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

105
original and the slow movement pleasantly
contemplative.
The Allegro Finale did not come to me so
directly •... I hope the day will not be too
long in waiting before we hear his third
symphony. Although the clashes of sound can
be sharp at times, there is no sign as yet
of a major revolution."24
In all, the tone of these reviews suggests a more favourable response to
this symphony than Symphony No.1 received. Apart from C.F.B.'s metaphor
about cats, there was no mention of the modernity of the music making it
difficult to approach (although all four reviewers agreed in principle
that the music was not facile). C.H.D. even concluded his review with
the hint that the music was not modern enough for his taste. In contrast
to the obfuscating modernity that reviewers had consistently found in
many of the first performances of Lilburn's earlier works, this is a sure
indication that the style. of Lilburn's music was, by 1959, becoming more
readily accepted· by audiences. However, as will be seen, in the
intervening years between the composition and the first public performance
of Symphony No.2, Lilburn had moved on to explore new musical territory.
Symphony No.2 had been completed at a particularly busy time for
Lilburn; Frederick Page had taken sabbatical leave late in 1950 and for
the first term of 1951.
Despite the increasing pressures on Lilburn's
time through lecturing and administrative demands, he had managed to
complete a Sonata for violin and piano in 1950,25 prepare a broadcast
talk on Vaughan Williams in honour of his seventy-eighth birthday in
October 1950,26 compose the music for Elegy (a song cycle based on
Alastair Campbell's poetry) in 1951, and begin a further piano sonata
which was completed in 1952.
Elegy, for baritone and piano, is an interesting.work historically in
that it shows Lilburn tackling a song cycle for the first time. Campbell's
eight poems used for the cycle were written over a period of three years,
1947- 9, and were collected and published in his book Mine Eyes Dazzle. 27
Lilburn was immediately attracted to the poems, and set them to music
24 C.H.D., Lilburn's new work reflects national spirit. The Star
26 June 1959.
25 First performed by Frederick Page and-Ruth Pearl, London, 4 December
1950.
26 The talk was broadcast on 20 October 19S0.Vaughan Williams's
birthday was on 12 October 1950. The typescript of this talk was
published in Landfall vo1.5, no.l, March 1951:57-62.
27 Alastair Campbell, Mine Eyes Dazzle Christchurch,Pegasus Press,
June 1950.