Composer Elena Ruehr’s first release for Avie assembles vocal and choral works inspired by three distinct American poets – Louise Glück, Emily Dickinson and Langston Hughes. The title work, Averno, is a cantata that sets 11 poems of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Glück’s collection of the same name, which is a retelling of the story of Demeter, goddess of the earth, and her daughter Persephone. Ruehr’s score deftly conjures ancient themes in a modern idiom. The miniatures Cricket, Spider, Bee paint a vivid, aural picture of Dickinson’s scenic natural world. The large scale GOSPEL CHA-CHA sets Langston Hughes’ expansive and socially critical late poetry, evoking the Harlem Renaissance of the 1960s. The works are performed by the New York-based Trinity Choir under their dynamic Music Director Julian Wachner, and Trinity’s new music ensemble Novus NY. The superb soloists are soprano Marguerite Krull and baritone Stephen Salters.

Elena studied at the University of Michigan and The Juilliard School. She composed Averno while a fellow at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute. He oeuvre includes works for chamber ensemble, orchestra, chorus, wind ensemble, instrumental solo, opera, dance and silent film. Since 1991, she has taught at MIT.

critical acclaim for Elena Ruehr

“sumptuously scored and full of soaring melodies” – The New York Times

“unspeakably gorgeous” – Gramophone

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Recorded at Trinity Church, Wall Street, May 2011, and at the Skywalker Sound scoring stage, July 2011