Composer

:

Sofia Gubaidulina

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Chamber Music

Compose Date

:

1982

First Performance

:

1982

Average_duration

:

34:52

Movement_count

:

7

Movement ....

Sofia Gubaidulina's "The Seven Last Words" is a composition for cello, bayan (a type of accordion), and string orchestra. It was composed in 1982 and premiered in Stuttgart, Germany in 1988. The piece is divided into seven movements, each corresponding to one of the last seven phrases spoken by Jesus Christ on the cross. The first movement, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," is characterized by a mournful cello solo that gradually builds in intensity as the bayan and strings enter. The second movement, "Today you will be with me in paradise," features a haunting melody played by the bayan, accompanied by the cello and strings. The third movement, "Woman, behold your son... Behold your mother," is a duet between the cello and bayan, with the strings providing a gentle accompaniment. The fourth movement, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" is the most intense and dissonant of the seven, with the cello and bayan playing jagged, angular lines over a bed of strings. The fifth movement, "I thirst," is a slow, mournful piece featuring a solo cello accompanied by the bayan and strings. The sixth movement, "It is finished," is a somber, reflective piece that gradually builds to a climax before subsiding into a quiet, contemplative ending. The final movement, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit," is a peaceful, meditative piece that features a solo cello accompanied by the bayan and strings. The piece ends with a gentle, unresolved chord, leaving the listener with a sense of contemplation and reflection. Overall, "The Seven Last Words" is a deeply spiritual and emotional work that explores themes of suffering, redemption, and transcendence. Gubaidulina's use of the cello and bayan, two instruments with deep roots in Russian folk music, gives the piece a unique and haunting sound that perfectly captures the mood of the text.

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