Douglas Lilburn


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.



  • 1915: Douglas Gordon Lilburn born 2 November, Wanganui, New Zealand. The youngest child of Robert and Rosamond Lilburn of "Drysdale Station", Turakina Valley, near Hunterville.

  • 1920-24: Attended Pukeroa School.

  • 1925-27: Attended the New Zealand Friends' School in Wanganui (April 1925 to December 1927).

  • 1927: Sat Proficiency Certificate Examination.

  • 1928-29: Attended St George's Preparatory School Intermediate Department.

  • 1930-33: Attended Waitaki Boy's High School as a boarder.

  • 1930: Passed Matriculation Examination.

  • 1932: Opus 1, a Sonata for Piano in C minor, 3 movements.

  • 1932-33: Sat extramural exams at the University of Otago.

  • 1934: Enrolled at Canterbury College for a BA and Diploma of Journalism.

  • 1934: Piano lessons with Ernest Empson.

  • 1935: Satisfied examination requirements for a BA in History. Began a music degree under Professor John C. Bradshaw - Passed Grade VIII.

  • 1936: Piano lessons with Ernest Jenner.

  • 1936: Satisfied examination requirements for a Diploma in Music.

  • 1936: Forest tone poem for orchestra. Winner of Percy Grainger Competition in 1936. First performed by the Wellington Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leon de Mauny in 1937.
    In November 1935 Percy Grainger recorded a brief talk making reference to the competition [SA/NTK D-440]. It was later broadcast by the New Zealand Broadcasting Board.
    Forest was performed for the first time since 1937, on 28 May 2003 by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in the Wellington Town Hall, and broadcast live on Concert FM.

  • 1937: Choral Sketches for baritone, male chorus and SATB (four part) choir.

  • 1937-40: Enrolled at Royal College of Music, London, from Christmas term 1937 to three weeks into the Midsummer term 1940. Studied composition (in the main under Vaughan Williams), and piano (in the main under Edward Mitchell). In 1939 he joined the conducting course under Dr Reginald Jacques.

  • 1937: Drysdale Overture for Orchestra. Winner in the orchestral class of the New Zealand Centennial Celebrations Music Competition in 1940. First performed at the Royal College of Music in London, conducted by Sir George Dyson in 1938.

  • 1939: Phantasy for String Quartet ("Westron Wynde"). Winner of the Cobbett Prize in 1939. First performed at the Royal College of Music in London in 1939.

  • 1939: Gained the Foli Scholarship and the Ernest Farrar Prize at the Royal College of Music.

  • 1939: Harvestmen a-singing, for unaccompanied chorus.

  • 1939: Festival Overture for orchestra. Awarded second prize in the orchestral class of the New Zealand Centennial Celebrations Music Competition in 1940. First performed at the Royal College of Music in London, conducted by Sir George Dyson in 1939.

  • 1939: Prodigal Country for baritone, chorus and orchestra. Text from Robin Hyde's "Journey from New Zealand", Allen Curnow's "New Zealand City" and Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself". Winner in the choral class of the New Zealand Centennial Celebrations Music Competition in 1940. First performed by the National Broadcasting Service Orchestra, conducted by Anderson Tyrer with the "A Cappella Choir" and solist Lawrence North.

  • 1939: Sonata for Pianoforte No. II in F# minor, in two movements. Completed 7 March.

  • 1939: A sonata for piano in A minor, in three movements. Completed November.

  • 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.

    About Easter I got a telegram to say will you come and help out? 250 pounds a year. Yes, that was pretty small, but it was enough to enable me to keep my room in Christchurch on and to move into a single room in Wellington and teach part-time. Spend a teaching term in Wellington and go to Christchurch as quickly as possible back to my context and my piano. And the same thing next year '48, except I made 300 pounds a year. They didn't pay my fares up and down or anything like they do for people now.

  • 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..." (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.

  • 1950: Began association with New Zealand Broadcasting Service Drama Department (Cornet Rilke).

  • 1950: Sonata for violin and piano. First performed by Ruth Perl (violin) and Frederick Page (piano).

  • 1950: Prelude for piano from Three Sea Changes.

  • 1950: Cornet Rilke, incidental music for string quartet to a reading of Rilke's poem. Read by Maria Dronke, produced by the New Zealand Broadcasting Service.

  • 1950: Lines in Autumn, songs for voice and piano. Poem by Basil Dowling.

  • 1951: Elegy song cycle for baritone and piano. Text by Alastair Campbell. First performed by Gerald Christeller.

  • 1951: Prelude for piano.

  • 1951: Symphony No. 2. First performed by the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Warwick Braithwaite in 1953. Revised in 1974.

