Work
From Never, Never Land : for youth choir, piano, double bass & percussion
by Richard Charlton (2025)
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Work Overview
The Never Never is the name of a vast area of the Australian Outback. It refers to remote northwest Queensland or Northern Australia in general.
This expression first appeared in the 1800s. Many people used this term to describe what they thought were mostly uninhabited areas of the country. The term had different connotations to different people. Some spoke of this land as a place that people would "never, never want to go".
The expression gained currency when JM Barrie used it in Peter Pan (1904) for the place where Peter and the Lost Boys live. In Australia the term also became popular through Mrs. Aeneas Gunn's novel, We of the Never Never (1908).
The text is adapted from a poem by Henry Lawson; and like many of his other works, "Never-Never Land" (1901) celebrates the resilience and camaraderie of the Outback's inhabitants. It highlights the challenges they face, from extreme weather conditions to social isolation, while also capturing their indomitable spirit. The poem uses evocative language and vivid imagery, making it a memorable and powerful work in Australian literature.
R. Charlton, March 2025
Work Details
Year: 2025
Instrumentation: Youth choir, piano, double bass, percussion.
Duration: 5 min.
Difficulty: Medium
Dedication note: For the boys of Sydney Grammar School, St Ives
Commission note: Commissioned by Jacqueline Fane.
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