Wai-te-ata Music Press

These pieces were composed individually in the 1940s–50s, and brought together as Three Canzonettas in 1991. Canzonetta No. 1 was written as the ‘Players’ music’ for a production of Hamlet, directed by Ngaio Marsh at Canterbury University in August 1943. Lilburn later arranged this piece for string orchestra as the first of the Four Canzonas (1980). Canzonetta No.2 was written in c.1943, and Canzonetta No.3 was written for Ruth Pearl and Jean McCartney in c.1958.

Three Canzonettas is recorded by Helene Pohl and Gillian Ansell on Naxos 8.573079 and by Martin Riseley and Donald Maurice on Atoll acd142