Ruggles - Sun-treader

Carl Ruggles

Composers, as people, are no different to the general population. Some are nice, kind, empathetic and basically good people to be around, others not so much. In the case of Carl Ruggles (1876-1971), not only was he a "prickly" character - for which read cantankerous and generally cross, he also held racist and anti semitic views, openly expressed, and by all accounts swore liberally. Not that this seemed to affect his musical employment in Minnesota, New York, Florida and Vermont - where, variously, he held teaching and conducting positions.

Though represented here as a composer, Ruggles was an artist as well - having painted hundreds of canvases. His musical output was remarkably small, in number as well as scale - with Sun-treader, (inspired by a poem by Robert Browning) at 16 minutes, being his longest work. This page details Michael Tilson Thomas's encounter with Ruggles when preparing Sun-treader for performance in Boston and the making of this recording.

Cartridge: Goldring Ethos

Phono amp: Graham Slee Accession MC

Turntable: CTC Classic 301 with SME M2-12R

Click to enlarge