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

Ex.24: Symphony No.2 movement II, clarinet (as sounding) bar 47.
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In the third theme of section A of this movement, one can hear
sequential use of anticipatory syncopation:
Ex.25: Symphony No.2 movement II, flute bars 25-9.
Also in this extract, one can hear special emphasis given to the sixth
quaver beat of the bar, by virtue of the fact that the fifth quaver is
tied over from the note sounded on the second quaver. In the final bar
of this extract, one can hear. an example of anticipatory syncopation
highlighted by an accent marking. In this, the third crotchet beat is
anticipated by the sounding of the note on the quaver before.
Lilburn's use of rhythm in these lighter pieces is successful for
a number of reasons, not the least. of these being that he keeps his
rhythms simple. Too much syncopation would destroy the natural pulse of
the music: Lilburn uses syncopation for decorative touches, rarely
disturbing the pulse for longer than a beat or two.
Lilburn's accompaniment rhythms function in much the same manner.
They are not 'oom-pah' accompaniments that set a resolute beat; nor are
they complex and sophisticated lines, with continual syncopation and
cross-accenting disturbing the flow of the music. Lilburn's
accompaniments subtly reinforce the syncopations in the melody, whilst
keeping the pulse flowing. Take, for example, the accompaniment to the
above-quoted theme (Ex.25). For the first three whole bars Lilburn
accents beat two, placing a f9r) figure on that beat. In the fourth
bar, to coincide with the accented fourth quaver in the melody line, he
delays the sounding of the figure by a quaver's length. This helps
firstly to reinforce the syncopation in the melody, and secondly to
return the accompaniment to stressing the more usually emphasised third