Redland Sinfonia's two recording projects - 'THIS RED LAND' and 'PAINT THE TOWN RED'

THIS RED LAND is an evocation of Australia: its land, its people and its culture, through original Australian music for full orchestra. All three composers featured have close connections to the Redlands: Kent Farbach, Frank Millward and Graeme Denniss.

Mango Sunset (Denniss) was originally performed at Westminster Abbey, London, in the Service for Australia 2000, part of the Centenary of Federation. Commissioned in 1999 by the Anglican Church Grammar School orchestra, (reworked for this orchestra) the piece captures colours and sounds of Norman and Tingalpa Creeks during sunset.

Farbach's commissioned composition, Toondah Harbour Suite, is inspired by the natural beauty of Toondah, a Ramsar wetland, where Kent has often sailed. Music depicts four scenes around the harbour: 'Pre Dawn', 'A Sunrise', 'Moon and Clouds', and finishes with a personal touch, 'Joy at the Close of Day'.

After Thunder, Millward's commission, is inspired by the Brindabella Ranges, their contours and colours at sunset. After a brooding, pointillistic opening, the sounds gradually coalesce into a number of themes which imitate the shapes of the landscape, culminating in a dramatic Hollywood ending.

Boonoo Boonoo (Denniss), a river valley in northern NSW, inspired a piano work, later orchestrated, expressing the feeling of a sacred site.

In contrast to the large sweep of sound in the landscape pieces, the ten songs for chamber orchestra and soprano by Graeme Denniss are more personal and intimate.

Three Orchestral Songs are recorded here for the first time, as well as two new arrangements of Songs From 'Pilgrim of the Clouds'.

The song cycle, Songs of the Ming Dynasty, originally featured on the Redland Sinfonia CD 'Paint the Town Red', is included here to give better context to the music.

Seven poems are taken from 'Pilgrim of the Clouds' by Yuan Hung-Tao (1568-1610), translated by Jonathan Chaves. Used with permission of the publisher, John Weatherhill Inc.

The poem 'Primordial Sleep' is from the novel 'Moon Magic' by Dion Fortune (1890-1946). Used with permission of Thorsons Publishing/Star Books.

PAINT THE TOWN RED celebrates 35 years of Redland Sinfonia with favourites from concerts over the years!

Available on CD and DVD

1. The Lord of the Dance - Ronan Hardiman arr. Moore

2. Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra 2nd Movement Andante - Haydn, Featuring Joel Constable (Trumpet)

3. Memory from Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber arr. Lowden

4. Satchmo (A Tribute to Louis Armstrong)

5. Elgar's Sea Pictures No 4 Where Corals Lie, Featuring Jasmine Kaye (Soprano)

6. A Tribute to Henry Mancini

7. Songs of the Ming Dynasty, Featuring Amber Evans (Soprano)

Music by Graeme Wright Denniss © 2013

Words Yuan Hung-Tao (1568-1610), translated by Jonathan Chaves (with permission)

i. Departure, ii. Travelling, iii. Chrysanthemums in Winter, iv. The Fishpond, v. Dreaming