Ruth Gipps gets a US premiere
OrchestrasThe fifth symphony by a neglected English composer will receive what is only its second performance tonight in Seattle.
It appears the parts went missing after its UK world premiere in 1982. The conductor Adam Stern spent his Covid lockdown creating new parts from Gipps’ manuscript and will now conduct it with the Seattle Philharmonic.
Tickets here.
A wonderful composer, lucky Seattle!
I didn’t know about the Seattle Philharmonic (not to be confused with the Seattle Symphony). It’s a semi-professional community orchestra made up of amateur musicians (engineers, teachers, doctors, business career…) and professionals — but all players unpaid and the orchestra member-run. They perform in the beautiful Benaroya Hall where the Seattle Symphony also plays, and they’re performance level is very respectable for an amateur ensemble. This is a video link to their performance of Ruth Gipps’ Symphony No. 2 in its U.S. premiere precisely two years ago: https://seattlephil.org/blog/ruth-gipps-symphony-no-2/
Thank you for this. I have two recordings of the piece, but I would love to hear it live. Frustratingly, American orchestras don’t even program Vaughan Williams’ symphonies.
Dear Mr. Amico,
I’m proud to say that the Philharmonic does — to date, we’ve performed Nos. 2, 5, 6, 8, and 9 (the latter in its Northwest premiere). The Philharmonic, happily, is fully supportive of my rabid Anglophilia.
All best regards,
Adam Stern
I’m sure most people here know but for those who don’t, the Seattle Philharmonic is not the city’s primary orchestra, the Seattle Symphony is