Douglas Lilburn

Timeline: 1940 - 1949

This timeline is based primarily on the research of Philip Norman and John Scott. Additional information has been sourced from the Collection of Douglas Lilburn Manuscripts in the Alexander Turnbull Library, edited by Jill Palmer, and from the Radio New Zealand archive.

  • 1940: Won three out of four of the prizes in the New Zealand National Centennial Music Celebrations Competition with Drysdale Overture, Prodigal Country, and Festival Overture.
  • 1940: Returned to New Zealand in May. Returned to his sister's farm in August where he worked for nine months.
  • 1940: Summer's Sadness, for baritone and piano.
  • 1940: Aotearoa Overture for orchestra. Written for the New Zealand Centennial Matinee in London. First performed at His Majesty's Theatre - Haymarket, by the Sadlers Wells Orchestra conducted by Warwick Braithwaite. 15 April 1940.
  • 1941: Took up guest conducting post in Wellington for three months (June-August) with the National Broadcasting Service String Orchestra (formed by Maurice Clare as a nucleus for the Centennial Orchestra).
  • 1941: Shifted to Christchurch and took a room with the Vincent family, 175 Cambridge Terrace. Worked as a freelance composer-teacher-musician.
  • 1941: Suite for strings.
  • 1941: Short piano pieces: a collection of manuscripts and sketches.
  • 1942: Allegro for strings. First performed by the Auckland Strings conducted by (?). Mathews.
  • 1942: Two Concert Overtures for String Orchestra. No. 1 in D and No. II in B flat which was later renamed Introduction and Allegro for Strings.
  • 1942: Landfall in Unknown Seas for strings and narrator. Text by Allen Curnow. Written to commemorate the tercentenary of discovery of New Zealand by Abel Tasman. First performed by the National Broadcasting Service Strings conducted by Anderson Tyrer. First public performance by the Christchurch Strings conducted by Douglas Lilburn, read by Allen Curnow.
  • 1942: Canzonetta for violin and viola No. 1.
  • 1942: Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis for a cappella choir. For use by the Christchurch Cathedral choir.
  • 1942: Five Bagatelles for Piano. First performed by Noel Newson, Christchurch 12 December 1942. The Alexander Turnbull Library holds a 1946 recording [ATL Phono Q 1250] of Douglas performing the 4th Bagatelle (later renamed From the Port Hills).
  • 1943: Became a music critic for The Press.
  • 1943: Began association with Ngaio Marsh and the University of Canterbury Drama Society. The incidental music for five plays resulted.
  • 1943: Sinfonia in D for strings. First performed by the 3YA Strings conducted by Douglas Lilburn.
  • 1943: Sonata in C for violin and piano. First performed by Maurice Clare (violin) and Noel Newson (piano).
  • 1943: Sonata in E flat for violin and piano. First performed by Vivien Dixon (violin) and Anthea Harley Slack (piano).
  • 1943: Hamlet, incidental music for three violins and tubular bell. Written for the University of Canterbury Drama Society's production of "Hamlet", directed by Ngaio Marsh. Performed at the Little Theatre, Christchurch 2-7 August and 27 November - 4 December.
  • 1943: Canzonetta for violin and viola No. 2.
  • 1944: Music for Waitaki Boys' High School Song. Words by Frank Milner, revised by Walter Brookes.
  • 1944: Diversions for piano.
  • 1944: Evening Service for SATB (four part) chorus.
  • 1944: Prelude and Fugue in G minor for organ. Winner of the Philip Neill Memorial Prize in 1944. First performed by Dr. V.E. Galway.
  • 1944: Othello, incidental music for violin and piano. Written for the University of Canterbury Drama Society's production of "Othello", directed by Ngaio Marsh. Performed in July.
  • 1944: Willow song, for mezzo-soprano and piano. Sound Archives hold an early recording performed by Gabrielle Phillips (mezzo-soprano) and Pauline de Schryver (piano) [SA/NTK TANZA CL1].
  • 1944: Willow song, for mezzo-soprano and string quartet.
  • 1944: Distant Point, incidental music. Written for the Canterbury Repertory Society's production of "Distant Point", directed by Ngaio Marsh. Performed at the Radiant Hall, 23-28 October.
  • 1944: Allegro Concertante for violin and piano in A Phrygian Mode in one movement. (Unperformed)
  • 1942-4: Four Preludes for piano. Reprinted in Occasional Pieces for Piano.
  • 1945: Four Preludes published by the Caxton Press.
  • 1945: String Trio. First performed by Margaret Sicely (violin), Vera Robinson (viola) and Valmai Moffett (cello) in Christchurch 1945.
