Original consignment, c.1940-2006

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Component identifier:
Class MS 9676
Content Summary:

Spanning over 50 years, the papers document Sculthorpe's career as one of Australia's most distinguished composers. Commencing with early newspaper cuttings, Sculthorpe has amassed a large archive of papers relating to all aspects of his career, comprising correspondence, musical scores, subject files, writings by and about Sculthorpe, programs, reviews, financial records, general administrative papers and photographs.

The correspondence and musical scores are particular strengths of this collection. Apart from general correspondence, there is correspondence with family, including early letters written by Sculthorpe to his mother. Also present is correspondence with other composers, writers and artists and with his publisher, Faber Music. As well as reflecting the mutual encouragement and discussion that takes place between Sculthorpe and other artists, the correspondence provides an insight into the role of music publishing in the composition process.

Major correspondents include Don Banks, Barbara Blackman, Ann Boyd, Benjamin Britten, Frank Callaway, Stuart Challender, Manning Clark, Roger Covell, Joy Beaudette Cripps, Russell Drysdale, Ross Edwards, Robert Helpmann, Bernard Heinze, Rex Hobcroft, Wilfrid Mellers, Vincent Plush, Randolph Stow, Margaret Sutherland, Peggy van Praagh, Martin Wesley-Smith, Patrick White, Michael Wilding, John Williams and Roger Woodward.

Included in the collection are over 300 manuscript scores, the majority of which are in Sculthorpe's hand, written for the full range of musical genres. They date from juvenilia pieces to recent compositions.

Immediate source of acquisition:
The original consignment comprises material purchased by the Library from Peter Sculthorpe in 2002, and a small addition relating to Sculthorpe's nomination for the Don Banks Award which was donated to the Library from Mary Jo Capps of Musica Viva Australia in 2006. Further papers were received in 2007 (Class 2) and 2015 (Class 3).

Contents

Access and use

Parent Restrictions:
Access conditions may apply to this collection, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn109182).
Parent Terms of Access:
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact:
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