Digitising the scores
Ailsa's scores, until now preserved only in manuscript, are now being digitised as part of a project in Finland to rescue the works of neglected female composers. The Savo Musical Society specialises in the performance of music by women composers including Ida Moberg (a pupil of Sibelius), Lili Boulanger and Florence Price; their editorial project to produce digital editions from manuscript scores will serve to make these works newly accessible to musicians worldwide.
Ailsa's scores, until now preserved only in manuscript, are now being digitised as part of a project in Finland to rescue the works of neglected female composers. The Savo Musical Society specialises in the performance of music by women composers including Ida Moberg (a pupil of Sibelius), Lili Boulanger and Florence Price; their editorial project to produce digital editions from manuscript scores will serve to make these works newly accessible to musicians worldwide.
Interviews and Features
In December 2018 Bristol Women's Voice published a pair of interviews with Ailsa's daughter, the first charting Ailsa's musical development and career, and the second reflecting on the larger context of women composers' under-representation in classical music-making, and how the barriers are now being overcome.
In 2019, the March/April issue of Choir and Organ includes a feature article on the London Oriana Choir's Five15 project in which 'These things shall be' was premiered. Conductor Dominic Ellis Peckham reflects ‘That experience of enabling Ailsa to hear her piece for the first time at the very end of her life made us realise how important this project is [in] giving recognition to the many female composers over the centuries whose music has been neglected.’
In December 2018 Bristol Women's Voice published a pair of interviews with Ailsa's daughter, the first charting Ailsa's musical development and career, and the second reflecting on the larger context of women composers' under-representation in classical music-making, and how the barriers are now being overcome.
In 2019, the March/April issue of Choir and Organ includes a feature article on the London Oriana Choir's Five15 project in which 'These things shall be' was premiered. Conductor Dominic Ellis Peckham reflects ‘That experience of enabling Ailsa to hear her piece for the first time at the very end of her life made us realise how important this project is [in] giving recognition to the many female composers over the centuries whose music has been neglected.’
Review of 'Airs of the Seasons' premiere
Frances Wilson, author of classical music websites The Cross-Eyed Pianist and Meet the Artist, reviewed the premiere of Ailsa's sonata for piano duet by Piano4Hands (Joseph Tong and Waka Hasegawa):
'The opening chords of the first movement are reminiscent of Debussy and Britten in their timbres, and the entire work has a distinctly impressionistic flavour. Ailsa's admiration of Faure is also evident in her harmonic language, while the idioms of English folksong and hymns, and melodic motifs redolent of John Ireland and the English Romantics remind us that this is most definitely a work by a British composer with an original musical vision. The entire work, although quite short, is really delightful and inventive. Rich in imagination, moods and expression, the musical evocation of each season is distinct and characterful. From a pianistic point of view, the textures of the music are carefully conceived to bring a range of colours and voicings imaginatively shared between the two players.'
Frances Wilson, author of classical music websites The Cross-Eyed Pianist and Meet the Artist, reviewed the premiere of Ailsa's sonata for piano duet by Piano4Hands (Joseph Tong and Waka Hasegawa):
'The opening chords of the first movement are reminiscent of Debussy and Britten in their timbres, and the entire work has a distinctly impressionistic flavour. Ailsa's admiration of Faure is also evident in her harmonic language, while the idioms of English folksong and hymns, and melodic motifs redolent of John Ireland and the English Romantics remind us that this is most definitely a work by a British composer with an original musical vision. The entire work, although quite short, is really delightful and inventive. Rich in imagination, moods and expression, the musical evocation of each season is distinct and characterful. From a pianistic point of view, the textures of the music are carefully conceived to bring a range of colours and voicings imaginatively shared between the two players.'
