These five collections of miniatures were light-hearted musical gifts presented to two of the composer's friends between 1941 and 1949; together they give us an endearing glimpse of the composer during his years in Christchurch and immediately after. The final collection includes three pieces published here for the first time. Pianists of every level of ability will find something delightfully fresh to enjoy within this generous volume.
Douglas Liburn occupies a pre-eminent position in New Zealand music, with a legacy extending well beyond his compositional output. As a composer, a teacher, and later as a warm, generous and encouraging background presence, he presided in innumerable ways over the artistic growth of this country. His music, from the early works redolent of the influence of Sibelius and Vaughan Williams, to the electroacoustic pieces of his later years, makes up a corpus of works that has been instrumental in establishing a genuinely vernacular voice in New Zealand classical music.