  • 1951-52: Sonata for Piano. First performed and broadcast by Margaret Nielsen. Revised in 1956

  • 1952: Four Hand work, for piano four hands.

  • 1952: Hamlet, incidental music. Written for the Wellington Repertory Society production directed by Richard Campion.

  • 1952: Incidental music scored for violin and piano. For a reading of poetry in Auckland University College on the 9th August. Comprises introduction, interludes and coda. Poets indicated in the score: A.R.D. Fairburn, Keith Sinclair, Alan Curnow, Michael Joseph, James K. Baxter, Kendrick Smithyman and R.A.K. Mason.

  • 1953: Began association with New Zealand Players - Dandy Dick, incidental music. Written for the New Zealand Players' production directed by Richard Campion, 13 May.

  • 1953: String Trio published by Hinrichsen.

  • 1953: Sings Harry, song cycle for tenor and piano. Poetry by Denis Glover.

  • 1954: Sings Harry, arranged for baritone and piano. First performed by Donald Munro and Frederick Page in Wellington.

  • c.1954: Sings Harry, arranged for tenor and guitar.

  • 1954: Duos for two violins. First performed by Ruth Pearl and Jean McCartney.

  • 1954: Clear Sky and The Picnic, two songs for soprano and piano. Poems by Ruth Dallas.

  • 1954: Allegro non troppo, piano piece for four hands.

  • 1954-55: Suite for Solo Viola. Performance manuscript missing.

  • 1955: Promoted to Senior Lecturer, Victoria University of Wellington.

  • 1955: Pieces in serial technique for various string combinations. Done at Tanglewood for Roger Sessions.

  • 1955: Pardon Goddess of the Night, for SATB (four part) chorus. Written for "Much ado about Nothing" Act V, Scene 3. Produced by Maria Dronke.

  • 1955: Suite for Orchestra. Commissioned by the Auckland Junior Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dr. Charles Nalden.

  • 1955: St Joan, incidental music. Written for the New Zealand Players production directed by Richard Campion.

  • 1955-56: Overseas travel from June 1955 to February 1956 (USA, England and Europe).

  • 1956: A Birthday Offering for orchestra. Commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra for its tenth birthday. Performed by the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Robertson, and recorded at the premiere performance in Wellington - 24 October 1956 [SA/NTK 14295].

  • 1957: Wind Quintet.

  • 1957: Quartet for Brass Instruments.

  • 1957: Merchant of Venice, incidental music Written for the New Zealand Players production directed by Richard Campion.

  • 1958: Two duos for violin and viola.

  • 1958: Three Songs for Baritone and Viola. (1) Warning of Winter by Ursula Bethel, (2) Song of Allegiance by R.A.K. Mason, (3) Bow, wind of Fruitfulness by James K. Baxter. First broadcast by Donald Munro (baritone) and Jean McCartney (viola).

  • 1958: Three Poems of the Sea, for string orchestra and narrator [ATL Phono Q 1251]. First performed by the Alex Lindsay Strings conducted by Alex Lindsay with Maria Droke. (1) Sir Patrick Spens, (2) Come unto these Yellow Sands, (3) The Changeling.

  • 1959: Recording of Festival Overture by HMV.

  • 1959: Suite for Brass Band in four movements. (Unperformed).

  • 1960: Shifted house to 22 Ascot Terrace, Wellington.

  • 1960: Recording of Landfall in Unknown Seas and Sings Harry by Kiwi Pacific Records.

  • 1960s: Hommage ра D.A.F. for piano. For David Farquhar's composition class.

  • 1961: Symphony No. 3 for orchestra. First performed by the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Hopkins in 1962, and recorded live at the premiere performance in Wellington, 31 July 1962 [SA/NTK 14263].

  • 1961: Grand Canyon Uprun for wind quartet. Incidental music for private film.

  • 1961: The Axe, incidental music for New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation play by Alan Curnow.

  • 1961: Processional Fanfare for the final congregation of the University of New Zealand.

  • 1962: Sonatina No. 2 for piano. First performed by Margaret Nielsen.

  • 1962: Canzona - The Flowers of the Sea. Arrangement of the fifth song of Sings Harry for solo guitar. Published in Seventeen pieces for Guitar in 1969-70.

  • 1962: Henry IV parts I and II. Incidental music for the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation play.

  • 1963: Promoted to Associate Professor at Victoria University of Wellington.

  • 1963: Trip overseas - including visits to Toronto, London, and Darmstadt.

  • 1963: Diversions published by Oxford University Press.

  • 1964: The Pitcher and the Well, incidental music for the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation play. Uses sound images of electronic derivation.

  • 1962-65: Piano pieces and sketches.

  • 1965: 50th birthday tribute from New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation in the form of four hour-long programmes on his music. Also open letter of tribute published in Landfall (v.19 no.4 December 1965 : 320-1).

