Douglas Lilburn at his piano (195-?) © Alexander Turnbull Library. Reference: PAColl-7737-3-04 All rights reserved.
Douglas Lilburn was born in Wanganui in 1915. He moved to Christchurch to study at Canterbury University College, and went on to the Royal College of Music, London. He was tutored in composition by Ralph Vaughan Williams and remained at the College until 1939.
He returned to New Zealand the following year, and worked in Christchurch as a freelance composer and teacher.
In 1947 Douglas Lilburn shifted to Wellington to take up a position at Victoria University, and moved up the ranks to a Professor. In 1966 Lilburn founded the Electronic Music Studio at the University and was its Director until 1979, a year before his retirement.
He was presented with the Composers’ Association of New Zealand (CANZ) Citation for Services to New Zealand Music in 1978. In 1988 he was awarded the Order of New Zealand. Douglas Lilburn, described as “the elder statesman of New Zealand music” and the “grandfather of New Zealand music,” died peacefully at his home in Wellington on 6 June 2001.
Performances of Douglas Lilburn compositions:
Douglas LILBURN: Forest
Performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Kenneth Young.
Douglas LILBURN: Drysdale Overture
Performed by the Auckland Philharmonia, conducted by Enrique Diemecke.
Douglas LILBURN: Festival Overture
Performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Marc Taddei
Douglas LILBURN: A Birthday Offering
Commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra (now New Zealand Symphony Orchestra) for its 10th birthday. Performed in 2004 by the NZSO with conductor Kenneth Young.
Douglas LILBURN: Landfall in Unknown Seas (1972)
Performed by the NZBCSO, conducted by John Ritchie, narrator Bruce Mason.
Douglas LILBURN: Landfall in Unknown Seas (1972)
Performed by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Marc Taddei, narrator Elric Hooper
Douglas LILBURN: A Song of Islands
Performed by NZBCSO conducted by James Robertson.
Douglas LILBURN: Symphony No 1
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Charles Groves. Broadcast in 1987.
Douglas LILBURN: Symphony No 2 (Introduction)
Introduced by Kenneth Young.
Douglas LILBURN: Symphony No 2
Performed by the NZBCSO, conductor Alex Lindsay.
Douglas LILBURN: Symphony No 2
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alex Lindsay; in a recording from 24 April 1974.
Symphony No 2 was composed in 1951, and can be seen as a key work in Douglas Lilburn's development: the first two movements show discernible overseas influences, giving way to the more individual voice of the last two movements. In this recording Alex Lindsay conducts the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. It was made just months before Lindsay’s sudden death, and has been digitally re-mastered for the Resound project.
Douglas LILBURN: Symphony No 3
Premiere performance by the NZBC Symphony Orchestra in the Wellington Town Hall, conductor John Hopkins.
Video:
Douglas Lilburn giving a demonstration of a work composed in the Electronic Music Studio at Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand, in 1970. Lilburn is demonstrating the sounds produced for a modern dance performance that include the electronic reconstitution of the sounds of the extinct huia bird.
Interviews with Douglas Lilburn:
A transcript of a Chris Bourke interview done in 1985 for The Listener
Interviews related to Douglas Lilburn and his work:
Philip Norman and Dean Major:Douglas Lilburn NZ Hall of Fame
Two of Douglas Lilburn's close friends and colleagues join Eva Radich to celebrate Lilburn's upcoming induction into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.
Philip Norman: Three Stages of Douglas Lilburn
Douglas Lilburn
Phillip Norman, author of Douglas Lilburn's biography, talks with Emma Smith about the life and work of this pioneering NZ orchestral and electroacoustic composer who will be honoured at the 2014 APRA Silver Scrolls.
Playlist
Artist: Douglas Lilburn
Song: Tritych
Composer:Lilburn
Album: Complete Electro Acoustic Works
Label: Atoll
Artist: New Zealand Symphony Orchestra cond. Kenneth Young
Song: Aotearoa
Composer:Lilburn
Album: New Zealand Composers
Label: Continuum
Artist:New Zealand Symphony Orchestra cond.John Hopkins
Song: A Song Of Islands
Composer: Lilburn
Album: Douglas Lilburn: A Song of Islands
Label: Kiwi
Artist: Margaret Nielsen
Song: Three Sea Changes Pt. 1
Composer: Lilburn
Album: Douglas Lilburn: Piano Music
Label: Manu
Artist: New Zealand Symphony Orchestra cond. John Hopkins
Song: Symphony no. 3
Composer:Lilburn
Album: Douglas Lilburn: The Three Symphonies
Label: Kiwi
Artist: Douglas Lilburn
Song: Carousel
Composer:Lilburn
Album: Complete Electro Acoustic Works
Label: Atoll
Artist: Douglas Lilburn
Song: Triptych
Composer:Lilburn
Album: Complete Electro Acoustic Works
Label: Atoll
Artist: Douglas Lilburn
Song:Three Inscapes 2
Composer:Lilburn
Album: Complete Electro Acoustic Works
Label: Atoll
Artist: Douglas Lilburn
Song: Five Torronto Pieces Prelude
Composer:Lilburn
Album: Complete Electro Acoustic Works
Label: Atoll
Robert Hoskins: Author and Academic
Editor of a new collection of writings by Douglas Lilburn called 'Douglas Lilburn: Memories of Early Years and Other Writings'.
Writers Block: Philip Norman
Philip Norman has won an award which means he can write a companion book to his biography of composer Douglas Lilburn.
Gunter Herbig
NZ based guitaritst talks about the recent release of his cd of Lilburn and Farquhar guitar works.
Michael Shepherd
Whose latest series of paintings draw inspiration from the scores of Douglas Lilburn's Electro-acoustic works.
Donald Maurice and Doug Munro
NZ violist and music historian talk about upcoming performance of Lilburn's 'Salutes to Seven Poets'.
Rod Biss and Robert Hoskins
NZ music scholars and editors of Douglas Lilburn's complete printed editions of piano music which are being released today.
Dave Armstrong
Writer of 'Rita and Douglas' featuring the letters of Rita Angus to Douglas Lilburn starring Jennifer Ward-Lealand and Michael Houstoun.
Scilla Askew
Author of 'A Search for Tradition & A Search for a Language' being released next week to mark the 10th anniversary of Douglas Lilburn's death.
Elizabeth Holowell and Cameron Rhodes
Violinist and actor appearing on new cd of Douglas Lilburn's previously unavailable works: Salutes to Seven Poets.
Samuel Holloway
Artistic Director of 175 East new music ensemble presenting 'After Lilburn' concert in Auckland this evening.
Dugal McKinnon
Director of Lilburn Electroacoustic Music Studios explores the concept of soundscape.
The Lilburn Lecture
Named after the New Zealand composer who instigated the Archive of New Zealand Music within the Turnbull Library and established the Lilburn Trust, the lecture is held annually on Douglas Lilburn’s birthday, 2nd November. Speakers are invited to talk on a subject of their choosing about music and New Zealand. The Lilburn Lecture is jointly organised by the Lilburn Trust and the Alexander Turnbull Library, and recorded by RNZ. Listen to past Lilburn Lectures here.
