Call of the Huia: 100 early New Zealand Art Songs
J. H. Phillpot Photo: [Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections NZG-19050318-35-5 Public Domain]
Welsh musician James Phillpot (1861? – 1937) arrived in New Zealand in 1884. He held several positions as organist and choirmaster around churches in Auckland. Although he wrote mainly church music and patriotic songs it is also thought that he arranged and/or wrote several Maori waiata under the name Hemi Piripata, including ‘Pokare Kare Ana’.
‘A Song of Flowers’ is undated and the manuscript is found among the papers of Ina Bosworth, the stage name of Geraldine McNeish, a well-known singer and violinist particularly active during the First World War when she entertained the troops in Europe. She was the mother of New Zealand author, James McNeish. Nothing is known of the poet, J. Charteris.
Recorded 12 February 2021, St Andrew's on The Terrace, Wellington by RNZ Concert
Producer: David McCaw for RNZ Concert
Engineer: Darryl Stack for RNZ Concert
Video: Chris Watson for SOUNZ
The Call of the Huia research project by music historian Michael Vinten is funded by the Lilburn Trust with support from the Alexander Turnbull Library, the Hocken Library, SOUNZ Centre for NZ Music, RNZ Concert and others. The scores with CDs for Call of the Huia can be purchased in hard copy or as digital download from SOUNZ.
