An ambitious project: Celebrating Ruth Gipps and women’s creative voices
- Amy Bebbington
- Mar 18
- 2 min read
Corra Sound is thrilled to announce an ambitious and deeply significant new project: the performance and recording of Goblin Market, Ruth Gipps’ dramatic cantata inspired by Christina Rossetti’s iconic poem.
This powerful work, rich in themes of temptation, sisterhood and female solidarity, will receive only its second UK performance since its premiere 70 years ago. For Corra Sound, an upper-voice ensemble dedicated to championing women’s creative voices, this project represents both a musical milestone and a statement of intent – shining a light on an extraordinary yet (until recently) overlooked British composer whose work deserves a far wider audience.
Ruth Gipps MBE was a formidable force: a composer, conductor, oboist, educator and advocate who carved out space for women in a profession that frequently excluded them. Goblin Market is one of her most compelling works, brimming with colour, drama and emotional intensity.
An enriching performance
CorraSound will perform the piece alongside a professional string ensemble, and will also include additional Rossetti settings by Nicola LeFanu, Kari Kruver Medina, and a brand-new commission by Joanna Marsh. The concert will be enriched by a pre-concert conversation with Gipps’ daughter-in-law, exploring the composer’s life and legacy, offering audiences rare insight into both the music and the woman behind it.
This project is also a call to action. Corra Sound is inviting supporters to help bring this landmark performance and recording to life through its crowdfunding campaign. Contributions will directly support the performers, the recording with Convivium Records, and the wider mission to address historic inequities faced by female composers, conductors and ensembles. By backing the project, supporters become part of a collective effort to preserve, celebrate and share a vital piece of musical heritage.
How you can bring this project to life
Audiences are warmly invited to join Corra Sound on Friday 3rd July for the live concert in Holy Trinity Church, Guildford this summer – an evening that promises dramatic storytelling, lush sound worlds and a rare opportunity to experience Goblin Market in full. Whether by attending the performance, supporting the crowdfunding campaign, or both, this is a chance to be part of something special: a bold reclamation of a remarkable work, and a step towards a more equitable and inclusive classical music landscape.
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