Radio New Zealand Concert has released two popular New Zealand piano trios as a free download.

In association with Chamber Music New Zealand and Promethean Editions, the December 2008 instalment of Radio New Zealand Concert Podcast Classics is a double-bill of Gareth Farr’s Ahi, and John Psathas’s Island Songs.

Both works were performed by European piano trios on tour in New Zealand (the Kungsbacka Trio in September 2007, and the Eggner Trio in April 2008). Their performances were recorded by Radio New Zealand at Chamber Music New Zealand concerts in Wellington and Auckland.

Podcast Classics is an initiative of Radio New Zealand in partnership with New Zealand classical music organisations, making classical masterpieces available to listeners worldwide as free downloads. Works by New Zealand composers such as Ross Harris, Anthony Ritchie and the Wehi Whanau have been released, as well as core classical repertoire. A new podcast is released on the first of every month and is made available for two months.

In addition, William Dart will present a Podcast Companion programme on Ahi and Island Songs, examining the history and different interpretations of the two works and shedding light on the musical language of Psathas and Farr. This will be playing on Radio New Zealand Concert at 7pm on Thursday 4 December 2008, and on Upbeat from 12pm on Monday 26 January 2009.

Podcast available until the end of January at:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/podcastclassics/

More about the Podcast Companion programme:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/concert/highlights/podcast_companion