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

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be drawn. Specifically, these are in the use of the ornament-like
embellishments that comprise the little rhythmic configurations. For
example:
Ex.la: Allegro for strings, violin I bar I.
Ex.lb: Aotearoa Overture, violin I and II bar 31.
Lilburn's use of embellishments will be further discussed below, as will
his use of the scotch-snap figure featured so prominently in the above
extract (Ex.2) from the Aotearoa Overture.
A second characteristic these two extracts (Ex.l, 2) share is the
use of sudden changes of dynamics. One can easily see the p-66-m6
marking in the Allegro extract" and the ~66-p markings of the Aotearoa.
Both extracts make telling use of short and sharp crescendi and diminuendi.
Interestingly, though, the changes of dynamics are used to differing
effect in both extracts. In the Allegro, the most noticeable change
occurs on the sustained note of bars 3-5 where it undergoes a sudden
increase in volume. In the Aotearoa Overture, the sustained notes bring
a decrease in volume with the increases in volume being reserved for the
moments of motion.
A third characteristic of this thematic type is the use of the
'active' rest. Although not used with any great frequency in either of
these extracts it is nevertheless used tellingly in a few places, most
noticeably in bars and 5 of the Allegro and bars 31 and 33 of the
Aotearoa Overture. The use of rests in both these cases helps to add
sharpness to the essentially dotted rhythms employed at these points.
Needless to say, because both themes are prominent ones in their
respective works, elements from each theme recur to colour and
characterise the composition. To give but one example: the passage