Poul Ruders' Star Prelude And Love Fugue is a work for Piano solo dating from 1990. Programme note Star Prelude and Love Fugue is the fruit of “a wonderful stay in Tokyo in March 1988” (the composer’s words). The two pieces were composed in February 1990 and they are dedicated to Japanese pianist Aki Takahashi who gave the premiere performance at the Lerchenborg Musikdage on 3 August 1990. The prelude is a fantasia on the prelude of Act Two of Poul Ruders’ opera Tycho (1986) about Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (which should explain the title). The theme of the  Love Fugueistaken from the opening bars of another earlier Ruders’ work namely the a cappella motet Charitas Nunquam Excidit (which is Latin for “love never ceases”). The following fugue is purged of the genre’s traditional gravitas as is already signalled by the expression mark 'Swinging'. Its initial eleven bars quote the motet but there after everything is newly composed. Per Erland Rasmussen 2001

Piano Concerto No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra (2009) by Poul Ruders.Commissioned by The Norwegian Radio Orchestra and Jerome Lowenthal. Solo Piano part: WH31129CProgramme Note In this day and age when faced with the challenge of writing a 'Piano Concerto' e.g. a piece for symphony orchestra and an all-dominating and virtuosic solo Piano part one has two options: either: DO or do NOT go for it wholesale exploiting and enjoying the conrnucopia of sonorous treasures offered by the combination of the orchestra and the 'Grand Piano'. I have opted to go for it. When writing forone of our great young international Piano stars it would be absurd and a waste to do anything less and only 'nibble at the goodies'.However the piece is not a big clunky 'machine'. Rather it is a transparently orchestrated neo-classic (for the lack of a better work) composition in three movements lastign approximately 25 minutes.The piece begins with a moderately paced opening in which the Piano gradually gathers momentum and strength beginning with the most gentle of motifs. In this movement the soloist and orchestra fo not always agree and the vigilant listener will observe the disparity between the two. Following a swift up-beat coda the movement stops almost in mid-breath on one of the gentle Piano chords taken from the very opening.The extreme simplicity of the second movement 'Semplice' (the opening Piano solo bears the marking: 'slightly hesitant - like a child practicing') is after having been joined by the Vibraphone Harp and solo Violin suddenly violated with unprecedented brutality by the rest of the orchestra which virtually 'lies in wait - panting to pounce'. But eventually calm and order is restored.The finale is a crazy rondo of sorts. The marking 'Avanti Risoluto' (Forward with Resolve) is a bit of an understatement. It is a full throttle no hold barred ride -

Paganini Variations - Piano Concerto No.3 by Poul Ruders. The original guitar-part (for Guitar Concerto No. 2) arranged for Piano and pianist Anne-Marie McDermott by the composer 2014.Piano solo part: WH32201CParts are available for hire: hire@ewh.dk Programme note: In 1999 my friend American guitar virtuoso David Starobin wanted me to write a concerto for guitar and orchestra. It quickly dawned on me that this commission presented a golden opportunity to contribute to the time-honoured tradition of composing a series of variations on NicoloPaganini´s famous 24th Caprice for violin solo a work which itself is a set of variations. The 16 bar (with the first 4 bars repeated) theme is not particularly sophisticated or intricate but its inherent simplicity and logic just grow on you almost to the point of distraction - and the secret behind it being hauled through 'the wringer' by composers as disparate as Liszt Brahms Rachmaninoff and Lutoslawski is perhaps found in its - what I´ll call with a quick nervous look over my shoulder: brilliant banality. You can do anything with that tune it´ll always be recognizable and just there however much you maul it. The piece (subtitled Guitar Concerto no 2) was written pretty quickly premiered and subsequently recorded for Bridge Records with David and the Odense Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jan Wagner and everybody was happy. But the story didn´t end there and it must be the ultimate proof of the durability of the theme not to mention the flexibility and far-sightedness of David Starobin when he 14 years latersuggested 'why not transcribe the solo part for piano''. The idea appealed to me immediately. One thing was clear from the beginning: the new version could in no way sound like a transcription. My aim was to end up with a solo-part sounding like were it 'the

Shifts - Piano Study No. 3 was composed by Poul Ruders in 2014. Dedicated Bo Reipurth.

Piano Quartet by Poul Ruders (2015-16). Commissioned by the Bravo! Vail Music Festival Vail Colorado (2016) and Patricia Isenberg the Ocean Reef Chamber Music Festival Key Largo Florida (2017). Parts available WH32840A

Set of parts for Piano Quartet by Poul Ruders (2015-16). Commissioned by the Bravo! Vail Music Festival Vail Colorado (2016) and Patricia Isenberg the Ocean Reef Chamber Music Festival Key Largo Florida (2017). Score available: WH32840