Peter Sculthorpe (1929 - 2014)

[lescamil]

Funny you should say that because I've seriously considered learning and performing Sculthorpe's piano concerto, even if it were to just be for a two piano reduction. Sculthorpe's music needs more attention here in the States. I might just learn the Night Pieces and/or Mountains.

[Mirror Image]

Funny you should say that because I've seriously considered learning and performing Sculthorpe's piano concerto, even if it were to just be for a two piano reduction. Sculthorpe's music needs more attention here in the States. I might just learn the Night Pieces and/or Mountains.

If I was a pianist studying classical performance, Sculthorpe's PC would be one of the first on my list to learn. I would also learn and master Tippett's, Schuman's, Rodrigo's (I really like this his PC a lot), VL's Choros No. 11, both of Ravel's, all of Prokofiev's, and all of Martinu's. I would probably learn Bartok's as well.

[Montpellier]

Great fan of Peter Sculthorpe. My first encounter was with some privately recorded material - probably from the radio. I transferred them to CD. The programme offered:

Sun Music I
Mangrove
Port Essington.


Interspersed were works by Meale:
Clouds Now and Then
Viridian
and Conyngham:
Crisis - Thoughts in a City.

Around the same time I came upon an EMI (Australia) LP of Sun Music I - IV.


They caught me - perhaps because I was vulnerable to symbolist music at the time. It was almost too easy to get lost in these works and I started collecting recordings from that point. The Sun Music series was eventually reissued on CD by ABC as any fan will know.

Unnecessary to add any comment that would just repeat what Mirror Image and Sid have said.

[Mirror Image]

Great fan of Peter Sculthorpe. My first encounter was with some privately recorded material - probably from the radio. I transferred them to CD. The programme offered:

Sun Music I
Mangrove
Port Essington.


Interspersed were works by Meale:
Clouds Now and Then
Viridian
and Conyngham:
Crisis - Thoughts in a City.

Around the same time I came upon an EMI (Australia) LP of Sun Music I - IV.


They caught me - perhaps because I was vulnerable to symbolist music at the time. It was almost too easy to get lost in these works and I started collecting recordings from that point. The Sun Music series was eventually reissued on CD by ABC as any fan will know.

Unnecessary to add any comment that would just repeat what Mirror Image and Sid have said.

Hello Montpellier! I don't know if we've spoken before on here, if not, then allow me to extend a nice to meet you in your direction. Sculthorpe's Sun Music are some fascinating works for sure. I only have one recording of them and it's that reissue you speak of on ABC Classics. I'm still waiting on the Requiem recording to arrive and I'm chomping at the bit to hear it and some of the orchestral works on the other disc that I haven't heard like My Country Childhood and Great Sandy Island. What are your impressions of the Requiem? Did you enjoy it?

[Montpellier]

Likewise, my pleasure to say hello again.     

The Requiem? It's (recent) Sculthorpe all right. I found it a striking work. The first time I played it I'd never have guessed Sculthorpe from the opening. It reminding me of a hymn from Quo Vadis. Of course, it was nothing like that at all once I rechecked. But the preface to the Kyrie...there was no more doubt: a long solo for didjeridu. There's a fair bit of bravura didjeridu playing throughout the work. I can't know how others feel about that but it's what he wanted to write and doesn't seem out of place at all - perhaps because there are passages for it solo as well as blended with the orchestra and chorus. 

So I enjoy it and admire his motives for writing it. But I can't think of anything of his I've had trouble with. The Piano Concerto gave me problems but it took familiarity. He's come a long way since Irkanda I and the Sun Music series. Come to think of it I probably have a bit of catching up to do on his later work and was wondering about volume 3 of the String Quartets?  And I'd be most interested to hear of your impression of the Requiem.

[Mirror Image]

Likewise, my pleasure to say hello again.     

The Requiem? It's (recent) Sculthorpe all right. I found it a striking work. The first time I played it I'd never have guessed Sculthorpe from the opening. It reminding me of a hymn from Quo Vadis. Of course, it was nothing like that at all once I rechecked. But the preface to the Kyrie...there was no more doubt: a long solo for didjeridu. There's a fair bit of bravura didjeridu playing throughout the work. I can't know how others feel about that but it's what he wanted to write and doesn't seem out of place at all - perhaps because there are passages for it solo as well as blended with the orchestra and chorus. 

So I enjoy it and admire his motives for writing it. But I can't think of anything of his I've had trouble with. The Piano Concerto gave me problems but it took familiarity. He's come a long way since Irkanda I and the Sun Music series. Come to think of it I probably have a bit of catching up to do on his later work and was wondering about volume 3 of the String Quartets?  And I'd be most interested to hear of your impression of the Requiem.

Excellent, thanks for your feedback. I'm even more anxious to hear the Requiem now. I'll probably listen to it later on tonight.

[Montpellier]

Here's hoping you enjoy it. 

