A COUNTRY OF MIRACLES

Earlier this year Bookman Beattie covered David Howard’s adventure in Nicaragua where, with support from the New Zealand Book Council, he read at the V International Poetry Festival of Granada.

This was not David’s first venture overseas. For most of this decade he has focused on collaborations with three composers: Marta Jirackova of the Czech Republic, Brina Jez-Brezavscek of Slovenia, and Johanna Selleck of Australia. Each of these composers enjoys an international reputation. Marta’s ‘Ship of Fools’ was awarded the Prize of the Czech Music Fund, Brina’s work has been regularly performed throughout Europe and the United States, and Johanna has won both the Percy Grainger Prize for Composition and the Albert H. Maggs Composition Award.

David notes: “When most of my contemporaries (and potential listeners) are rocking backwards and forwards to variants of popular song, why am I attracted to the art song, oratorio and songspiel? The latest hit song gives us the liberty to be superficially involved but still enjoy; it is the artistic corollary of casual sex. A contemporary classical piece demands commitment before it surrenders its charms. Each of these composers has the modesty of one who understands ‘the fascination of what’s difficult’ (Yeats). They care more for the material than for attention; otherwise why set a poet from New Zealand? Marta’s answer: ‘I see that it is a country of miracles.’

Now David's texts for composers have been collected in 'S(t)et'. The precursor for a larger collection from a mainstream publisher, S(t)et’ is a handpress edition of 100 signed copies. Each of its four texts has been set in a unique font, inked in a different colour to the others, then hand printed on an 1897 ARAB clamshell platen press by Rob Lamb of the Gumtree Press.
The publication of 'S(t)et' coincides with the world premiere concert of Johanna Selleck's settings of 'The Perpetual Bird' and 'Action Songs' at Melba Hall, University of Melbourne, on Friday 18 September. The premiere will feature leading sopranos Merlyn Quaife and Judith Dodsworth.
'S(t)et' is available for $70 (post-free in New Zealand) from The Gumtree Press, The Gums, Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand.
Enquiries can be directed to Rob Lamb at thegumtreepress@gmail.com



ABOUT THE PUBLISHER - AN OLD NEW PRESS
Rob Lamb of the Gumtree Press is a journeyman letterpress compositor and printer with a private press specializing in limited editions. He works with handset lead type and two ARAB platen printing presses, circa 1897/9 a Foolscap Folio (A4) and Crown Folio (A3).

Rob has a steadily increasing type collection in serif, sans serif, script and wooden type. He can also print wood and lino cut.
Letterpress printing is a 550 year old tradition which Rob is keeping alive in the 21st century. He can combine digital with letterpress to make something very special.

The first publication from the Gumtree Press is the above-mentioned limited edition of 100 copies. of S(t)et by David Howard