Peter Sculthorpe

Peter Sculthorpe (born April 29, 1929) is a noted Australian composer from Launceston, Tasmania. He is known primarily for his orchestral and chamber music, such as Kakadu (1988) and Earth Cry (1992), which evoke the sounds and feeling of the Australian bushland and outback. He has also written several string quartets, using unusual timbre effects, and works for piano.

Sculthorpe begun writing music at an early age (at seven). As a young composer, he independently discovered the whole-tone scale, and was disappointed when he learned that Debussy had found it first. By thirteen, he had decided to make a career of music, despite many (especially his father) encouraging him to enter different fields, because he felt the music he wrote was the only thing that was his own.

In early adulthood, he wrote a piano sonatina for an ABC competition; however, the piece was rejected because it was too modern. For many years, Sculthorpe has conducted master classes and lectured at the University of Sydney, where he is now an emeritus Professor. He has stated that he wants his music to make people feel better and happier for having listened to it—hence, he has typically avoided the dense, atonal techniques of many of his contemporary composers.

His Requiem is possibly his most serious, substantial work to date. It was premiered in March 2004 in Adelaide by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Adelaide Chamber Singers conducted by Richard Mills, with didgeridoo soloist William Barton, to critical acclaim.

In 2003, the SBS Radio and Television Youth Orchestra gave the premiere of Sydney Singing, a composition by Sculthorpe for clarinet solo (Joanne Sharp), harp solo (Tamara Spigelman), percussion solo (Peter Hayward) and string orchestra. This performance was released on SBS DVD in July 2005.

In 1982 a painting of Peter Sculthorpe by artist Eric Smith won the Archibald Prize, Australia's most famous portrait prize.

Works

Orchestral

• Music for Japan (1970)
• Kakadu (1988)
• Memento Mori (1993)
• From Oceania (2003)

Concertante

• Piano Concerto (1983)
• Earth Cry, for didgeridoo and orchestra (1986)
• Sydney Singing, for clarinet, harp, percussion, and strings (2003)

Vocal/Choral

• Requiem

Chamber/Instrumental

Between Five Bells for solo piano

Rose Bay Quadrilles for solo piano

Sonatina for solo piano

Nocturne for solo piano

Djilile for solo piano

Mountains for solo piano

External links

• Biography of Peter Sculthorpe - maintained by the Australian Music Centre
• Big Idea - Interview with Peter Sculthorpe (ABC Radio National)
• Guide to the papers of Peter Sculthorpe - held by the National Library of Australia

References

• Elizabeth Silsbury (March 5, 2004). "Sculthorpe Requiem". The Advertiser.