Between the Lines: Listening to History reading list

Between the Lines is our musical book club series created with Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui Wellington Central Library, Orchestra Wellington and New Zealand School of Music - Te Kōkī. We're bringing music and literature into conversation across seven free, monthly concerts.

What can music tell us about the time in which it was written

Join students from New Zealand School of Music-Te Kōkī for a special edition of Between the Lines, the musical book club at Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui.

Through live performance and conversation, Listening to History explores how music reflects the values, ideas, and experiences of the societies that created it. From Bach and Mozart to Rebecca Clarke, Douglas Lilburn and José Elizondo, this programme traces a journey across centuries and cultures, revealing the stories that lie behind the notes.

Accompanied by a curated reading list, Listening to History offers a unique opportunity to explore how music and literature can illuminate the worlds of the past and enrich our understanding of the present.

Explore our music and reading lists below.

See you there: Thursday 24 September, 5:30pm on the Bleachers, Ground Floor of Te Matapihi Wellington Central Library. Its free to attend, but we recommend you book a spot.

BOOK YOUR FREE SPOT

MUSIC

J.S. Bach | Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor (Allemande)

W.A. Mozart | Flute Quartet in D Major K. 285

Rebecca Clarke | Two Pieces for Viola and Cello (Lullaby)

Jose Elizondo | Danzas Latinoamericanas

Douglas Lilburn | String Trio (Movement 1)

Morvin Simon | Te Aroha

Through live performance and conversation, Listening to History uncovers the worlds behind the notes and reveals how music can offer a window into the past.

LITERATURE

The suggested reading to accompany Listening to History is:

	Music's odyssey : an invitation to Western classical music by Robin Holloway Find it in WCC's catalogue History and criticism
	Mozart at the gateway to his fortune : serving the Emperor, 1788-1791 by Christoph Wolff Find it in WCC's catalogue Biography
	Searches for tradition : essays on New Zealand music, past & present edited by Michael Brown & Samantha Owens Find it in WCC's catalogue History and criticism
	Douglas Lilburn : his life and music by Philip Norman Find it in WCC's catalogue Biography
	Discourse on colonialism by Aimé Césaire Find it in WCC's catalogue Postcolonialism
	Music and silence by Rose Tremain Find it in WCC's catalogue Historical fiction
	Bach's musical universe : the composer and his work by Christoph Wolff Find it in WCC's catalogue Criticism and interpretation
	Beyond the notes : journeys with chamber music by Susan Tomes Find it in WCC's catalogue Ensemble playing
	Comparing notes : how we make sense of music by Adam Ockelford Find it in WCC's catalogue Musical appreciation
	Quartet : how four women changed the world by Leah Broad Find it in WCC's catalogue Biography and analysis
	Europa : how Europe shaped the modern world by Julio Crespo MacLennan Find it in WCC's catalogue Western History
	Performing music in the age of recording by Robert Philip Find it in WCC's catalogue Performance practice, sound recordings in musicology
	The Brutish Museums : the Benin bronzes, colonial violence and cultural restitution by Dan Hicks Find it in WCC's catalogue Museums acquisitions, moral and ethical aspects
	Daughters of Latin America : an international anthology of writing by Latine women edited by Sandra Guzmán Find it in WCC's catalogue Latin American literature, women writers
	The end of empires and a world remade : a global history of decolonization by Martin Thomas Find it in WCC's catalogue Decolonization and globalization
	The Weight of a Piano by Chris Cander Find it in WCC's catalogue Fiction

EXPLORE THE REST OF THE SERIES

Thursday 29 October, 5:30pm - Orchestra Wellington - Language Games

Book your free tickets