Ruth Gipps's Symphony No. 5, Op. 64, is scored for her largest orchestra, including quadruple wind, six horns, two harps, celesta, and an extensive percussion section.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Ruth Gipps was openly antagonistic towards the avant-garde and serial music that dominated classical music from the mid-20th century, which affected her career and led her to leave her teaching post.
Performer Biography
Charlie Lovell-Jones, the violinist on this recording, made his debut at a sold-out Royal Festival Hall at age fifteen and plays a fine violin made by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini in 1777.
Critical Reception
Ruth Gipps's Symphony No. 5 was rejected by the BBC for broadcast, leading her to place classified advertisements asking, 'Why no 5th?'.
Composition History
Ruth Gipps's Violin Concerto, Op. 24, was written for her older brother, Bryan Gipps, and premiered in 1944 by the wartime Modern Symphony Orchestra.
Cultural Impact
Ruth Gipps founded the One Rehearsal Orchestra (later London Repertoire Orchestra) and the professional Chanticleer Orchestra, providing opportunities for students, amateurs, and aspiring soloists to perform a wide range of repertoire.
Composer Biography
Ruth Gipps, the composer, was a child prodigy who published a piano piece at age seven and later studied composition with Vaughan Williams and Gordon Jacob at the Royal College of Music.
