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

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thematic statements. In a sense, though, it is the first violins that
are now doubling the second violins an octave above. The first violin
line in these instances is placed so high in the register that it
becomes a colouring timbre, whilst the second violin dominates in
the more powerful middle-upper register:
Ex.6: Symphony No.2 movement I, violins, bars 78-82 •.
This point provides a neat transition for this discussion to move
away from a comparative examination of the Aotearoa Overture and
Symphony No.2 towards a section-by-seetion examination of Lilburn's
orchestrational technique.
The String Section
The example quoted immediately above (Ex.6) is part of a passage
of characteristic string writing by Lilburn. In nearly every orchestral
movement, and indeed in some of his string orchestral movements, one can
hear similarly-scored passages. This characteristic sound occurs when
Lilburn takes one of his main themes, or a variant, and places it high
in the upper string register. The lower instruments of the orchestra
drop out of the texture (often, in fact, the upper strings - which may
include the cello working in the treble clef- are the only. instruments "
sounding). The upper strings then take the theme or variant, and
articulate it broadly and at a no~te dynamic. The high'violin is
most often accompanied by a homophonic texture.
In Symphony No.2 movement I, this type of passage occurs twice,
once in the exposition section (bars 77-82) and once in the recapitu~ation
section (bars 202-7) (see Ex.7).