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

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(bars 21-4) based on chord viib of G major. This is of course correct,
but as an analytical method it relies on hindsight for these findings.­
For example, it can only be said with certainty after bar 16 (and the
sounding of the C major tonic) that bars 10-15 were based on the
supertonic of C major. Likewise, it is only until bar 25 and the
sounding of the G tonic that it can be said that bars 21-4 were based on
chord viib of G major. Even with the recognition of a change of
accidental to one sharp in bar 20,it could have transpired that bars
20-4 were based on chord iib of E minor.
Nevertheless, whatever the advantages or disadvantages of a modal,
as opposed to a tonal, approach to harmonic analysis, an awareness of
Vincent's concepts of shifts within ordinal 6r lateral indices of
modality, facilitates an understanding of the passages of harmonic
ambiguity that frequently occur in the early works from Lilburn's first
compositional period.
One aspect of Lilburn's harmony in his early works that has not
yet been discussed is his characteristic voicing of chords. As much of
his harmony is based on a pure triadic sound (that is to say triads that
have no added notes) it would seem sensible to begin such a discussion
with an examination of his stock method of voicing triads. Reviewers
and commentators on Lilburn's music have made much of Lilburn's clearcut
harmonies and transparent textures. The following examples of
Lilburn's voicing of triads in the Aotearoa Overture shed light on such
comments:
Ex.23: Aotearoa Overture, bars 16 (beat 1-2), 134, 193.
~fl.c~
tJVl".a:.
'5 \1: .. \". JI.
~ llfrf ef w.~ ~'~
.J - a1irs oJII'; .. t:~,
-~
e~ '(0
.Jl.cr.e--
~ Illt ""J .+ .e--
.q.t...s(.£ ~l~ ...\s %l~~f
..
tt.s ~ '~3
:
.,.
;e.. J \."'~
;: -
:--
11- ,-"
None of these chords have notes placed lower than the register within
which they would occur sounding as a-harmonic-.f.rom.the fundamental··note
of the chord. It is a studied avoidance of textures that could sound
muddy, and a favouring of high-set chords capped by woodwind triads.
In all three of the examples, gaps in the voicings (registers where no