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

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to this, was the unanimous voicing of disappointment that the orchestra
had waited for eight years before publicly performing the work.
'Breve' in The Evening Post noted that:
" ••• only the scherzo of this symphony would
be likely to charm the superficial listener,
yet musically it seemed the least worthy of
the four movements.
The first movement is typical Lilburn, virile
and intense but hardly breaking new ground.
The fourth movement, on the other hand, and
the slow introduction to it that forms the
third movement, really do offer us something
new. The slow section is particularly
impressive and there is a grand feeling of
wide open spaces about the finale."21
R.W.B. found that on first hearing:
" ••• the work, as a whole, makes a significant
impression and some parts of it - much of
the first movement and the slow introduction
to the last movement - have an obvious validity
quite apart from the technical mastery over
his material that the composer so convincingly
demonstrates."22
In Christchurch, C.i.B. in writing for The Press found that:
II ••• the work as a whole is movingly impressive.
It has grandeur and nobility with adventurous
sweeps of fancy controlled, however, by strong
underlying discipline. The ideas, and the
orchestral texture in which they are expressed,
are clear and forthright. There is no haziness
in this music and it is thoroughly healthy stuff."
Although there were times when trumpet and
trombone passages were stringently and even
fiendishly dissonant, and nobody could call these
pleasing sounds - some hearers may have poured
water over cats for less than that - nevertheless
these sounds belonged to the work and were
enormously strong and exhilarating."23
C.H.D. in writing for The Star found that:
liThe first movement moves along with vigorous
open strides. The scherzo I felt to be highly
21 'Breve',First performance of N.Z. Symphony. The Evening Post
24 June 1959.
22 R.W.B. Impressive symphony by Lilburn. The Dominion 24 June 1959.
23 C.F.B., Enthusiastic audience for National Orchestra. The Press
26 June 1959.