Ruth Gipps (1921-99)

[vandermolen]

Is your order coming from MDT? This is the sort of recording Hickox might have made if he'd lived! Or Handley,once,I suppose?! I'm not so familiar with Rumon Gamba,really;but I rather like his recordings of Arnold;particularly his Seventh. Not my favourite;but I find his fast tempi actually gives it a manic intensity which,while I was a bit taken-a-back,at first,actually seems rather appropriate for the music (despairing,somewhat neurotic?!). Ruth Gipps is obviously a different sort of composer,of course!

Yes, it's from MDT and enroute apparently. I like Gamba's film composers series. He attended the local comprehensive school.

[cilgwyn]

The Ruth Gipps cd arrived this morning. Well done to MDT and the Royal Mail,by the way! The cd is playing now. It's too early to express my thoughts,really. Going by past experience,the excitement of receiving a new cd,particularly of a neglected composer or work and previously unrecorded,to boot,can colour one's judgement;so I'm going to be careful this time. That said,the opening of the Fourth Symphony caught my attention immediately and there is a wonderful clarity to the orchestration which I really do like,I love her use of the horns and there is an urgency to the narrative that draws me along. No feeling of,oh dear,and looking at the mini hi-fi's led display,wondering how much is left?!! Lovely use of woodwind,some wonderfully limpid orchestration. Oh and I do get the feel of a truly individual voice. I was worried I might be listening to some watered down VW,pastoral (cowpat! ) ruminations. There.......I've said too much,already! And wow! Some quite exciting orchestration here. I really didn't expect this!!

[cilgwyn]

Yes,it's too early to say,really;but so far I really am impressed by what I'm hearing!!

[Biffo]

I bought the Chandos album as a lossless download a few weeks ago and listened to Symphony No 2 immediately. For various reasons I haven't got round to listening to Symphony No 4 until this morning, mainly prompted by the reawakening of this thread. I found No 2 rather episodic  though still enjoyable but No 4 is a different matter, a fine symphony and a fine performance from Gamba and the BBC NOW.

[cilgwyn]

I should point out,I was referring to the Fourth Symphony,when I was posting. I also enjoyed the tone poem. It's a bit too early for me to make up my mind about the Second symphony as I've been a bit too busy to listen carefully;but the Fourth symphony did strike me as more cohesive and individual an utterance. It's a much later work,though,of course. I'm impressed by what I've heard. You may be right about the Second symphony? Hopefully,I'll have time to fully absorb it later on. I get the feeling that there will be much to enjoy along the way,though. We shall see?!!

[cilgwyn]

The Fourth is obviously a more tightly structured creation;but (taking a moment to give it my full attention) listening to the part of the Second Symphony (in one movement) marked,'Allegro moderato-poco meno-più mosso-meno mosso',in the booklet;there is some lofty string and horn writing which really is quite grand and a balm to my ear 'oles! If uneven has bits as scrumptious as this..........?!!!!

[vandermolen]

Thanks for the commentary cigwyn. I'm hoping that my copy will be waiting for me when I get home from work today.

[cilgwyn]

My pleasure! I should think it will be there?! Your wife will probably be playing it;unable to resist the temptation to sample your latest cd purchase! You will walk up to the front door to the resounding strains of Ruth Gipps Fourth!

I've got to say;tightly structured (Fourth Symphony) or possibly (?) uneven (Second)......I'm finding everything on this cd a delight. The best neglected composer cd find I've had for quite a while! Oh,and the sound quality is absolutely superb!

[vandermolen]

My pleasure! I should think it will be there?! Your wife will probably be playing it;unable to resist the temptation to sample your latest cd purchase! You will walk up to the front door to the resounding strains of Ruth Gipps Fourth!

I've got to say;tightly structured (Fourth Symphony) or possibly (?) uneven (Second)......I'm finding everything on this cd a delight. The best neglected composer cd find I've had for quite a while! Oh,and the sound quality is absolutely superb!

More likely my wife will have intercepted the package and detonated it using a controlled explosion 

Glad you're enjoying the CD.

[Harry]

More likely my wife will have intercepted the package and detonated it using a controlled explosion 

Glad you're enjoying the CD.

Well, if so I will tell you soon how wonderful I think it is. I am always at home to receive all goodies, so she has no chance to set explosive devices.

[vandermolen]

Well, if so I will tell you soon how wonderful I think it is. I am always at home to receive all goodies, so she has no chance to set explosive devices.

