For those not in the know, with works described as “sumptuously scored and full of soaring melodies” (The New York Times), and “unspeakably gorgeous” (Gramophone), American composer Elena Ruehr is known for her bold lyricism, which is informed by her ability to combine diverse musical structures spanning the second Viennese School to minimalism.

Currently composer in residence with Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra, she has been a Guggenheim Fellow (2014) and a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute (2008) and composer-in-residence with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, which recorded her opera Toussaint Before the Spirits (BMOP Sound) and her complete orchestral works (BMOP Sound, O’Keeffe Images).

She has written five operas, twelve string quartets, and numerous other chamber, film and dance works that have been recorded on over 20 CDs and performed internationally.

Now the prolific composer infuses her chamber works with programmatic elements that bring them to expressive and energetic life. Winter Night (due out October 2nd, 2026 via AVIE Records) is the result of a close collaboration with the Boston Trio, who are joined by violist Marcus Thompson in Elena’s piano quartet.

Piano Trio No. 4
1. I. Ski (5:20)
2. II. Kayak (4:36
3. III. Bike (4:55)

Piano Trio No. 5 ‘Troubled Times’
4. I. gutty and laborious (6:39)
5. II. spooky then aggressive (2:28)
6. III. playful but anxious (4:21)

Piano Quartet No. 2 ‘Maple’
7. I. Sapling (3:35)
8. II. Prelude, Fughetta, Chorale (4:29)
9. III. The Luthier (3:40)

Piano Trio No. 3 ‘Winter Night’
10. I. Lyric (4:52)
11. II. Grazioso (4:30)
12. III. Aria (3:42)
13. IV. Finale (4:45)

With a veritable proliferation of programmatic music infusing everything within Winter Night, composer Elena Ruehr’s seventh release on AVIE, she opens on Piano Trio No. 4: which begins with the confidently stanched, yet elegantly sculpted Ski, then comes the delicate, at times trepidation-imbibed Kayak, closing on the playfully engaging Bike.

Then we get Piano Trio No. 5 ‘Troubled Times’: which begins on the sterner fare of gutty and laborious, before the achingly stoic, at times even forebodingly resilient spooky then aggressive is brought forth, the final work being the perky and delightfully resplendent playful but anxious.

This recording being the result of a particularly close collaboration with the international members of the Boston Trio – violinist Irina Muresanu and cellist Mihai Marica, both Romanians, and Korean pianist Heng-Jin Park – who are joined by native New Yorker violist Marcus Thompson in Elena’s piano quartet, along next is the Piano Quartet No. 2 ‘Maple’: which opens on the resplendent, veritably regal fare of Sapling, then we are gifted the dainty, pondering elegance of Prelude, Fughetta, Chorale, rounding out on the skittish, yet empowering growth of The Luthier.

The fourth, and final work is Piano Trio No. 3 ‘Winter Night’: which begins on the formatively engaging Lyric, then comes the graceful nuances of Grazioso, the affectingly stylish, and always regaled of cultured Aria, the work, and the new recording coming to a close on the resoundingly decadent, and sumptuously polished Finale.

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