Knight in Armour, Op. 8

Quick Facts

• Symphonic poem written in 1940 (when the composer was in her late teens)
• Premiered at the 1942 Proms conducted by Sir Henry Wood¹  

About the Piece

• Gipps included the following program in her score:

This symphonic poem is based on the famous painting by Rembrandt, more often known as ‘The Young Warrior.’ It opens with a blaze of brass, the trumpet representing the knight in battle throughout. There is also a bit of Sir Lancelot, his love for Guinevere being depicted in a duet between oboe and cor anglais. In the Coda, all the themes pass over a pedal bass suggestive of a funeral march, ending with the opening theme in A flat major played on a muted trumpet over a D minor chord in the strings.

• The piece shows the influence of popular symphonists of the day (Sibelius, Walton, and Vaughan Williams) while also displaying a burgeoning confident musical voice.²

1. Jill Halstead, Lewis Foreman, and J.N.F. Laurie-Beckett, “Gipps, Ruth,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed February 27, 2023,  https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000011199.
2. Lewis Foreman, Notes in accompanying booklet, Ruth Gipps – Symphonies Nos 2 & 4… performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Rumon Gamba, CHAN 20078, 2018, compact disc.