A four-movement sonata for solo guitar, inspired by New Zealand landscapes and written as a tribute to Douglas Lilburn.
Difficulty: Advanced
Purchase: The score is available as an ebook via Lulu Publishing.
Price: US$9.99 (approx. NZ$17.00)
About
Tua Marina Sonata is a tribute to Douglas Lilburn, one of New Zealand’s most respected composers. Rather than imitating Lilburn’s style, Bruce Paine responds to Lilburn’s call for a uniquely New Zealand musical voice, drawing inspiration from personal encounters with the country’s landscapes.
The sonata’s four movements — Prelude, Journey, Destination, and Freedom — are bound together by a tui-inspired melodic motif. The music reflects a range of impressions: the unfolding countryside beyond Auckland, the shimmering waters of Te Waikoropupū Springs, and the joyful freedom of children running to the sea.
Written for solo classical guitar in scordatura tuning, the work lasts around 12–14 minutes and offers performers expressive scope while remaining idiomatic to the instrument.
The piece received its world premiere in 2018 by John Couch at the Taranaki Classical Guitar Summer School and was later recorded on his 2022 album Whenua o te Manu.