THE SCI NEWSLETTER … dedicated to the promotion, composition, performance, understanding and dissemination of new and contemporary music … NEWSLETTER CONTENTS XLII: 4, Jul y– August 2012 Analysis Resources Events About Join SCI SCItings Davidson analyzes the Learn about the Upcoming student, Membership info, SCI is an organization Performances, Awards, Second Symphony of Newsletter, upcoming regional and national members of the for composers. Various Commissions, Honors, New Zealand composer SCI Events and our conferences of the National Council/ membership categories Publications and other Douglas Lilburn many online resources. Society. Executive Committee. are available. Member Activities Page 1 Page 2 Page 2 Page 3 Page 3 Page 10 Douglas Lilburn’s Symphony No. 2 A Brief Background and Analysis by Matthew Davidson The work and the New Zealand composer discussed have yet to see much detail as to exactly, using musical herein are not well-known to North American listeners. This terminology, why and in what way it is so important. It is is unfortunate, as a number of Lilburn’s works are quite absolutely imperative that quantifiable steps be taken in this endearing, and a few are quantifiably exceptional. There is a direction, so that what I believe is a significant contribution to marvellous recording of Lilburn’s Second Symphony on a the symphonic literature can be understood within the Naxos CD, 8.555862, Douglas Lilburn: The Three Symphonies context of the history of the genre. performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra under Symphony No. 2 was published by Price Milburn Music the baton of James Judd. The writer of notes for this CD is in New Zealand in 1979. The company has subsequently Robert Hoskins, and in it he talks of “galloping-horse fallen foul of the economic times, and gone out of business. rhythms,” “musterer’s whistles,” and a “panorama of steep The acquisition of the study score is virtually impossible, so I and rocky slopes.” While these notes are great fun to read, it am fortunate indeed to possess a copy. concerns me greatly that some listeners might be I intend to move along the following path in the unintentionally mislead into thinking that Lilburn’s work is discussion of this work: a short background on Douglas somehow a kind of “New Zealand Fingal’s Cave Overture” Lilburn; a brief discussion of his stylistic approach; a short when in fact this work is far more important than that. I overview of the Symphony No. 2; and a brief analysis of the strongly doubt that Lilburn had any programmatic intentions 1st and 2nd movement. in the creation of this work. There is much discussion in New Zealand about Lilburn’s (and this work’s) importance, but I (Continued on Page 4) Society of Composers Newsletter, XLII: 4, July–August 2012 1 A B O U T S C I Internet & Email About the Newsletter Upcoming SCI Events www.societyofcomposers.org Co-Editors: Michael Torres and Benjamin Williams 2015 Region VI Conference Conference dates and submission Circulation: 1400 Spring 2015 guidelines Henderson State University Contact information and links to member Access: available on the SCI website at web-pages Phillip Schroeder, Host http://www.societyofcomposers.org/ Student chapters and opportunities publications/newsletter/ CDs and journals produced by SCI Frequency of Publication: bimonthly Details on SCI such as membership, contacts for officers, regional structure, Newsletter Contact Information: by-laws, newsletter archives and more… Benjamin Williams 1221 Cliffdale Dr. SCION Clinton, MS 39056 (330) 268-2590 SCION is a listing of opportunities on our [email protected] website exclusively for members. 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There is a very telling Radio New Zealand interview between composer Jack Body and Lilburn which took place in 1975. In it, Body asks Lilburn what he puts on his tax return as his profession, whether it might be “composer”; Lilburn states, with characteristic Kiwi humility, that it is “musician” as he does not take himself so seriously anymore.4 Lilburn also states emphatically that he feels that New Zealand does not have the tradition to have a “national style”, however, he intelligently delineates that what makes Douglas Lilburn inside the electronic music studio, Victoria New Zealand music interesting is its “eclecticism” (one could University, Wellington. Photograph by Mervyn Desmond King. Lilburn, Douglas Gordon, 1915–2001: Photographs. Ref: PAColl-