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Songs of Faith and Joy Emily Gray (mezzo soprano) and Gerard Cousins (guitar) performed some of the Songs of Faith and Joy in their recital in Cantref church on the fringe of the Brecon Baroque festival on 21st October 2018, and again in a concert for St Cecilia's Day in Hampstead on 22nd November 2018. They will perform the complete cycle in Winchester on 27 April, 2019. |
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Variations on Love Divine
Ailsa's 19 Variations on Love Divine for string quartet featured in a recent article on the use of hymn tunes in instrumental music (from Bach to Britten and beyond), on the classical music website Corymbus. Simon Brackenborough writes: 'There is something quietly thought-provoking about Dixon’s insistence on using this modest, contented-sounding tune to cover such large theological ground... the message of this work seems to be that a whole world of religious meaning can be revealed through even the smallest means. '
Click here to read the article in full
Photo: Hanya Chlala/ArenaPAL
'Airs of the Seasons' premiere at St George's Bristol
Ailsa's sonata for piano duet (4 hands), Airs of the Seasons will be premiered in the lunchtime concert series at St George's Bristol on 8th November 2018, by Joseph Tong and Waka Hasegawa.
Joseph Tong writes of the music: 'It is a beautiful set of pieces. Each of the movements evokes aspects of the seasons in an original and
imaginative way - the musical language itself and the way in which Ailsa creates four-handed piano textures are absorbing and distinctive'
Photo: Theo Williams
Sansara perform 'These things shall be'
Ailsa's anthem, These things shall be was sung by Sansara at the Little Missenden Festival on 12th October 2018, and again on 20th October at Romsey Abbey, as part of the St Ethelflaeda Festival.
Several of Ailsa's works were premiered at the Little Missenden Festival in the 1980s, including songs and duets performed by Ian Partridge and Lynne Dawson, Nocturnal Scherzo by the Brindisi Quartet, and Shining Cold by Sally Harrison, Cynthia Millar and members of the Brindisi Quartet.
Feature article on the re-discovery of Ailsa's music
Click here to read a feature by Robert Hugill on the revival of interest in Ailsa's work following last year's premiere at the Cutty Sark, charting her development as a composer,
Music on YouTube
A YouTube channel has now been launched to bring together the existing recordings of Ailsa's music and make these available to new audiences.
Sohrab and Rustum and Variations on Love Divine can be played on the Ailsa Dixon channel, or via this site (see Links).
String quartet recordings
Two of Ailsa's pieces for string quartet were recorded in the early 1990s: Sohrab and Rustum by the De Beauvoir Quartet, and Variations on Love Divine by the Rasumovsky Quartet. These original performances have been digitised and are now available on a CD for non-commercial purposes, to bring these works to light again and encourage future performances.
Please get in touch via the Contact page if you would like a copy
Two concerts of remembrance, 3 and 11 November 2017
A tribute to Ailsa's life and music, with a performance of her anthem 'These Things Shall Be', was given as part of a concert of remembrance by the London Oriana Choir at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square on 3rd November.
The concert was repeated in Bristol (where Ailsa was born) on 11th November.
The London Oriana Choir gave the premiere of 'These Things Shall Be' in July 2017, five weeks before Ailsa died.
Click here to read an interview with Ailsa in the 'Meet the Artist' series
London premiere, July 2017
Ailsa’s anthem for choir, ‘These things shall be’ was premiered by the London Oriana Choir at the Cutty Sark on 5 July 2017, as part of the Five15 project, giving a voice to women composers across the UK.
The glass-roofed hall surrounding the ship's keel made a spectacular setting for the second of Five15's concerts featuring the work of women composers.
Click here to watch the video: vimeo.com/229386773
Ailsa’s anthem for choir, ‘These things shall be’ was premiered by the London Oriana Choir at the Cutty Sark on 5 July 2017, as part of the Five15 project, giving a voice to women composers across the UK.
The glass-roofed hall surrounding the ship's keel made a spectacular setting for the second of Five15's concerts featuring the work of women composers.
Click here to watch the video: vimeo.com/229386773
Images courtesy of the London Oriana Choir / Kathleen Holman
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Ailsa (centre) with Dobrinka Tabakova and Cheryl Frances Hoad
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Composers line-up with conductor Dominic Ellis-Peckham
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Ailsa takes a bow
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