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about Ruders, the English critic Stephen Johnson states: "He can be gloriously, explosively extrovert one minute – withdrawn, haunted, intently inward-looking the next.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