While Christopher Rouse is largely known for his orchestral music, he also claims several impressive chamber works, four of which are presented this evening.
Ku-Ka-Ilimoku
Rouse’s early percussion quartet is a primal dance motivated by the Hawaiian god of war.
Rotae Passionis
Drawing inspiration from the work of Northern Renaissance painters, this expressive work depicts the Crucifixion from the perspective of Christ as a human rather than Christ as the Son of God.
String Quartet No. 3
This new quartet—Rouse’s first chamber work in more than a decade—deliberately demands a higher level of performer virtuosity than any other work he has written.
Compline
Scored for flute, clarinet, harp, and string quartet, Compline is a single-movement work in four sections that takes its name from the final church service of the day in the Roman Catholic tradition of canonical hours.