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

154
With this in mind, it would again seem more than a coincidence that all
of Lilburn's solo and chamber ensemble writing during his time in
Christchurch up to 1946 was for string instruments. Such works include.
Sonata in C for violin and piano of 1943, Sonata in E-flat for violin
and piano of 1943, Allegro Concertante for violin and piano of 1944,
String Trio of 1945 and String Quartet in E minor of 1946. Certainly
it would seem true that the existence of good solo and ensemble string
players in Christchurch during this time, such as Maurice Clare, Vivien
Dixon, and the members of the Christchurch String Quartet,S stimulated
Lilburn's interest in writing for string instruments.
Thus, two over-riding factors seem to chart much of the course
of Lilburn's output in his early years of writing as a composer.
first factor was his disinterest in the dominating media. of New Zealand's
music tradition. The second factor was the availability of performers
and the possibility of performance.
The
In addition to this, a third major
factor was Lilburn's desire to find a voice that spoke of, and about,New
Zealand.
In these respects, it can be said that the direction of
Lilburn's early career as a composer was influenced by his social and
musical environment.
Whilst the question of 'New Zealandness' in Lilburn's writing will
be discussed in a later chapter, its mention here can be taken as a cue
to introduce the names of two composers -
Jean Sibelius and Ralph Vaughan
Williams - whose works were influential in the development of Lilburn's
early musical style. Beyond mentioning the names of these two composers
and acknowledging the influences of their music on Lilburn's early
works, however, the question of the -degree and nature of these influences
will not be pursued further. The same is also the case with later
,
influences on Lilburn such as the works of composers Copland, Bartok,
Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Webern and Britten.
In the case of Vaughan Williams and Sibelius it is sufficient
to say that Lilburn enjoyed their sound,-found-them-appropriate to the
New Zealand condition, and identified with what both composers had
achieved for the music of their respective countries. With respect to
, I
the influences from Bartok, Copland, Britten, Stravinsky, Schoenberg and
Webern, Lilburn's eventual absorption of their sounds was triggered
. by a desire to remain speaking with a modern voice. In any event, this
5 The group that had given Lilburn's Phantasy for String Quartet its
first New Zealand performance, and that had won the New Zealand
Centennial Celebrations String Quartet competition.