 Back Feedback SouthWest Print Help |
 |
 |
|
 | |||
| |||||||
| |
','scrollbars=no,resizable=no,width=330,height=450','../../'))
Press Release
Douglas, a major eleven part radio series looking at one of New Zealand's most distinguished composers - Douglas Lilburn - will have a repeat broadcast on National Radio week-nights at 7pm beginning on Wednesday, 1st January 2003. During the months following his death in June 2001, producers Roger Smith and Gareth Watkins interviewed twenty-five of Douglas's close family, friends and colleagues in an attempt to gain a more personal understanding of this shy and complex man. The resulting eleven part radio series takes this new material and interweaves it with existing archival footage - some of which hasn't been heard for more than fifty years: The voice of Percy Grainger [SA/NTK D-440] in an archival recording proposing a music competition in 1935 reverberates throughout the series as a key moment in allowing Douglas to discover his musical talents. Premieres and performances, both public and private are sprinkled throughout the series, underscoring personal relationships and highlighting the diversity and size of Douglas's musical output. And through the generous support of the Alexander Turnbull Library and the Lilburn Trust there are readings by Peter Vere-Jones from Douglas's unpublished Memories of Early Years - a tantalizing selection of autobiographical sketches. )
'We weren't just wanting to capture Douglas in isolation', says producer Roger Smith, 'We really wanted to show him in the context of cultural life in New Zealand last Century. It's amazing to think now of the Christchurch scene in the 40s - Ngaio Marsh, Rita Angus, Leo Bensemann, Allen Curnow, Douglas Lilburn - all sparking off each other.'
'One of the strengths of the radio series Douglas', says producer Gareth Watkins, 'is the large number of people appearing in the programmes. We felt this was a key element. We really wanted to understand Douglas, and that could only come from talking to a broad cross-section of the people that knew and loved him.' The production team also photographed every interviewee and these images, along with images of Douglas's "Jungle" appear on the richly populated companion website. 'The website is a crucial part of the production', says Roger Smith, 'It gives listeners a chance to take their time and browse through transcripts, put faces to voices, and generally see how things interrelate with a comprehensive timeline of Douglas's compositions and key moments. The site also allows users to leave their comments about Douglas and the radio series.' 'Douglas was so important as a composer, teacher, and supporter of all New Zealand music that we felt that the fascinating information we were discovering should be available not only on radio, but in a written form - on the website - for all those interested in the history of music in New Zealand.' - Roger Smith & Gareth Watkins, Producers |
| | |||
 | |
 | |||||
| |||||||