Wir erhielten folgende Meldung auf Englisch von Ailsa Dixons Tochter Josie:
Rediscovered works of British composer Ailsa Dixon published for the first time
Ailsa Dixon (1932–2017)
Among the many women composers sidelined in musical history who are now being rediscovered, Ailsa Dixon’s story is particularly striking. The revival of her music began in 2017 with the premiere of her anthem These things shall be, performed by the London Oriana Choir, 30 years after it was written and just five weeks before she died. After her death, many unheard works were discovered in her manuscript archive, and a succession of posthumous performances, including several premieres, have since brought fresh attention and admiration for her music from performers, critics and audiences. This remarkable revival was featured as the cover story in the British Music Society’s magazine in February 2020. The most surprising rediscovery came when the manuscript of her first serious work, a Scherzo for string quartet, written in 1955 and believed to have been lost, came to light in the attic of her former home. It is now among the works on a recording of her chamber music by the Villiers Quartet with soprano Lucy Cox, released on the Resonus Classics label in 2025 and since featured frequently on the BBC’s classical music channel, Radio 3.
Following several years of work on her musical archive, Ailsa Dixon’s scores have been digitised and edited, are now available from Composers Edition, in both print and digital form. They include several works for string quartet (one also arranged for string orchestra), a sonata for piano duet, choral works, a set of instrumental fugues, and seven collections of songs and duets scored for voice and piano, voice and guitar, and the 3 songs for soprano and string quartet which gave their title to the recording, The Spirit of Love.
More information and links to preview scores at Ailsa Dixon Music – Composers Edition Ailsa Dixon website: www.ailsadixon.co.uk