Instrumentation: Piano

Downloadable sample pages found at the link here.

Nothofagus is a genus of large trees which grow in the Southern Hemisphere. There are species in most land masses, particularly Tasmania and New Zealand. Tasmania has two species: N. gunnii and N.cunninghamii.
Nothofagus gunnii is found in Tasmania’s cool alpine areas and is a rare deciduous species. As Tasmania’s only deciduous native, it draws many people to Cradle Mountain to see the autumnal colour change in the ‘fagus’.
The composer has a large specimen of Nothofagus cunninghamii in her garden which provides shade, habitat and joy. Forests of this species can be found in places with suitable conditions in the North-East and Western areas of Tasmania but the population is dwindling due to milling for its reddish timber, also known as myrtle. Large populations of other Nothofagus species form dense, atmospheric forests in New Zealand where they have provided backdrops for many movies. This work for piano captures the light and shade, contrasts between warmth and alpine chill and the rich greens of this tree.