Poul Ruders

Writing about Ruders, the English critic Stephen Johnson states: "He can be gloriously, explosively extrovert one minute – withdrawn, haunted, intently inward-looking the next.

Super-abundant high spirits alternate with pained, almost expressionistic lyricism; simplicity and directness with astringent irony.

Other works include the operas Tycho (1986), The Handmaid's Tale (1998, with libretto by Paul Bentley), Proces Kafka / Kafka's Trial (2005, again with libretto by Bentley), Selma Ježková (2007, after Trier's Dancer in the Dark[3]), and the fairytale opera The Thirteenth Child (2016), five symphonies, four string quartets, Violin Concerto No.

1 (1981), Etude and Ricercare (1994) for guitar, for David Starobin, The Bells (songs) with Lucy Shelton, soprano, and the Christmas Gospel (1994) and two piano sonatas; Abysm (2000) for Birmingham Contemporary Music Group.

Ruders has composed a Concerto in Pieces (1995), which is a set of variations on the "Witches' Chorus" from Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas.