It was not easy for Ruth Gipps to prove herself as a composer in a man's world dominated by war and recovery. She was self-reliant enough, however, to thrive as a pianist, conductor and oboist as well. Her musical mother had so drilled her that she gave her first performance at the age of four. Her first composition was published at the age of eight. She studied composition with
Vaughan Williams… and Gordon Jacob. A shortage of male orchestra members during WWII allowed her to join the City of Birmingham Orchestra as an oboist. After the war, it became more difficult to get her work performed. However, she managed to create alternative venues by founding a number of orchestras of her own. Even in her own time, Ruth Ripps' British-pastoral music sounded somewhat stale. Several times in her career she was overtaken by more progressive fashions. Yet on this CD, it is the minor tonal paintings and nature impressions that often come across most nicely. The fine solo The Piper of Dreams was inspired by a then-popular image by Estella Canziani. The althobo adds color to the pleasantly swaying Sea-Weed Song. Threnody paints a sad visit to a graveyard, while from the church the choir softly echoes through. (HJ)more
