Lilburn 1

As Naxos kindly recorded all three of Douglas Lilburn's symphonies, it gave me an opportunity to listen to them and I have done so several times over a few years. The first seems larger and longer than it actually is, as it packs a lot into its time-span. It seems obvious to point out the influence of Sibelius and make some comment about the landscapes of distant countries. But I don't think it is about landscape, simply that Sibelius was such a powerful influence and Lilburn is part of that English-speaking world which reacted to him. This is a very good symphony. I don't think I will ever hear it live.