  • 1945: A Midsummer Night's Dream, incidental music for flute, cornet and two french horns. First performed in the University of Canterbury Drama Society's production directed by Ngaio Marsh, in the Radiant Hall 26-31 July.
  • 1945: King Henry V, incidental music for two trumpets. First performed in the University of Canterbury Drama Society's production directed by Ngaio Marsh - 8, 10 and 11 December.
  • 1945: Elegy (in memoriam Noel Newson) for soprano, contralto, and strings.
  • 1945: A song for Otago University. Poetry by James K. Baxter, published by the Caxton Press in Book VII: A miscellany from the Caxton Press (1946).
  • 1945: Sea Change for piano from Three Sea Changes.
  • 1946: Composer-in-Residence at the first Cambridge Summer Music School. His association with the school in this capacity spanned 1946-49, 1951.
  • 1946: Sonatina for piano. First performed by Owen Jensen for a 1YA broadcast in 1946. First public performance by Lili Kraus in Christchurch 1947.
  • 1946: String Quartet in E minor. First performed by The Musica Viva Quartet of Sydney (leader Robert Pikler) in 1950.
  • 1946: A Song of Islands, originally titled Song of the Antipodes for orchestra. First performed by the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Warwick Braithwaite in 1947.
  • 1946: Chaconne for piano. First performed by Peter Cooper in London 1954.
  • 1946: Cambridge Overture for strings. Commissioned for the first Cambridge Summer School of Music, conducted by Douglas Lilburn in January 1946
  • 1946: Macbeth, incidental music scored for cello, timpani, recorder, trumpet and piper. Written for the University of Canterbury Drama Society's production of "Macbeth", directed by Ngaio Marsh. Performed at the Radiant Theathre 20-27 July.
  • 1946: O Fons Bandusiae for voice and piano. Text by Horace, translated by R.A.K. Mason.
  • 1946: Song Thinking of her Dead for tenor and piano. Poem by R.A.K. Mason.
  • 1947: Moved to Wellington to take up position at the University as part-time tutor in music.
  • 1947: Began association with the National Film Unit (Backblocks Hospital) and with local Wellington drama groups (The Infernal Machine).
  • 1947: Diversions for String Orchestra. First performed by the Boyd Neel String Orchestra.
  • 1947: Backblocks Hospital, incidental music for the National Film Unit documentary.
  • 1947: The Infernal Machine, incidental music for the play by Cocteau. Produced at Wellington Polytechnic and directed by Sam Williams.
  • 1947: Li Po in Spring, for voice and piano. Poem by James K. Baxter.
  • 1947: Canon for two clarinets.
  • 1947: Diversion for two clarinets in B flat and two trumpets in B flat.
  • 1947: Summer Afternoon for voice and piano. Poem by Basil Dowling.
  • 1948: Sonatina for clarinet and piano. First performed by George Hopkins in Auckland 1948.
  • 1948: Prelude for piano.
  • 1948: Rhythm and Movement, incidental music for the National Film Unit documentary.
  • 1948: Variations on a Theme by Douglas Lilburn. Written at the Cambridge Summer Music School. Variation (1) Farquhar, (2) Dellow, (3) Carr, (4) Franchi, (5) Tremain.
  • 1948: Infant Schools, incidental music for the National Film Unit documentary.
  • 1948: Moths and Candles, a dance for children. From the National Film Unit "Infant Schools" documentary.
  • 1948: Journey for Three, incidental music for the National Film Unit feature film. Sound Archives hold a number of TANZA recordings containing music from the production recorded in 1948 [SA/NTK TANZA CL2 and CL3], along with promotional discs featuring some of the actors recorded ca. 1950 [SA/NTK D-576/1-4].
  • 1948: Two Diversions for piano.
  • 1948: The Islands, settings for voice and piano. Two Poems by Charles Brasch: (1) "Darkness and light in archetypal sway..." and (2) "Always in these islands, meeting and parting..."
  • 1949: Appointed to position of full-time lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington.
  • 1949: Symphony No. 1 for orchestra. First performed by the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Michael Bowles in 1951.
  • 1949: Sonata for piano in three movements. First performed by Frederick Page.
  • 1949: This is New Zealand, orchestral music for the BBC/New Zealand Broadcasting Service documentary. Performed by the National Symphony Orchestra and produced by D.G. Bridson.
  • 1949: The Trojan Women incidental music scored for flute, trumpet, violin and piano. Written for the Wellington Reportory Theatre production directed by Maria Dronke, performed 1-3 June and 8-10 June.