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  Douglas Lilburn (aged 21, 1936) Episode 4, Methods

In the fourth episode, Methods, we look at how Douglas Lilburn got things done. From piano lessons at an early age, through to the setting up of the Electronic Music Studio at Victoria University, Douglas reflects on his approach to sounds.

Ross Harris and John Rimmer describe Douglas's composing in the medium of electronic music; Gordon Burt gives a brief history of electronic music; and Helen Young talks about broadcasting new electronic works by Douglas on the radio.

Ron Burt and Sir William Southgate talk about the craftsmanship in Douglas's music; Ross Harris talks about his analysis of Symphony No. 3 and Douglas's reaction to the analysis; and Jill Palmer and Jack Body talk about the establishment of the Lilburn Trust.


People who feature in Episode 4: Peter Vere-Jones, Douglas Lilburn, Ross Harris, John Rimmer, Jill Wall, Helen Young, Gordon Burt, Willi Gailer, Sir William Southgate, Richard Campion, Ron Burt, Dean Major, John Hopkins, Ronald Tremain, Jill Palmer, Jack Body, and Dorothy McKegg.

Broadcasts:     2pm, Sunday 27th June 2004 nationwide on Concert FM.

Duration: 52'53

Reference (sometimes media) numbers are listed next to archival material that can be sourced from Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero [SA/NTK] or the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand/Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa [ATL].


00:00 Music: Soundscape with Lake and River (electronic, 1979) [SA/NTK 14535].
00:32 Peter Vere-Jones: "Learning the piano" - reading from Douglas's unpublished Memories of Early Years - a selection of autobiographical sketches
[ATL A-2001-172-004].
01:20 Douglas Lilburn: Brief history of the Electronic Music Studio at Victoria University. Archival interview recorded in 1971 [SA/NTK 14552].
Underscored with the opening music from the radio drama The Pitcher and the Well (1964) [SA/NTK TX868].
02:50 Ross Harris: Electronic music is like painting (quoting Douglas). Archival talk recorded in 1985 [Radio New Zealand Tape 3419].
Underscored by A Land Arose (electronic), part of the 1970 Osaka Expo production [SA/NTK 14314].
03:48 John Rimmer: An intuitive composer rather than a grand planner.
05:08 Jill Wall and Douglas: Can't anyone just make these machines chatter? Archival interview recorded in 1971 [SA/NTK 14552].
06:13 Helen Young: Playing electronic works on the radio, public reaction.
Underscored by Of Time and Nostalgia (electronic, 1977) [SA/NTK 14530].
09:05 Gordon Burt: Brief history of electronic music. Archival talk extracted from programme nine of Composers in CANZ, recorded in 1975 [SA/NTK 16487].
Underscored by Welcome Stranger (electronic, 1974) [SA/NTK 14313].
10:40 John Rimmer: Describing the Electronic Music Studio at Victory University.
12:25 Music: The fourth of Four Preludes (1948-60), performed by Georgina Zellan-Smith (piano), recorded in 1989 [SA/NTK 14483].
13:00 Ross Harris: Describing Douglas's process for composing electronic music.
Underscored by A Time of Birds (electronic), part of the 1970 Osaka Expo production [SA/NTK 14563].
15:50 Douglas Lilburn: Experimenting with early electronic instruments. Archival interview recorded in 1971 [SA/NTK 14552].
16:50 Willi Gailer: Introduction and description of The Return (1965).
20:50 Douglas Lilburn: Realizing electronic sounds. Archival interview recorded in 1971 [SA/NTK 14552].
21:38 John Rimmer: Douglas's electronic techniques.
23:40 Music: The second of Nine Short Pieces (1966), performed by Margaret Nielsen (piano), recorded in 1984 [SA/NTK 14414].
24:18 Peter Vere-Jones: "Glasses" - reading from Douglas's unpublished Memories of Early Years - a selection of autobiographical sketches
[ATL A-2001-172-004].
25:25 Sir William Southgate: Music just doesn't appear...he was a craftsman.
28:36 Music: St. Joan (1955), performed by members of the National Orchestra conducted by James Robertson, recorded in 1955 and remastered in 1988 [SA/NTK 14435].
29:13 Richard Campion and Douglas: Beautiful manuscripts. Archival interview recorded in 1989 [SA/NTK 14477].
30:27 Ron Burt: Beautiful manuscripts.
Underscored by Seventeen Pieces for Guitar (1969-70), performed by Milton Parker (guitar), recorded in 1977 [SA/NTK 14571].
31:55 Dean Major: Moving to more abstract depictions in his music.
Underscored by The Return (1965), electronic sound image - poem by Alistair Campbell, read by Tim Elliot, voices by Mahi Potiki [SA/NTK 14384].
33:22 John Hopkins: Receiving a brown paper parcel.
Underscored by Symphony No. 3 (1961), performed by the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation National Orchestra conducted by John Hopkins, recorded live at the premiere performance in Wellington, 31 July 1962 [SA/NTK 14263].
35:00 Ross Harris: Writing an analysis of Symphony No. 3.
Underscored by A Birthday Offering (1956), performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir William Southgate, recorded in 1995 [Radio New Zealand DAT 962308].
37:30 Sir William Southgate: Ross Harris's analysis.
38:50 Music: Song of the Antipodes (1946), later renamed A Song of Islands, performed by the National Orchestra conducted by James Robertson, recorded ca. 1954-57 [SA/NTK 15128].
39:38 Ronald Tremain: Lessons I've learnt from Douglas. Archival talk extracted from programme two of The Lilburn Connection recorded in 1980
[SA/NTK TX-1136].
Underscored by Three Pieces for Piano, performed by Margaret Nielsen (piano), recorded in 1981 [SA/NTK 12340].
41:15 Jill Palmer: Forming the Lilburn Trust.
Underscored by Sonatina (1948) for Clarinet and Piano, performed by Richard Foreman (clarinet) and Bruce Greenfield (piano), recorded in 1990 [SA/NTK 15417].
44:55 Jack Body: He channelled his creative energy into the Lilburn Trust.
46:40 Music: Prodigal Country (1939), performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marc Taddei with Jonathan Lemalu (bass), Tower Voices New Zealand and Tower New Zealand Youth Choir, recorded in March 2002 [Radio New Zealand].
51:50 Dorothy McKegg: Production Credits.