forms of mists and rain, rivers and passages reminiscent of Stravinsky’s neo- in balance.” Such equilibrium between technique and bays, interacting with the landscape of hills and Classical rhythms and Copland’s raw energy. And and ideas, between craft and substance, can serve forests, creating an overriding sense of tranquillity the frequently-occurring rapid, nervous repeated as an admirable paradigm for young musicians and mystery. figurations built on static harmonies – described by everywhere, whether they are composers or not. The Piano Sonatas Nos. 2, 3 and 4 were the composer as mere “filigrees” – can be viewed DAVID BOLLARD © 2010 composed in quick succession in 2007 over a couple as unidentified forms which pass fleetingly across of months beginning in July. I wrote No. 2 really as the landscape and then disappear mysteriously Program notes a gift of gratitude to David Bollard for his greatly- (Piano Trio No. 2). Overall, the listener is often left Of the six works, four have been composed for the appreciated promotion of my music since he moved with a sense of ambivalence, whether expressed performers on this CD, including the three piano to Hobart. It is sub-titled From My Inner Nature. by Schubertian major/minor alternations, mournful sonatas, which receive their premiere performances. Like its successors, it is in one movement only. It is a tritones, bare fourths and fifths, or contrasting The Sonata for Cello and Piano (2000) was very personal and special piece for me, and involved diatonic and dissonant writing. composed for Christian Wojtowicz, and first much difficulty in its composition, trying to meet the A colleague once remarked to me that he had performed by him and David Bollard in 200l during challenges of expressing various states of mind in a always seen Kay as “a kind of modern Tasmanian the first Ten Days on the Island Festival in Hobart. satisfactory form. primitive,” an apt description when we consider the That year they also played it in a direct ABC Classic- Straight after completion, Michael Kieran artistic traits of past composers who have historically FM broadcast concert in Hobart, and at an all-day Harvey, unaware of the Bollard sonata, asked me acquired such a title: Charles Ives in America; Leos seminar at the University of Tasmania School of for a piece – to my great surprise and delight! He Janáček in the former Czechoslovakia; perhaps to Art. It comprises four movements, and although spoke of a possible sonata, and in my excitement I a lesser extent, Béla Bartók in Hungary; and nearer employing the language developed, in part, through immediately began work. I sub-titled the resultant these shores, Douglas Lilburn in New Zealand. All responses to Tasmania’s natural environment, it is sonata Capsules, as it comprises a series of short, these figures followed their own destinies largely essentially an ‘abstract’ piece. As such, it points to self-contained ideas, somehow linked but also free of fads, fashions and passing trends. Their a change of direction for me, as I’d been involved ‘breaking out,’ as it were, analogous to pods of ripe love of nature and instinctive ties to their respective for some years with a series of ‘Tasmanian’ pieces, seeds bursting. As the piece grew, the numerous environments undeniably enhanced their musical mostly connected with the Hastings area in southern ideas juxtaposed and recurred, sometimes identically expressivity in important ways. As with any other Tasmania. and sometimes developed or transformed in some composer, we can discern various compositional Hastings Triptych (1986) was composed at way. The overall form complied, I felt, with certain influences in Kay’s music – Vaughan Williams and the request of David Cubbin (Foundation Professor traditional principles, hence the title. When Michael English Pastoralism, Bartók, Stravinsky, Copland, of Music at the Tasmanian Conservatorium) for received the score, he asked me if that was all there even Sibelius and Grainger – yet this Tasmanian performance by him and Geoffrey Lancaster at was – thinking more movements were to come.