Sofia Gubaidulina, a composer on this album, was encouraged by Dmitri Shostakovich to follow her own artistic path, even if it diverged from ideological norms during the Soviet era.
Composition History
Sofia Gubaidulina's Ten Preludes for solo cello were written in 1974 as etudes for an instructional collection and are dedicated to cellist Vladimir Toncha.
Instruments
The album features two cellos: a modern cello from 1770-75 by Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi for most pieces, and a 17th-century baroque cello with gut strings by the Pamphilon family for Bach's Fifth Suite.
Compositional Technique
The Ten Preludes by Sofia Gubaidulina explore various cello techniques, including staccato, legato, harmonics, playing with a mute, and the ricochet technique, which was perfected by Niccolò Paganini.
Interpretation
Ursina Maria Braun, the cellist on this album, intentionally combines Bach's music with Gubaidulina's to reflect how modern ears, shaped by diverse musical experiences, perceive historical works.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Sofia Gubaidulina, a contemporary composer featured on this album, believed that composing and music-making are religious acts that bring people closer to a mystical union with God.
Compositional Technique
In the Tenth Prelude, Sofia Gubaidulina instructs the performer to tap notes on the string with the right hand and use thumbs on the C string to create a snare drum tremolo effect, making the interpreter a co-creator.
