- Poul Ruders
Bravourstudien (1976)
(Bravour Studies)- Edition Wilhelm Hansen Copenhagen (World)
Programme Note
In spite of its 15th Century origin, the secular French popular tune L’homme Armé, has been used as cantus firmus and "blue-print" in numerous Mass-compositions through History, in a few cases as late as the 17th century.
I have taken the ancient tune by the hair and hauled it through a gauntlet of various stilistic and assocation-making variations named Bravour-Studien, a labeling occasionally seen on old editions of Franz Liszt’s Etudes.
The "cello-and-bow-harnessed" man is fencing his way through nine virtuoso variations, the last one Variation Classique being rather "shady" in appearance, ending with a long stretch of dotted sixths, thus emphasizing the latent hollowness inherent in this sort of music.
- Poul Ruders, November 1976
I have taken the ancient tune by the hair and hauled it through a gauntlet of various stilistic and assocation-making variations named Bravour-Studien, a labeling occasionally seen on old editions of Franz Liszt’s Etudes.
The "cello-and-bow-harnessed" man is fencing his way through nine virtuoso variations, the last one Variation Classique being rather "shady" in appearance, ending with a long stretch of dotted sixths, thus emphasizing the latent hollowness inherent in this sort of music.
- Poul Ruders, November 1976