Story: Composers

Douglas Lilburn: Landfall in unknown seas (1st of 2)

Douglas Lilburn was painted by one of his Christchurch friends, Leo Bensemann, about 1942. That year Lilburn composed Landfall in unknown seas for a narrator and orchestra. The text was taken from a poem by Allen Curnow, and tells of Abel Tasman's discovery of New Zealand. This excerpt from the work is played by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: G-264
Oil on canvas by Leo Bensemann

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

Sound file from Radio New Zealand Sound Archives Ngā Taonga Kōrero. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright. To request a copy of the recording, contact Sound Archives Ngā Taonga Kōrero (Landfall in unknown seas 02/11/1972/Reference ID14282); sound courtesy of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Lilburn Trust, John Ritchie (conductor)

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

William Dart, 'Composers - Establishing a new tradition', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/music/44638/douglas-lilburn-landfall-in-unknown-seas (accessed 26 April 2024)

Story by William Dart, published 22 Oct 2014