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  Douglas Lilburn (aged 21, 1936) Episode 7, Relationships

In the seventh episode, Relationships, Douglas Lilburn's friends and family reflect on how he related to people - from his relationship with his parents, to his abiding friendships over the years, the countless acts of kindness and generosity, to the painful 'fallings out' with friends and colleagues.

Alistair Te Ariki Campbell recalls the happy times with Douglas at Paekakariki in the 1950s, and the not so happy times from the early 1960s. Margaret Nielsen describes her friendship with Douglas over the years, and his extraordinary kindness. John Murray and Dean Major talk about Douglas's solitary nature.

Ropata Erwin and Frederick Page describe the Christchurch arts scene in the 1940s; Joyce Hamilton recalls being introduced to Douglas's friends as well as Eastern religions; and Sir William Southgate talks about Douglas's relationships with performers and conductors.


People who feature in Episode 7: Peter Vere-Jones, Alistair Te Ariki Campbell, John Murray, Jenny McLeod, Jack Body, Ashley Heenan, Margaret Nielsen, John Hopkins, Gwyneth Brown, Philip Norman, Sir William Southgate, Ropata Erwin, Frederick Page, Joyce Hamilton, Chris Bourke, Martin Lodge, Dean Major, Maria Dronke and Dorothy McKegg.

Broadcasts:     2pm, Sunday 18th July 2004 nationwide on Concert FM.

Duration: 53'09

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: Quartet for Brass Instruments (1957), performed by Concord Brass, recorded in 1989 [SA/NTK 14305].
00:34 Peter Vere-Jones: "My Mother" - reading from Douglas's unpublished Memories of Early Years - a selection of autobiographical sketches
[ATL A-2001-172-004].
01:18 Alistair Te Ariki Campbell: Sitting on his deck reading poetry, Wild Honey.
Underscored by The Return (1965), electronic sound image - poem by Alistair Campbell, read by Tim Elliot, voices by Mahi Potiki [SA/NTK 14384].
04:27 John Murray: The strength of the man alone.
05:20 Jenny McLeod: My only fight with Douglas.
07:04 Music: Sonata (1951-52, revised in 1956), performed by Margaret Nielsen, recorded in 1980 [SA/NTK 14332].
07:33 Jack Body: Getting verbally attacked over an electronic composition.
09:02 Ashley Heenan: Strong in character but didn't like criticism.
Underscored by Symphony No. 1 (1949), performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Charles Groves, recorded in 1987 [SA/NTK 14490].
11:00 Margaret Nielsen: When my husband died...
12:42 Music: Elegy (in memoriam Noel Newson) (1945), performed by the Schola Musica conducted by Ashley Heenan, with Patricia Lawrey and Anthea Moller (mezzo-sopranos), recorded in 1980 [SA/NTK 14410].
13:28 John Hopkins: Douglas didn't like the limelight.
15:10 Margaret Nielsen: Inviting students for dinner - composing food.
Underscored by Suite for Orchestra (1955), performed by the National Orchestra conducted by James Robertson, recorded in 1957 [SA/NTK 14299].
18:03 Gwyneth Brown: He knew what he liked to eat, shopping for Douglas.
19:18 Margaret Nielsen: Music as payment.
20:05 Music: Three Bars for the Blood and Bone (1968), performed by Margaret Nielsen (piano), recorded in 1982 [SA/NTK 14358].
20:56 Philip Norman: Writing my PhD on Douglas.
Underscored by Sonata (1949), performed by Margaret Nielsen (piano), recorded in 1972 [SA/NTK 14432].
24:40 Margaret Nielsen: First discovering his music, hand copying from manuscript.
Underscored by Diversions for String Orchestra (1947), performed by the Alex Lindsay String Orchestra, recorded in 1956 [SA/NTK 14297].
26:15 Peter Vere-Jones: "My paradisal security collapsed suddenly" - reading from Douglas's unpublished Memories of Early Years - a selection of autobiographical sketches [ATL A-2001-172-004].
27:10 Sir William Southgate: Conductor/performer/composer relationships.
28:54 Peter Vere-Jones: "They came off the boat" - reading from Douglas's unpublished Memories of Early Years - a selection of autobiographical sketches [ATL A-2001-172-004].
Underscored by Diversions for String Orchestra (1947), performed by the Alex Lindsay String Orchestra, recorded in 1956 [SA/NTK 14297].
29:54 Ropata Erwin: Description of the Christchurch scene in the 30's and 40's.
Underscored by Sonata (1951-52, revised in 1956), performed by Margaret Nielsen, recorded in 1980 [SA/NTK 14332].
32:00 Frederick Page: Christchurch in the 40's, performing Douglas's music. Archival talk recorded in 1981 [Radio New Zealand Tape 32993].
Underscored with the sixth of Nine Short Pieces for Piano (1966), performed by Margaret Nielsen, recorded in 1984 [SA/NTK 14414].
34:20 Music: The second of Four Preludes (1948-60) performed by Georgina Zellan-Smith (piano), recorded in 1989 [SA/NTK 14483].
35:20 Joyce Hamilton: Introduced me to his friends and Eastern religions.
37:10 Philip Norman: Moving from Nationalism to Cosmopolitanism - quoting Douglas.
38:45 Alistair Te Ariki Campbell: "The Circus".
42:28 Music: Sings Harry (1953), performed by Terence Finnegan (tenor) and Frederick Page (piano), recorded ca. 1959 [Radio New Zealand Tape 66].
44:05 Chris Bourke and Douglas: Artists pulled together in the 40's. Archival interview recorded in 1985 for the Listener. A complete transcript of this interview is available.
45:40 Chris Bourke: Douglas's response to the 1985 interview.
Underscored by Occasional Pieces for Piano (1942-73), performed by Margaret Nielsen (piano), recorded in 1981 [SA/NTK 14358].
47:47 Martin Lodge: The final letter.
49:00 Dean Major: Douglas's reclusiveness was respected by those who knew him.
50:38 Music: Letter scene from Cornet Rilke (1950), produced by the New Zealand Broadcasting Service and performed by the Alec Lindsay Quartet with Maria Dronke reading the poetry of R.M. Rilke, recorded in 1950 [SA/NTK].
52:03 Dorothy McKegg: Production Credits.