This CD/digital download from SOMM comes as a very welcome surprise. Samantha Ward and Murray McLachlan are the soloists with Charles Peebles
conducting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Full details and audio extracts here (https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8658374--dora-bright-ruth-gipps-piano-concertos).
It's on my purchase list.
Mine too.
Whereas I have shiny new downloads gleaming on the rocky surface of my hard disk!
Well, I might go for the download instead, now you mention it.
Since I downloaded this CD a couple of weeks ago when it was first issued, I've played it about 4 times and each time the BRIGHT works I find very appealing and the GIPPS not so (she is tending too much towards an 'avant-garde' style for my conservative 'romantic' taste!) However, whichever way you look at it and like/don't like it, it is great to have so much new unsung repertoire becoming available now in almost a small avalanche.
I'm now waiting impatiently for the TOCCATA release of the Moszkowski orchestral works.
Cheers
Richard
Thanks you for making me aware of this CD. What a pleasant discovery! I immediately downloaded it, and, as with other downloaded works, changed it into a CD with old-fashioned LightScribe CDs. A first superficial listening makes me agree with Richard that Bright is better-sounding than Gipps, for the reason he mentioned.
... actually, in 1948 Gipps' style was very much derrière-garde, but okay! (I'm not talking about the quality of her music, just about how ridiculous it is to call her music avant-garde in the context of the musical world of 1948, considering what else was written that year. Maybe that's why I keep reminding myself I really _do not belong here anymore_ :) )
Oh, you do belong here, Eric. You're one of our most valued members.
Yes, I think Ruth Gipps would have been more than a bit surprised to find herself lumped with the avant-garde! I played in her orchestras for a number of years during time which we read through or performed several of her works (also a string quartet at her house if I remember correctly). In 1981 to celebrate her 60th birthday her friends arranged for her to conduct a programme consisting mostly of her own works in the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Unfortunately this proved to be a bit of a hall-emptier!
Eric,
When I used the phrase 'avant-garde' I was just trying to find a phrase to be taken more as a broad sentiment of what I personally felt in the context of what I feel is 'traditional' romantic music, not more specifically to the context of the actual date when Ruth Gipps wrote her concerto (which I wasn't aware of when I made my earlier post but that doesn't affect my thoughts).
As you will perhaps know from my (few) previous posts, I am first to hold my hand up as NOT any sort of musicologist - just a lay person of advancing years with a love of old-fashioned romantic music. Please don't take any unintended offence - your insightful comments and encyclopaedic knowledge are a tremendous asset to all UC members and long may that continue.
Best wishes
Richard
I'd say the Gipps PC just about creeps in here at UC, but only on the back of the Bright!!
I agree, but it remains a pretty good piece IMHO.
It is a first rate piece and, at my suggestion, Cameo recorded it on a disk with the 1st PC of Kenneth Leighton: Angela Brownridge; Malta Philharmonic under Muchael Laus. It was one of their best disks. I hope Lyrita, who took over the Cameo catalogue, will release it.
I wonder what are the respective merits of the two recordings of the Gipps PC. Anyone heard both?
Another performance of Ruth Gipp's concerto played by pianist Eileen Broster and conducted by "Wid" (as Ruth Gipps was known to all her players!) herself is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krfbm3ePmRw&t=2s. I hadn't heard of Eileen Broster but I see she was still performing as recently as 2013 so I guess this recording isn't as ancient as it sounds (no information is given on youtube and the orchestra is anonymous - perhaps the Chanticleer which was the scratch professional band Ruth Gipps frequently conducted). It's a good piece and in most respects a fine performance
In the archival recording of Gipps' concerto I uploaded on my YouTube channel collectionCB2, the orchestra is the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra.
Indeed, this recording is probably not so old, since the "Ruth Gipps obituary" indicates "in 1948 her piano concerto was a great success. Many years later, it was revived and broadcast by Eileen Broster".
According to the BBC Archives the performance was broadcast on 24 May 1972. I do not know if this was live or a recording.
A very positive review of this album has appeared on musicweb:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2019/Sep/Bright_Gipps_SOMMCD273.html (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2019/Sep/Bright_Gipps_SOMMCD273.html)
There are also links in this review to earlier musicweb reviews of the previous recording of the Gipps concerto.
John Quinn's review gives a very fair and accurate description of this recording and his final judgement: "I don't think that any of the pieces are ever likely to become staples of the repertoire but their complete neglect is unjustified and they are all well worth hearing" is spot on.
''...their complete neglect is unjustified and they are all well worth hearing"
In my experience you can say that about a lot of unsung classical music, especially, I've found, from these boards.
That's why we're here! :)
You're doing a good job too of it too. Please keep it up! :)