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

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The main theme of the third movement of Suite for Orchestra is a
melody that combines the typical rhythms of Lilburn's dance-like themes
with the mood and slow-pulse of the chorale-like themes (see Ex.49).
It is weightily articulated in octaves in the violin, viola and cello
lines.
Ex.49: Suite for Orchestra movement III, violin I,ll, viola, cello
bars 4-7.
Example 50 from the final movement of Landfall in Unknown Seas
seems a bland and directionless melody when taken out of its modal
harmonic context. It is a good example of the 'secondary interest' type
of melody that Lilburn sometimes uses to fill in the melodic space above
a chosen modal progression. It employs only four notes in a wave-like
contour, and uses only the intervals of tone and semitone.
Ex.50: Landfall in Unknown Seas movement IV, violin I bars 18-25 •
iLit ,ff
......,
+-
t , '.L
, \ 1J j I
+.!.~
I j
-
+
The fifty examples quoted above comprise most of the principal
themes, and a significant number of the secondary themes, fromLilburn's~
major orchestral and string orchestral works of his first period of
composition. As such, they represent an ideal sample to subject to a
statistical analysis. From such a procedure, broad conclusions can be
drawn about the nature of Lilburn's melodic writing in this period.
Instruments used to announce themes
Thirty-five of the examples are drawn from orchestral works.
these, only one is announced in the brass - example 44. Only one is
Of