The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and conductor Andrew Sewell have a tantalizing program in store for the opening Masterworks concert, Friday, Oct. 2, at 8 p.m. in the Overture Center’s Capitol Theater. The featured works, Douglas Lilburn’s “Landfall in Unknown Seas,” Saint-Saëns' Symphony No. 2 in A minor and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D major – with guest star Ben Beilman — cover a generous span of music history from classical to modern.
For most of us, the least-familiar work will be “Landfall in Unknown Seas.” Written for narrator and string orchestra in the early 1940s, the poetry and music evoke images of New Zealand’s landscape. WCO has included it on the program in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Lilburn’s birth.
In a Q&A conducted via email, Sewell tells the story behind “Landfall” and what attracts him to its spacious music.
Tell us about the history of “Landfall in Unknown Seas.”
The poem came first, written by New Zealand poet Allen Curnow, to celebrate the tercentennial commemoration of the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman’s encounter with the natives of New Zealand on Dec. 16, 1642.
As the story goes, sailing in the southern seas, Abel Janszoon Tasman sighted “a great land uplifted high.” It was the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand. While reconnoitering a “beautiful and safe bay,” one of Tasman’s ship’s boats was attacked by a canoe of Māoris, and three of the Dutch sailors were killed. The “safe bay” thus became known as Murderers’ Bay. Tasman sailed up the coast but, fearful of further attacks and plagued by ill winds and bad weather, never set foot on New Zealand. On Jan. 6, 1643 he sailed away north.
Dr. J. C. Beaglehole, on behalf of the National Historical Branch, Department of Internal Affairs, invited Allen Curnow to write a poem for the tercentennial. Before the year was out, composer Douglas Lilburn had read the poem and written his beautiful music for strings. The poem is divided into three sections, which are read between the four string movements. Our narrator will be veteran American Players Theatre actor James Ridge.
You are also from New Zealand. Did you know Lilburn or Curnow personally?
I corresponded with Douglas Lilburn several times during the 1980s and 90s, and met him twice.
My wife, Mary, recorded several albums of his music with the Schola Musica string trainees in the early 1980s. Sadly, he passed away in 2000. I have performed most of his large orchestral works and a substantial number of his string works. We recorded his Four Canzonas on our first WCO compact disc in 2004.
I enjoyed getting to know him personally and hearing him talk about his music and its relation to the landscape of New Zealand. The two are very intertwined, I discovered. He was an avid art collector of contemporary New Zealand artists, and his home was bequeathed to the Lilburn Trust, a museum and artist’s residence in Thorndon, Wellington.
The poet, Allen Curnow, is equally well known in New Zealand. I never met him personally, but as a high school English student, read much of his and other contemporary New Zealand poetry.
The WCO has performed Lilburn’s work many times in the past. What attracts you to his compositions?
There is a connection in the heart and soul of Lilburn’s music akin to what one feels toward Aaron Copland’s music as an American — a sense of national identity. Lilburn has a distinct voice, yet stylistically displays influences of Sibelius, Vaughan Williams and Copland.
The WCO season brochure says that “Landfall” “shares the spirit of independence and energy of our nation.” How does Lilburn’s music convey this spirit?
Lilburn’s music, particularly the melody line, reflects the action and contours of the New Zealand landscape. One can sense the energy of rushing rivers and valleys, rocky and sandy seashores and moody mountain ranges shrouded by mist and clouds. A hallmark of [Lilburn’s] melodic style is the way a melody will often turn in on itself toward the end of a phrase, which reflects a more introverted side to his personality.
