Peter Sculthorpe

Peter Joshua Sculthorpe was an Australian composer. Much of his music resulted from an interest in the music of countries neighbouring Australia as well as from the impulse to bring together aspects of Aboriginal Australian music with that of the heritage of the West. He was known primarily for his orchestral and chamber music, such as Kakadu (1988) and Earth Cry (1986), which evoke the sounds and feeling of the Australian bushland and outback. He also wrote 18 string quartets, using unusual timbral effects, works for piano, and two operas. He stated that he wanted his music to make people feel better and happier for having listened to it. He typically avoided the dense, atonal techniques of many of his contemporary composers. His work was often characterised by its distinctive use of percussion. As one of the compositional pioneers of a distinctively Australian sound, Sculthorpe and his music have been likened to the role played by Aaron Copland in America's musical coming of age.

29 April 1929

Born on the same birth date (29 April 1929): April Stevens • Jeremy Thorpe • Maurice Strong • Walter Kempowski

Born on the same birth day (29 April): Dick Chrysler • Dorothy Manley • Frank Auerbach • George McCartney (footballer) • Henry H. Barschall • Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild • Zizi Jeanmaire

Born in the same month (April 1929): André Previn • Christos Sartzetakis • Elspet Gray • George Steiner • Inez Andrews • Mahmoud Mollaghasemi • Milan Kundera • Mukhran Machavariani • Nigel Hawthorne • Peter Hordern • Ralph Slatyer