Nature's Tapestry: Brahms, Shostakovich & Ruehr

This program brings together three composers from vastly different eras and worlds— what unites them is a shared sense of playfulness, clarity, and human warmth. These are works that smile more than they brood, revealing the affable side of composers we often associate with emotional density or intellectual rigor.

Dmitri Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 1 in C major, Op. 49
First is Shostakovich’s first quartet—a far cry from the dark sarcasm and political tension found in many of his later works. Written in 1938, this is Shostakovich in a more personal, even nostalgic mode. Its melodies are disarmingly simple and folk-inflected, with a youthful brightness that occasionally glints with irony but never fully loses its innocent spirit. It's a rare glimpse of lightness from a composer often cloaked in shadows.

Elena Ruehr – Insect Dances
Next is Elena Ruehr’s Insect Dances, a vibrant and whimsical set of miniatures that ask us to imagine a party hosted by a spider and dragonfly, crashed by a wasp, featuring a cool bumblebee boogie, a graceful lady bug waltz and a jumpin' grasshopper polka. Ruehr’s music is marked by rhythmic vitality and a clear, lyrical voice. Each movement buzzes with character—sometimes quirky, sometimes elegant, but always delightful.

Johannes Brahms – String Quartet No. 3 in B♭ major, Op. 67
The evening closes with Brahms’ third and final string quartet—a work the composer described as written “for pleasure.” There’s a genial, almost pastoral atmosphere here: the themes sing, the textures dance, and the overall tone is one of graceful ease. It’s Brahms at his most relaxed and sociable, without a trace of the stormy introspection that marks so much of his music.

Together, these three works form a surprisingly upbeat and engaging journey. From Ruehr’s agile miniatures to Shostakovich’s fresh lyricism and Brahms’ golden-hued elegance, this program is a reminder that even the most profound composers have a wonderfully human—and often very friendly—side.