Roger Rudenstein unveils his latest chamber work

The composition “Hail to the Chief” was first used to announce the entrance of a president during James K. Polk’s inauguration in 1845. More than a century later, it had become the official anthem of the president, playing at high volumes whenever the commander in chief arrived at a public event. But the composition itself is nearly two centuries old. Local classical composer Roger Rudenstein decided it was time to create an anthem appropriate to our current president.

Far from the sounds of glory and triumph that normally herald the president’s approach, Rudenstein’s “Cello and Piano Sonata No. 2” reflects his wholehearted disgust with George W. Bush.

“This piece was composed as a substitute for the ‘Hail to the Chief’ that’s normally played,” Rudenstein said in a recent interview. “I was thinking pretty much of circus music when I composed that.”

The world premiere of Rudenstein’s new work will be performed by the Essex Chamber Music Players on Sunday, April 13, at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill, Mass. The piece is divided into three movements that sonically illustrate the tragic aftermath of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

“The first two are a little more serious, bemoaning the way things went down. It is a historic tragedy that the people of Iraq were attacked for no good reason,” Rudenstein said. “And then the third movement really reflects my disgust with one of the primary architects of that war.” 

Disgust with President Bush is not an uncommon theme in Rudenstein’s music. His 2006 CD, “State of the Union,” borrowed phrases from a speech Bush made in 2005. The snippets of statements include “no peace without victory,” “addicted to oil” and “a dark vision of hatred and fear.” The three-movement work musically satirizes Bush’s presidency and his treatment of the war in Iraq.

“State of the Union” and “Hail to the Chief” are both parts of Rudenstein’s ongoing multi-work opus, “Nightmare of Reason.” He borrowed the phrase from the title of an etching by 18th-century Spanish artist Francisco de Goya, called “The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters.” The opus encompasses the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the subsequent wars waged by the Bush administration, which, in Rudenstein’s opinion, have been devoid of reason.

“It just got worse and worse with the actual invasion of Iraq and the aftermath of that and the climate of fear that was produced in this country,” he said.

Through his music, Rudenstein hopes to raise awareness about the current political and social climate and protest Bush’s policies with an active voice of dissent.

“I see it as a mission, and my mission that I hope to accomplish is just to be one of the voices for change and ending this war, ending the assault on civil liberties, ending the torture and victimization of people all over the world, especially in Iraq.”
Rudenstein, who lives in Portsmouth with his wife and two cats, began composing music that deals with controversial topics long before the Iraq war began. He penned what he believes was the first opera about AIDS, titled “Grace,” and has also composed operas based on literature by Franz Kafka and James Joyce. Like Kafka, he uses abstract expressionist writing to illuminate the nature of society, creating music that portrays his emotions about political and social affairs.

“That’s what fuels my music writing,” he said.

Since the 1980s, Rudenstein has composed a total of five operas and one musical, along with a thick body of chamber works comprising his “Nightmare of Reason” opus. He has twice won the Masterworks of the New Era award. “State of the Union” represented his first release with MMC Recordings. He will record a new concerto for MMC in May with clarinetist Richard Stoltzman and pianist Paul Dykstra. That release, which pays homage to the blues music of New Orleans, should be available in late summer or early fall.

According to Rudenstein, classical musicians have a weak presence on the Seacoast. Commercial interests pushed classical music off the mainstream radar when rock ’n’ roll became a sensation in the 1950s, he said. Today, most people consider classical music a form of entertainment reserved for wealthy aristocrats.
“I think quite the opposite. I think all music is for everyone,” he said.

Rudenstein writes a blog titled “Classical Music in Crisis,” in which he details both positive and negative points about the state of modern classical music. He believes that there is still a strong audience for the music, but there are few opportunities for classical musicians to perform publicly—especially those performing new works.

“The Essex Chamber Players happens to be a group that does a lot of new works, but most organizations don’t,” he said.
Rudenstein is one of four composers whose music will be performed in the Northern Essex Community College Tech Center’s multi-purpose room on April 13, joining Sofia Gubaidulina, Joseph Haydn and Christopher Caliendo. Rudenstein’s piece will be performed by cellist Emmanuel Feldman and pianist David Pihl. The concert begins at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $10, $5 for students. 

Although “Hail to the Chief” does not have words, Rudenstein believes the sound reflects the psychological and social conditions of our times. Like Beethoven and Chopin before him, Rudenstein uses his music as a tool to protest the world’s injustices.

“I don’t think music can combat them, sad to say, but music can protest,” he said. “Composers have always been involved in this.”

Visit www.rogerrudenstein.com.