Mouse Hole

Mouse Hole (1998/2002)
An exciting and virtuosic work for solo piano, Mouse Hole (1998/2002) requires fast
fingerwork and dares the pianist to keep pace with the scurrying rodent evoked by the
speedy streams of semiquavers that define the work. While Farr has stated that there is
no actual programmatic element connected to Mouse Hole, the composer acknowledges
the associative impact of the work’s title, enjoying the mental image of a cartoon mouse
dashing about, in the midst of some frantic adventure. Farr cites the piano itself as the
true compositional inspiration for Mouse Hole. As with two of Farr’s other works for piano,
Tentang Cara Gamelan and Ramayana, Farr wrote Mouse Hole for his friend Nicola Melville.
Farr revised the work in 2002 to reduce the use of parallel octaves with the aim of making it
less predictable, more punchy, and most importantly ‘more fun’ to play.
Following the deceptive severity of the widely spread chordal stabs in the opening bars,
the work bolts out of the gate, introducing its bright main theme – swift and persistent
semiquaver material in the right hand, holding a wave-like contour as it gradually travels
between the middle and upper registers. Underpinning the right hand activity is syncopated
supporting material, illuminating Farr’s penchant for rhythmic propulsion that typifies much
of his other work. Some breathing space is provided at the work’s midpoint, as the dynamic
intensity eases and the stream of semiquavers is broken up into fragmentary phrases that
still maintain the briskness of the preceding material. A degree of chromatic uncertainty is
also introduced to the rising and falling figures that converse in this section. It is not long,
however, before we return to the work’s main theme for one last sprint.
Mouse Hole was premiered by Nicola Melville at St Andrews on The Terrace, Wellington, New
Zealand in July 1988.
Mouse Hole appears on Horizon, a compilation album of Farr’s piano music performed by
Henry Wong Doe (Trust Records MMT2070). In revisiting this work for publication in 2014,
Farr made several note alterations which cause it to differ slightly from this recording.
PE100 – v