HA! 

[cilgwyn]

  Very funny! I just hope she took the package outside before blowing it up! I don't like to think of you sitting in a pile of rubble,like Oliver Hardy,with just the door left standing! (Looking on the bright side;at least your wife doesn't have a shotgun!!).
Just posted this on the "What are you listening to Now" thread!

"Still listening to this. Yes,the Fourth Symphony is more tightly structured and easily the finest of the two symphonies. That said,the Second Symphony is,imho,a fine work,and after several listens now,I really do like it. Gipps really had a flair for orchestration,and there is always something to capture my attention. Even if I hadn't heard the Fourth Symphony,I would have enjoyed this work. In fact,not being familiar with Gipps before,I really have enjoyed and been impressed by everything I've heard on this cd. Even the smaller works. Also,she has her own voice. She doesn't sound like any of the usual suspects,VW,Moeran or Bax; ie I don't keep thinking,"this sounds like such and such";although there are obviously some influences detectable. In fact,on this basis alone,I 'd go so far as to say that Chandos would be daft not to give us some more Gipps! I know it sounds a little patronising;but I really didn't expect the contents of this cd to be this good. If I was a music critic (Yeah,me a critic?!! ) I might just nominate this as my cd find of the year! In fact,I can't wait to hear more Gipps (hint! hint! Chandos!! And again,what a great cover photo! "

[Biffo]

Every year at primary school we had a photo taken. Usually we were sitting a desk, face on, holding a pencil with an open (blank) exercise book in front of us. The photo above reminded me of that, except of course RG is working on a score and is partly sideways on. It is a charming photo; usually I looked morose or like a rabbit in car headlights.

It is a great pity that photography wasn't invented earlier then we might have known what Mozart really looked like, most of his portraits are bogus or useless.

[Daverz]

Prostudiomasters has the high-res download of the Chandos disc on sale for $14.39

https://www.prostudiomasters.com/featured/genre/classical/new#quickview/album/22645

Oddly the Chandos store itself doesn't seem to have the high-res version yet.

[vandermolen]

What a wonderful disc!

It was indeed waiting for me in the outside letterbox when I got home from work yesterday (oddly alongside a package containing a second hand CD by the Pet Shop Boys, which I'd also ordered) and was carefully smuggled into the house 
However, my wife wanted me to watch a TV drama with her ('Anne with an E') on Netflix, which was nice but, as it was on Netflix the end of one episode morphed into the next one and as there were about 200 episodes by the time we'd had enough of Anne with an E it was a bit late to listen to Ruth Gipps (just a bit of context here in the style of cilgwyn's entertaining posts).

However, I most certainly am listening to it now. As with cilgwyn this is one of my discs of the year. The quality of the recording and Rumon Gamba's performances are terrific (he went to the same school as my daughter). For example I was hardly aware of the harps in Symphony 4 from the old John Pritchard version. I didn't realise that it was dedicated to Arthur Bliss, another of my favourite composers. Not only is the cover photo of Ruth Gipps charming (I agree with all the comments above) but there are loads of other fine photos of her in the booklet as well as a slightly chubbier than usual Rumon Gamba on the back of the booklet. Much as I like the ClassicO recording of Symphony 2 this is better and made me think even more highly of this work. 'Song for Orchestra' and 'Knight in Armour' are the icing on the cake, both very enjoyable. She has a recognisable and not derivative style which is very engaging, endearing and at times moving. I shall be playing this CD often and all credit to Rumon Gamba and Chandos for recording it. 

[cilgwyn]

Embarassing confession time! I've got to be careful what I say,but I can't help thinking Ruth Gipps looks rather (ahem!You fill in the blank ) in that cover shot;in a 'horsey' kind of way!! And I mean in the sort of riding crop on a horse way (not horse faced!!!). It must be my age?!! Anyway! (Hurriedly changing the topic!! )  I was so impressed by the music on this cd that I can't help thinking that Lyrita's Itter really made a mistake in not picking up on Ruth Gipps. Wouldn't it have been nice if one,or more,of her symphonies had been recorded during her lifetime? Alas! Would it have renewed interest? Actually,I don't think it would have done much,at that time;but it would been nice for Ruth Gipps and made some of her music available to adventurous music lovers like you and I. In terms of the musical climate,I think the present time is actually more conducive to neglected composers like Gipps. Allot of it thanks to small,adventurous labels like Chandos,Hyperion,Dutton,Naxos (and previously,Marco Polo) also Cpo.
This release is also a reminder that there were good women composers. Another reason why Chandos should be encouraged to record more of Ruth Gipps output. Looking at her list of compositions on Wikipedia there is plenty to explore!!