  • 1965: Canon for 6 hands for piano.

  • 1965: Gamelan for 6 hands for piano.

  • 1964-65: Canonic studies for piano Homage to J.S. Bach.

  • 1965: Fred's Birthday for piano.

  • 1965: The Return. Electronic Sound Image to poetry by Alistair Campbell.

  • 1966: Electronic Music Studio at Victoria University of Wellington officially opened.

  • 1966: Nine Short Pieces for Piano.

  • 1966: The Spiral Tattoo, incidental music for New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation play by Adele Schafer.

  • 1966: Fragments of a Poem. (Electronic).

  • 1967: First series of Wai-te-ata Press Music Editions published.

  • 1967: Poem in Time of War. (Electronic).

  • 1967: Study from One Note. (Electronic).

  • 1967: Cicadas, Oscillators and Tree Frogs. (Electronic).

  • 1967: The Golden Lover, incidental music for the Downstage Theatre production. Written by Douglas Stewart and directed by Richard Campion.

  • 1967: He Mana Toa. Maori Theatre Trust production of the Douglas Stewart play, directed by Richard Campion.

  • 1967: Hot Spring, incidental music for the Downstage production of the play by Adele Schafer.

  • 1968: Symphony No. 3 published by Faber Music.

  • 1968: Three bars for the blood and bone for piano. In payment for Margaret Nielsen supplying Douglas with blood and bone. Later it was renamed Three bars for M.N. from Occasional Pieces (1973).

  • 1968: Three Studies for Gustav Ciamaga.

  • 1969: Overseas travel, including Toronto. On return lodged request for more funds for electronic studio.

  • 1969: Honorary Doctorate of Music from the University of Otago.

  • 1969: Second series Wai-te-ata Press published.

  • 1969: He Tohu O Waharoa, incidental music to a play by James Ritchie. A New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation production.

  • 1969: Summer Voices. (Electronic).

  • 1969: Five Toronto Pieces. (Electronic).

  • 1969-70: 16 pieces for guitar. Published with Canzona - The Flowers of the Sea as Seventeen Pieces for Guitar

  • 1970: Appointed Professor at Victoria University of Wellington with a personal chair in music. Appointed Director of Electronic Music Studio.

  • 1970: Expo 70 Dance Sequence. (Electronic).

  • 1971: Lilburn versus Putney, Staircase Music and Glass Music. (An end-of-term entertainment in the music room).

  • 1972: New Electronic Music Studio premises in Kelburn Parade.

  • 1972: Third series of Wai-te-ata Press published.

  • 1972: Three Inscapes. (Electronic).

  • 1972: One movement of 3 for viola.

  • 1973: Occasional Pieces for Piano. (1942-1973)

  • 1973: Wide Open Cage, incidental music for the play by James K. Baxter. A New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation production.

  • 1974: Composers Association of New Zealand established March 9.

  • 1974: The Alexander Turnbull Library's Archive of New Zealand Music established.

  • 1974: Overseas travel April 28 - July 5: Toronto, London, Paris (UNESCO Rostrum), Utrecht, Amsterdam, and Stockholm.

  • 1974: Two pieces for guitar.

  • 1974: Welcome Stranger. A ballet commissioned by the New Zealand Ballet Company, choreography by Deidre Tarrant.

  • 1975: Composers Association of New Zealand sponsored Lilburn 60th Birthday Concert.

  • 1975: Sounds and Distances. (Electronic).

  • 1975: Lines and Distances. (Electronic).

  • 1976: Carousel. (Electronic).

  • 1976: Winterset. (Electronic).

  • 1977: Tryptych. (Electronic).

  • 1977: Of Time and Nostalgia (Electronic).

  • 1978: Presented with Composers Association of New Zealand Citation for Services to New Zealand Music.

  • 1979: Retrospective concert of electronic music as part of "New Directions in New Zealand Music".

  • 1979: Soundscape with Lake and River.

  • 1980: January 31 - Retirement from Victoria University of Wellington.

  • 1980: Appointed Professor Emeritus.

  • 1980: Four Canzonas for strings written for solo violin and string quartet. Arrangement of incidental music for plays between 1943 and 1950.

  • 1984: The Lilburn Trust established.

  • 1985: Processional Fanfare arranged for 3 trumpets and small orchestra from 1961. Original composed for 3 trumpets with organ.

  • 1987: Grand Canyon Uprun, a suite for woodwind quartet. Arrangement of original 1961 composition.

  • 1988: Received the Order of New Zealand.

  • 2001: Douglas Gordon Lilburn dies 6 June at his home in Ascot Terrace, Wellington, New Zealand.
 

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