Sofia Gubaidulina

Sofia Gubaidulina (born October 24, 1931) is a Russian composer of deeply spiritual music.

During her studies in Soviet Russia, her music was labeled "irresponsible" for its exploration of alternate tunings. She was supported, however, by Dmitri Shostakovich, who in evaluating her final examination encouraged her to continue down her "mistaken path".

Gubaidulina's first internationally known piece was her violin concerto "Offertorium", made popular in the West by Gidon Kremer, for whom it was composed. She later composed a homage to T. S. Eliot, using the text from the poet's spiritual masterpiece Four Quartets.

In 2000 Sofia Gubaidulina, along with Tan Dun, Osvaldo Golijov, and Wolfgang Rihm, was commissioned by the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart project to write a piece for the Passion 2000 project in commemoration of Johann Sebastian Bach. Her contribution was the Johannes-Passion.

Gubaidulina is a co-founder and performer in Astreja, a improvisational group which employs folk instruments.

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Quotations

"I am a religious person...and by 'religion' I mean re-ligio, the re-tying of a bond...restoring the legato of life. Life divides man into many pieces...There is no weightier occupation than the recomposition of spiritual integrity through the composition of music."

Works

Hommage à T.S. Eliot
Hommage à Marina Tsvetayeva
In Croce
Rejoice! (Sonata for Violin and Cello)
Offertorium

Discography

The Canticle of the Sun (1997) and Music for Flute, Strings, and Percussion (1994). The first performed by cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich and London Voices conducted by Ryusuke Numajiri, the second by flutist Emmanuel Pahud and the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Rostropovich. Gubaidulina attended the recording of both pieces.