Miriam Hyde: Magpies At Sunrise

Composer: Miriam Hyde

Cultural advice

The Australian National University acknowledges, celebrates and pays our respects to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people of the Canberra region and to all First Nations Australians on whose traditional lands we meet and work, and whose cultures are among the oldest continuing cultures in human history.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that ANU Library collections may include images, names, voices, and other representations of deceased persons.

Material in the collection may contain terms, language or views that reflect the period in which the item was created and may be considered inappropriate today.

Miriam Hyde: Magpies At Sunrise

Date

1946

Authors

Composer: Miriam Hyde

Publisher

Canberra School of Music, Australian National University

Abstract

In 1946 my mother quoted in a letter a fragment of magpie warble, heard in her garden in Adelaide. Magpies at Sunrise is based on that fragment. The opening motive of six notes is developed extensively, with occasional cadenzas in the upper register. One can also imagine two calls of a whip bird lashing through the stillness. This is probably as Australian in atmosphere as any of my piano works. I sent it to my parents for their wedding anniversary in that year.