Tasmania, Don Kay, Concert Band Grade 4

Water colour country. Here the hills
rot like rungs beneath enormous skies
and all day long the shadows of the clouds
stain the paddocks with their running dyes.

In the small valleys and along the coast,
the land untamed between the scattered farms,
deconsecrated churches lose their paint
and failing pubs their fading coats of arms.

Beyond the beach the pines trees creak and moan,
in the long valley poplars in a row,
the hills breathing like a horses flank
with grasses combed and clean of the last snow.

Written by Vivian Smith, From The Other Side of Things (River Road Press, 2008).

Using Vivan Smiths poem as its impetus, capturing the beauty and haunting qualities of the landscape of the island, the lyrics of Tasmania were originally put to music in 1989 by Australian (and Tasmanian) composer Don Kay. This wind band version was arranged by Simon Reade, also a Tasmanian composer. Utilising the instrumental colours of the wind band, Tasmania is an evocative representation of their island home. Performed by the Adelaide Wind Orchestra – Conductor Bryan Griffiths (https://www.awo.org.au/)