15 Dec 2017

Douglas MEWS: Three gospel miniatures

From Resound, 9:03 pm on 15 December 2017

This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.

Alexa Still (flute), Victoria Still (oboe). Recorded by RNZ Concert, 6 October 1997.

Douglas Mews

Douglas Mews Photo: Supplied

Douglas Mews (1918–1993) studied in London, graduating with BMus in 1939 and DMus in 1961. Following World War II, he became a Professor and examiner at Trinity College of Music (1946–1963) and a lecture at Colchester Technical College (1963–1968). Mews emigrated to Auckland in 1969, joining the staff of the Music Department at the University of Auckland where, in 1974, he was made Associate Professor of Music until his retirement in 1984. From 1970–1982 he was Director of Music at Auckland’s St Patrick’s Cathedral, and in 1990 received a Papal Knighthood.

'Three Gospel Miniatures' is a set of short duets for flute and oboe. Each one is titled after an image from the Bible: ‘The Crib and the Cross’, ‘The Water and the Wine’, and ‘The Dove and the Donkey’. The two instruments alternate with contrasting materials, suggesting that in each piece the two players are representing the two parts of the images.

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