Sofia Gubaidulina (1931-2025) was one of the first composers whose work I devoured–everything I could get my ears on. Moreover, she's one whose work I continue to adore–a true composer's composer. I particularly admire her conception that all her music is religious in nature, even if not intended for the church. In the wake of her passing this week plenty of folks have offered wonderful summaries of her life, work and contributions as composer. This li'l post is my own way of offering something without attempting to be comprehensive.
Some of my favorite works of hers include her quasi-piano concerto Introitus (1978), with its fantastic formal windup and haunting glissando climax which as haunted my musical sensibilities ever since; her 2nd and 4th String Quartets (1987/1993), the first a Scelsi-esque meditation on a single pitch and the latter her own idiosyncratic take on the pre-taped quartet + quartet (complete with a fantastic rubber mallet on the string bouncing effect); the monumental Johannes-Passion/Johannes-Ostern (2000/2001), which in many ways has lodged itself in my mind as the sort of contemporary monumental sacred work I can't help but long to create; and the harp/viola flute trio The Garden of Joys and Sorrows, which I fondly recall tracking down on a rare CD pretty early on in my journey as a composer.
Here is my own humble tribute, a sort of 11 voice mensuration canon of an improvisation inspired by Gubaidulina's retelling of her childhood experience of sitting under the family piano and hearing the unusual sounds, and how the limited range of the school pieces she was assigned made her want to be a composer so that she could write things that used more of the possible sounds...
She retells the story from 8:00 to 9:20 in this video
My favorite quote of Gubaidulina:
"...the aim of art is to redeem time, that is, art has a religious predestination…for us, the artists, it is absolutely necessary to experience this religious reunion with the highest essence of our souls. Without it we would be unable to work with such an inspiration. I understand the word 'religion' in its direct meaning: as re-ligio (re-legato), that is, a restoration of legato between me (my soul) and God. By means of my religious activity I restore this interrupted connection. Life interrupts this connection: it leads me away, into different troubles, and God leaves me at these times...This is unbearable pain: by creating, through our art, we strive to restore this legato."
- Sofia Gubaidulina
'The Eucharist in My Fantasy': Interview with Sofia Gubaidulina
Vera Lukomsky, Sofia Gubaidulina
Tempo, New Series, No. 206, Power, Politics, Religion.... And Music (Sep., 1998), pp. 29-35 (7 pages)
https://www.jstor.org/stable/945505
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