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

317
listened for to be appreciated.
The last word in a discussion of the rhythms in Lilburn's lighter
compositions must pertain to his use of the
rn or ill rhythmic
pattern. His continual use of this pattern ensures that his music
freely 'gallops' along. His frequent reversal of the order of the
semiquavers and quaver ensures that the music does not become predictable,
and at the same time adds touches of levity to the texture.
The rhythm of the opening theme to movement I of Diversions,
for example, shows a repeated use of the ~ order of the pattern,
framed by an instance of the reverse order of the pattern:
Ex.27: Diversions movement I, violin I, bars 9-\\.
P I/V\/
- I
The main theme of movement III of Diversions shows a phrase built
almost entirely out of this pattern. What rescues this passage from
triteness, and indeed, gives it its charm, is the way in which Lilburn
makes the predictable galloping rhythm stumble towards the end of the
phrase. He does this through extending the galloping pattern by one
quaver, regrouping it across the bar-line (one of the few examples of
grouping of notes across the bar-line in Lilburn's first composition
period), and concluding the phrase with a reversed-order of the rhythmic
pattern.
Ex.28: Diversions movement III, violin I bars 9-\3.
mmlBJf!JjID H!/1.rn~Pl
, JL-I
This same technique of order reversal within the pattern can be
heard in the first theme of Symphony No.2 movement II. Here, though,
the quaver of the r-r1 ordering is replaced bya quaver rest: