In America, most people don’t consider the accordion a symphonic instrument. In northern Europe, though, it’s a different matter. Danish composer Poul Ruders isn’t the only classical musician to write for the instrument. He’s definitely one of the more talented, though. Sound and Simplicity is fairly new work, completed in 2018. Ruders subtitled it “Seven Pillars […]
Poul Ruders
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Poul Ruders avoids categorizations in Volume 15
What I like best about Poul Ruders is that he’s his own man. Ruders picks and chooses from all the various contemporary compositional trends. He mixes and matches them, all in service of the idea he wants to express. And Ruders makes it all sound not only cohesive but logical — as if it simply […]
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Poul Ruders – Occam’s Razor
The cover of this release shows two old friends sharing a moment — composer Poul Ruders and guitarist David Starobin. Their 30+ year relationship has been extraordinarily fruitful. This release presents a few of Ruders’ works commissioned by Starobin. Occam’s Razor is a philosophical principle: the simplest explanation is usually the best. Just as Occam’s Razor […]
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Quattro Mani Restructure Piano Duo Concept
The new release from the Quattro Mani is aptly titled “Re-Structures.” Steven Beck and Susan Grace restructure the concept of a piano duo, making it more of a keyboard duo. And that’s an important distinction. The program features works for two pianos as bookends. Paul Lanksy’s brisk and brief “Out of the Blue” opens the […]
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Poul Ruders’ Fiery Fifth Symphony
In one sense, this release of Poul Ruder’s Fifth Symphony isn’t much of a bargain. The entire album clocks in at 26:30, far below the average of 72 minutes for a classical release. But folks who shop by cost per second of playing time aren’t the audience for this music, anyway. Rather, this release is […]
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David Starobin hits milestone with New Music for Guitar
As David Starobin points out in the liner notes for this release, this series started over 35 years ago. The first three volumes were on LP, but as times changed, so did the media. This volume is available as a CD, digital download, and is found on many streaming services. But while the delivery has […]
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New Music With Guitar, Vol. 9
The ninth installment of Bridge Records’ New Music With Guitar series presents an interesting program of new guitar music — music that (I think) deserves a place in the repertoire. Guitarist David Starobin has a personal connection with each composer and work, which gives these performances an added depth. Starobin premiered Richard Wernick’s “The Name […]
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Poul Ruders – Nightshade Trilogy
What started out as a simple chamber work has blossomed into a trilogy — and a remarkably cohesive one at that. Poul Ruders composed “Nightshade” for the 10-member chamber group Capricorn in 1987 (and it was released on Bridge Records in 1993). A commission by a chamber orchestra prompted Ruders to compose “Second Nightshade” (1991), […]
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Poul Ruders, Vol. 9 – Amiable Chamber Music
The two words that sprang to mind as I listened to this collection of Poul Ruder’s chamber music was “amiable atonality.” These chambers works move well beyond tonality, without a hint of academic dryness. Every work had real personality, often full of warmth and gentle humor. Guitarist David Starobin and Poul Ruders have enjoyed a […]