Peter Sculthorpe: Piano Music
Thirty years of piano music by Peter Sculthorpe, one of Australia's finest composers, in exemplary performances by the Team of Pianists, Michael Hannan and the composer himself.
Team of Pianists ensemble
Max Cooke piano
Darryl Coote piano
Linda Kouvaras piano
Robert Chamberlain piano
Gudrun Beilartz piano
Alex Furman piano
Michael Hannan piano
The disc gathers Sculthorpe's piano writing from versatile miniature duets to the charming Rose Bay Quadrilles and the eclectic scraping sounds of Koto I and II. Also included are the 1954 Sonatina, Night Pieces, Callabonna, Mountains, Djilile, Nocturnal, Sea Chant, Left Bank Waltz and Landscape.
The programme spans more than three decades: from that early Sonatina, through Asian-inspired inside-piano works of the 1970s, to the later solos Mountains, Djilile and Nocturnal. Sculthorpe himself plays the original solo versions of two of the easy pieces.
Reviews
Team of Pianists provides a deep insight into Sculthorpe's work. All of the compositions give stimulus to the imagination, and the last three give incentive for compositional experiment. The performance by Max and Darryl Cooke highlights the melodious and rhythmic charm of these pieces... The excellent standard of performance penetrates varied facets of contemporary piano music.
Here we have what must be considered the definitive recording of Sculthorpe's piano music ... It belongs on the shelves of all those who have an interest in Australian music and what this country has done culturally.
Artists

Peter Sculthorpe
Peter Sculthorpe (1929–2014) was a Tasmanian-born composer whose orchestral and chamber music drew the Australian landscape, neighbouring Asian traditions and Indigenous materials into a clear, personal language. He wrote extensively for strings, piano and voice.

Team of Pianists
The Melbourne-based Team of Pianists is acclaimed for high standards of artistry and professionalism, and has captivated audiences in Australia and overseas for nearly twenty years through solo, chamber and concerto performance.

Michael Hannan
Michael Hannan (born 1949) is an Australian composer, pianist and musicologist. His work ranges from concert music and layered piano-interior soundscapes to shorter character pieces, alongside a substantial body of writing on Australian composition.
Audio preview
Tracks
- Morning Song 2:12
- Sea Chant 1:50
- Little Serenade 2:20
- Left Bank Waltz 2:03
- Callabonna Peter Sculthorpe 3:56
- Snow :51
- Moon :58
- Flowers 1:32
- Night (from 'Sun Music 1') 1:38
- Stars 1:43
- Mountains Peter Sculthorpe 4:22
- Djilile Peter Sculthorpe 4:47
- Rose Bay Quadrilles Peter Sculthorpe William Stanley 4:42
- Nocturnal Peter Sculthorpe 6:59
- Sonatina Peter Sculthorpe 7:04
- Koto I Peter Sculthorpe 6:32
- Koto II Peter Sculthorpe 5:04
- Landscape Peter Sculthorpe 12:42
- Sea Chant [original solo piano version] 1:47
- Left Bank Waltz [original solo piano version] 1:29
Four Little Pieces for Piano Duet Peter Sculthorpe
Night Pieces Peter Sculthorpe
Two Easy Pieces Peter Sculthorpe
Performers
- Peter Sculthorpe · tracks 19 and 20
- Team of Pianists · tracks 1–18
- Max Cooke · tracks 1–4
- Darryl Coote · tracks 1–4
- Linda Kouvaras · track 5
- Robert Chamberlain · tracks 6–10 and 14
- Gudrun Beilartz · tracks 11 and 13
- Alex Furman · tracks 12 and 15
- Michael Hannan · tracks 16–18
Composer
Where to listen
Peter Sculthorpe: Piano Music is available for streaming through Spotify and Apple Music. It can also be purchased through the iTunes Music Store.
Peter Sculthorpe: Piano Music is available as a CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer online ordering.
Product details
- Catalogue number
- MD 3031
- List price
- $25.00 AUD
- Total playing time
- 74 minutes 31 seconds
- Recording Engineer
- Martin Wright
- Release date
- 1990
- Musical work
copyright - © 1990 Move Records
- Sound recording
copyright - ℗ 1990 Move Records
- Categories
- Australian, Classical, Keyboard
- Genre
- Contemporary Classical
- Barcode
- EAN 9314574303124
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