# An Oral History of Australian Composition: Comment



## RonPrice (Aug 23, 2005)

James Murdoch, among a number of other composers, was interviewed on a fascinating program about Australian classical music. I came upon it after a busy day of some ten hours of talking and listening. Murdoch spoke about what composers need in order to create. The same applies to poets, at least this poet. He said they need to find, to experience, to brew, a stillness so that they can listen to their inner ear, their inner life. Another composer who lived in Coogee NSW echoed my thoughts about poetic creativity. She said she needs: comfort, mod-cons, space, time to listen to herself, to be left alone by others. Another, quoting Leo Tolstoi, talked about learning to sing one's own song, to sing out who one is, where one has come from and where one is going as well as one's community concerns. In some fifteen minutes I experienced a veritable feast of like-minded Australian artists who worked with music.-Ron Price with thanks to "Dots on the Landscape: An Oral History of Australian Composition, Part 6," ABC FM Radio, 8:00-10:00 pm, 7 November 2001. 

I've been brewing a stillness here,
a fountain of living waters in my pot,
tea-cosey, cups on the kitchen boil,
quiet in the garden by the river
flowing circuitously to the sea
and me up-in-my-study with my books 
and files flowing, labelled in their place 
all around me, yes, singing my song and 
theirs, my friends, called them friends
for years, seen it on letters: dear friends
all across the world from the northernmost 
territories to these places overseas, 
downunder, finding a stillness,
had the centre,had it for years, over forty,
but sometimes a maelstrom, sometimes despair, 
often a solemn consciousness, wellspring 
that it is of the blossoms and fruits of what 
He called a consecrated joy.1

1 'Abdu'l-Baha, The Secret of Divine Civilization, last line.

Ron Price
7 November 2001


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

percy grainger had a knack for interesting sound-scapes. he's the only australian composer i'm very familiar with.

dj


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## Kezza (May 13, 2008)

I have a CD of some Peter Sculthorpe who is an Aussie composer. He has Thrown in 'The Last Post' and Advance Australia Fair in a couple of his pieces and I actually really like him it can set quite a good mood.

Not to big a fan of the whole poetry thing but I can see where they are coming from.

On the Radio was it? I listen to Classic FM all the time. I'm not sure if each City is different of if it's a national station though.


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## RonPrice (Aug 23, 2005)

*A Very Belated Thanks For Your Responses*

A Very Belated Thanks For Your Responses.....folks. After more than two years I hesitate to continue this thread until, and if, another response comes in.-Ron in Australia


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

That's because the average Aussie is more interested in the footy and the cricket, and don't particularly care much about the fine arts. We do have a cultural cringe down here compared with many other countries in all parts of the world, largely to do with the penal colonial history. When the first convicts were dumped down here during the early years, Mozart for example already premiered his _Don Giovanni_, _Cosi fan tutte_, _La Clemenza di Tito_ and _Die Zauberflote_. Art culture is what it is - cultured heritage groomed over time. I don't imagine the first settlers would be particularly interested in operas for example, when busy grazing imported sheep (not that there was an opera house or a band anyway).


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Unless your tongue is secreted firmly in cheek aren't you being a little harsh on your homeland, HC? As regards the non-indigenous arts I would say Oz has made up for lost time pretty well taking into account her inauspicious beginnings. Judging by their gradual slide down the standings perhaps it's their cricket team that Australians need to worry about rather than their music...(!)


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## RonPrice (Aug 23, 2005)

*Time do we spend on cultural activities*

Belated apologies for not responding sooner folks. You might enjoy the ABS study on:HOW MUCH TIME DO WE SPEND ON CULTURAL ACTIVITIES? Just google it.-Ron


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