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

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The above textural examination of Lilburn's use of rhythms has
served to confirm the observation that it is his melodies that present
the primary rhythmic interest in his music. Where his bass-lines and
inner harmonies show rhythmic interest, it is· usually through a process
of imitation, or of motivic exploitation of characteristics of the
melody, or of movement in rhythmic unison with the melody. With the
exception of passages where an ostinato or a separately-identitied
counter-theme is employed, all passages of rhythmic interest in Lilburn's
first period orchestral music either stem from, or are based upon, the
me lodic line.
The Scotch-snap
The scotch-snap is the most noticeable rhythmic f;gure that recurs
in Lilburn's music. It stems from his melodies, and permeates entire
textures. Gordon Burt 2 dubs this characteristic figure 'a strong-weak
rhythmic whiplash'. This is a more apt description than scotch-snap for
this veritable thumb-print of Lilburn's music. Scotch-snap implies a
two-note figure, whereas Lilburn often uses three or more notes in
conjunction with this motif.
The strong-weak rhythmic whiplash occurs in a number of Lilburn's
important melodies. Three of the main themes in Aotearoa Overture, for
example, use it prominently:
Ex.IO: Aotearoa Overture, violin I bars 5-7.
::::=::::=flU
r
Ex.ll: Aotearoa Overture, violin I and II, bars 25-8,31-2.
2 Composers in GA~tZ - A Survey of New Zealand Composers. RNZ. A series
of ten radio programmes beginning Friday 13 June 1975 at 8pm.
Unpublished typescript, programme I, p.5.