[Harry]

Embarassing confession time! I've got to be careful what I say,but I can't help thinking Ruth Gipps looks rather (ahem!You fill in the blank ) in that cover shot;in a 'horsey' kind of way!! And I mean in the sort of riding crop on a horse way (not horse faced!!!). It must be my age?!! Anyway! (Hurriedly changing the topic!! )  I was so impressed by the music on this cd that I can't help thinking that Lyrita's Itter really made a mistake in not picking up on Ruth Gipps. Wouldn't it have been nice if one,or more,of her symphonies had been recorded during her lifetime? Alas! Would it have renewed interest? Actually,I don't think it would have done much,at that time;but it would been nice for Ruth Gipps and made some of her music available to adventurous music lovers like you and I. In terms of the musical climate,I think the present time is actually more conducive to neglected composers like Gipps. Allot of it thanks to small,adventurous labels like Chandos,Hyperion,Dutton,Naxos (and previously,Marco Polo) also Cpo.
This release is also a reminder that there were good women composers. Another reason why Chandos should be encouraged to record more of Ruth Gipps output. Looking at her list of compositions on Wikipedia there is plenty to explore!!

I hope I will get next week sometime, but since I like her music already, having the Classico recording, and have listen to the samples, it will make quite an impression. The Classico recording is sonically very good, but the lush sound of Chandos will add more detail no doubt.
In my collection there are more unknown composers then the ones we all know.

[vandermolen]

I very much agree with cilgwyn that Ruth Gipps was a missed opportunity for Lyrita. I'm sure that she would have been thrilled with the new Chandos CD. I'm pleased that I did see her conduct once (in a black polo-knecked sweater if I remember correctly). I think that you are also right about the time now being now more conducive to her approachable music.

Harry, I'm sure that you'll really enjoy this disc when it arrives (probably on its way now on the MV Stena Hollandica to the Hook of Holland - a ship I remember with much affection from my trip over to Leiden with my daughter. She 'studied' at the university for a year - happy memories also of visiting some of your GMG compatriots there as well).

[Harry]

I very much agree with cilgwyn that Ruth Gipps was a missed opportunity for Lyrita. I'm sure that she would have been thrilled with the new Chandos CD. I'm pleased that I did see her conduct once (in a black polo-knecked sweater if I remember correctly). I think that you are also right about the time now being now more conducive to her approachable music.

Harry, I'm sure that you'll really enjoy this disc when it arrives (probably on its way now on the MV Stena Hollandica to the Hook of Holland - a ship I remember with much affection from my trip over to Leiden with my daughter. She 'studied' at the university for a year - happy memories also of visiting some of your GMG compatriots there as well).

It's Hoek van Holland, lol, the hook made me grin from ear to ear
Leiden is simply one of the most beautiful cities in the Netherlands, so I quite understand your fascination with it.
As to meeting with fellow GMG ers, I did not meet any of them, maybe my character is too formidable, at least for some, but kidding apart, I am still waiting for Paul and Kimi, he promised me a visit, hopefully in my lifetime.
But then again I live in all respects a monastic life, and love to be alone, so maybe that's the reason why I never met up with some of you guys/gals. But all are welcome of course.

[vandermolen]

It's Hoek van Holland, lol, the hook made me grin from ear to ear
Leiden is simply one of the most beautiful cities in the Netherlands, so I quite understand your fascination with it.
As to meeting with fellow GMG ers, I did not meet any of them, maybe my character is too formidable, at least for some, but kidding apart, I am still waiting for Paul and Kimi, he promised me a visit, hopefully in my lifetime.
But then again I live in all respects a monastic life, and love to be alone, so maybe that's the reason why I never met up with some of you guys/gals. But all are welcome of course.

I would love to meet you Harry and appreciated our PM exchanges from previous years. If I'm ever back in the Netherlands I will, of course, let you know. Likewise if you come to London or southern England it would be great to meet up.

Despite my Dutch ancestry I used the English translation which I think is 'Hook of Holland' although I agree that 'Hoek' sounds much better! 

PS I hope that your meeting with Paul and Kimi happens - would be v nice to meet the two of them.