I was prompted to have another listen last night. Track 4 (Sequnce) seems to reach back to the opening of Port Essington; track 5 takes in some of Sculthorpe's orchestral effects on the strings. 

[Mirror Image]

Here's hoping you enjoy it. 

I was prompted to have another listen last night. Track 4 (Sequnce) seems to reach back to the opening of Port Essington; track 5 takes in some of Sculthorpe's orchestral effects on the strings. 

Okay, so Montpellier. I finished the Requiem this morning and I enjoyed it very much. I've never heard a work where Sculthorpe employed any kind of vocals, so this came as a bit of a surprise to find out that he wrote such great choral parts. I mentioned in the listening thread that the first movement reminded me of Lindberg's Graffiti, especially the pacing of the music and the harmonic language. I thought the didjeridu was very well integrated into the orchestral texture, but I also thought it wasn't overused and was done rather tastefully. I liked the whole work, but I know I'll need to hear it again to pick up on all of the nuances in it. Very nice work.

[eyeresist]

didjeridu

?

I think "didgeridoo" is the most common spelling.

[Mirror Image]

?

I think "didgeridoo" is the most common spelling.

Both spellings are considered correct. Nice try though.

[Mirror Image]

When I think of Sculthorpe, besides the great music, I'm reminded of my friend Sid who used to frequent this forum. Wherever you are buddy, I hope all is well with you.

Anyway, since we're approaching Sculthorpe's 84th birthday (April 29th), I figured I would spend the days leading up to his birthday listening to a selection of his music from my collection.

[snyprrr]

Is there a 'THE' Sculthorpe work to get in on? All I've heard is a couple of SQs that...mm... well,... ok...

[Mirror Image]

Is there a 'THE' Sculthorpe work to get in on? All I've heard is a couple of SQs that...mm... well,... ok...

Definitely give the Piano Concerto, Mangrove, Kakadu, Earth Cry, Memento mori, and Sun Music a listen. Usually his music that deals with the desolate Australian landscapes are his best works IMHO.

[calyptorhynchus]

snyprr, keep on listening to the SQs.

[Mirror Image]

Just when you think tonality has been exhausted, someone like Sculthorpe comes along and shreds that foolish notion to pieces. Revisited his Piano Concerto earlier today and it still impresses the hell out of me. Some say it's too long and blah, blah, blah, but I say it's one of most brilliant piano concerti written in the late 20th Century. The biggest disadvantage Sculthorpe has in classical music is being Australian and what I mean is that our classical audiences (God help them) are so Euro-centric. They seem like they're just stuck on one continent and that's it. Australia, like Japan, Latin America, Canada, among others offer so many riches that it's just unbelievable and overwhelming.

Anyway, Sculthorpe deserves more Western exposure that's for sure. He's certainly a composer of the first rank.

[lescamil]

Just when you think tonality has been exhausted, someone like Sculthorpe comes along and shreds that foolish notion to pieces. Revisited his Piano Concerto earlier today and it still impresses the hell out of me. Some say it's too long and blah, blah, blah, but I say it's one of most brilliant piano concerti written in the late 20th Century. The biggest disadvantage Sculthorpe has in classical music is being Australian and what I mean is that our classical audiences (God help them) are so Euro-centric. They seem like they're just stuck on one continent and that's it. Australia, like Japan, Latin America, Canada, among others offer so many riches that it's just unbelievable and overwhelming.

Anyway, Sculthorpe deserves more Western exposure that's for sure. He's certainly a composer of the first rank.

Couldn't agree more with your assessment of the Piano Concerto. It really should be one of the more important piano concertos in recent repertoire. It is not the most virtuosic concerto, nor the most difficult, but it has a ton of music and a ton of variety.

[Mirror Image]

Couldn't agree more with your assessment of the Piano Concerto. It really should be one of the more important piano concertos in recent repertoire. It is not the most virtuosic concerto, nor the most difficult, but it has a ton of music and a ton of variety.

+1

One of the most interesting things for me about Sculthorpe's Piano Concerto is the fact that it creates a musical narrative and it ISN'T a piece to showcase the soloist. It does contain some seemingly difficult passages, but the piano is the voice telling the story.

[snyprrr]

Definitely give the Piano Concerto, Mangrove, Kakadu, Earth Cry, Memento mori, and Sun Music a listen. Usually his music that deals with the desolate Australian landscapes are his best works IMHO.

snyprr, keep on listening to the SQs.

check check

[Mirror Image]

It seems that I continue to find myself hitting these Sculthorpe phases and the last one I had was in April. I wonder if snyprrr has listened to any more of his music?

[snyprrr]

It seems that I continue to find myself hitting these Sculthorpe phases and the last one I had was in April. I wonder if snyprrr has listened to any more of his music?

sorry, no closer than before,... The Ventures got in the way!! My buying days have done vacay!!