Ode to Gubaidulina

With this program, the New European Ensemble reflects on the work and legacy of Sofia Gubaidulina (1931–2025), one of the most influential composers of the past century. Throughout her long career, she developed a musical language entirely her own, where spirituality and sonic exploration come together in service of emotional power.

At the heart of the program are two works from different phases of her oeuvre. In Hommage à T.S. Eliot for soprano and ensemble, Gubaidulina responds to the poetic world of Eliot’s Four Quartets, a text she described as “an effortless bridge to music.” The work demonstrates how literature and music complement each other in exploring time, memory, and meaning.

The second work is Repentance, written for cello, double bass, and three guitars. Here, Gubaidulina explores the rich sonic possibilities of this unusual instrumentation, featuring two of her favorite instruments, guitar and double bass, in the leading roles. In doing so, she creates driving gestures in which the three guitars bring forth a surprisingly orchestral sound.

Set between these two pieces is the world premiere of a new work by American composer Michael Hersch, commissioned by the New European Ensemble for oboist Christopher Bouwman. Although Hersch has developed a musical voice entirely his own, he shares Gubaidulina’s fascination with dark, mysterious sounds and with music as a vessel for existential questions. The world premiere of this new oboe concerto places Gubaidulina’s oeuvre in dialogue with a prominent composer of today.