The beginnings and development of a New Zealand music: The life ...

98
this country he couldn't do better than
arrange for Mr Lilburn to receive at least
£400 a year from the N.B.S.'s practically
unlimited funds. Because if such a talented
composer is allowed to go unprovided for,
then all talk of cultural development is just
so much meaningless chatter."59
Needless to point out, this suggestion (reminiscent of the Finnish
Government's granting of a pension to Sibelius as early as 1895) was not
acted upon.
How then, did Lilburn survive financially during his time as a freelance
musician in Christchurch? Looking back, Lilburn suggests that it
was relatively easy to survive up to about 1946. Before then, "••• one
could live on very little - £3 per week was sufficient." 60 From that
year, following the end of World War II, prices began to rise.
Lilburn had gained £276 through prize money from compositions,
which must have assisted him in~tially
musician.
in beginning work as a free-lance
He had some other financial returns from compositions, for
example he sold the rights to Aotearoa Overture to Max Hinrichsen, the
rights to Landfall in Unknown Seas to the National Broadcasting Service,
and the rights to Diversions to Oxford University Press (he did not regain
control over these works till some twenty years later).61 He also
received royalties from performances of his works;62
however the sums
involved were small, and royalties earned overseas were subject to
taxation in two countries.
He received some commissions, mainly from local amateur drama
groups with small budgets, and received his £1 .per-minute arranging fees,
as d eta~ . 1 e d a b ove, f rom t h e Nat~ona . 1 B roa d' cast~ng Serv~ce. . 63 He h a d one
fully paid conducting position with the National Broadcasting String
Orchestra for three months, and had gained some income through private
teaching.
His reviewing for The Press also brought a small emolument.
In all, his income must have been small, but it was sufficient to
allow him to work free-lance for some seven years, during which time he
was able to establish himself as the foremost New Zealand composer.
59 Ben Bolt, New Zealand composer. New Zealand Observer 4 December
1940.
60 Douglas Lilburn in conversation with author March 1983.
61 Douglas LilbUrn in correspondence with author 28 October 1980.
62 He had joined APRA in September 1941 and had received his first
royalty payment from that organisation in 1945. The payment was for
£1-18s-1Id.
63 As this sum was for the first performance only of works, no provision
was made for subsequent performances.