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

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writings on these works, also too numerous to list here but are listed
in the bibliographies of this study, are usually brief and of little
substance. Invariably, as with record sleeve and programme notes,
they offer little more than a quick description of the work and a
summary of the circumstances surrounding its composition.
In general, the many reV1ews of Lilburn's works contribute little
towards an understanding of the style, content and technique of
construction of his music. At best, they offer a subjective reaction
supported by a descriptive sketch of the overall progression of the
work. Where it is a work of Lilburn's from the 1940s under consideration,
analogies with the New Zealand landscape are frequently drawn.
Occasionally in periodicals, never in daily newspapers as time
and space do not permit, reviewers have .delved into a work by Lilburn
in greater detail. Dorothy Davies in Landfal1 31 and Owen Jensen in
Arts Year Book No.7 32 both attempt to penetrate the surface of
Symphony No.1; Bruce Mason in Landfal1 33 offers a relatively lengthy
look at Symphony No.2; and John Steele in Landfal1 34 and Roger Savage
in New Zealand Listener 35 undertake an evaluation of the merits of
Symphony No.3. However, the greater detail in these lengthier reviews
arises solely from a lengthier description being offered. None succeed
in providing critical appraisal of the style and technique used in the
work. For the most detailed examinations of Lilburn's works one has to
look to the pages of Canzona. In this periodical, four writers have
taken a close look at various of Lilburn's compositions. These articles
comprise:
BIBBY, Gillian. Flowers of the sea: Douglas Lilburn's piano
music. Canzona vol.2 no.7, March 1981)9-19.
HARRIS, Ross. Douglas Lilburn's "Symphony No.3" (in one movement).
Canzona vol.2 no.5, October 1980:3-7.
31 Dorothy Davies, Douglas Lilburn's 1st symphony. Landfall vol.5
no.3, September 1951:230-1.
32 Owen Jensen, Lilburn: "Symphony No. I" in A minor. Arts Year Book
no.7, 1951:153-6.
33 Bruce Mason, Douglas Lilburn's symphonies. Landfall vol.8 no.2,
June 1954: 124-7.
34 John Steele, Lilburn's third symphony. Landfall vol.16 no.3,
September 1962:292-4.
35 Roger Savage, Lilburn's third. New Zealand Listener vo1.47
no.1196, 17 August 1962:7.