Little Prayers

RELEASE DATE: June 11

Commissioned by “14-18 Now”, a British arts programme marking the First World War Centenary, ‘Known Unto God’ is a poem commemorating the Battle of the Somme. The title is taken from an inscription on the headstones of unknown New Zealand war casualties. The voices in these poems belong to those soldiers, except for the very last, which is that of a young girl clinging to wreckage in the contemporary Mediterranean. 

‘Huia’ is one of several birdsong poems originally commissioned by the Chamber Music of New Zealand Trust to be set by Gareth Farr for baritone Julien Van Mellaerts.

‘Little Prayers’ is a response to the mosque murders in Christchurch, 15 March 2019.

Hannah Griffin (vocals)
Norman Meehan (piano)
Martin Riseley (violin)
Zephyr Wills (viola)
Brenton Veitch (cello)
Bill Manhire (texts)

Produced by Norman Meehan and Thomas Voyce
Recorded Thomas Voyce at St. Andrew’s on the Terrace, Wellington, August 2021
Mixed by Thomas Voyce at Rhombus Studio
Mastered by Mike Gibson at Nice Audio
Design by UnkleFranc
Printing by Studio Q

Poetry by Bill Manhire © 2026
Music composed by Norman Meehan © 2026