Composer

:

Sofia Gubaidulina

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Open Form

Compose Date

:

1976

Average_duration

:

7:49

"Light and Darkness" is a composition for cello, bayan (a type of accordion), and string orchestra, composed by Sofia Gubaidulina in 1997. The piece was premiered on October 17, 1997, in Stuttgart, Germany, by cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, bayan player Elsbeth Moser, and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andrey Boreyko. The composition consists of two movements, each representing the opposing forces of light and darkness. The first movement, "Licht," begins with a solo cello playing a series of harmonics, creating a shimmering, ethereal sound. The bayan then enters, playing a series of chords that gradually build in intensity. The string orchestra joins in, creating a dense, swirling texture that evokes the image of light shining through a prism. The movement reaches a climax with a powerful tutti section, before gradually fading away into silence. The second movement, "Schatten," begins with a solo bayan playing a series of dissonant chords, creating a dark, brooding atmosphere. The cello then enters, playing a mournful melody that is gradually taken up by the string orchestra. The music builds in intensity, with the bayan and cello engaging in a series of intense dialogues. The movement reaches a climax with a powerful tutti section, before gradually fading away into silence. Throughout the composition, Gubaidulina employs a variety of extended techniques, such as harmonics, glissandi, and pizzicato, to create a wide range of timbres and textures. She also makes use of unconventional playing techniques, such as playing the bayan with the bellows closed, to create a unique sound world. Overall, "Light and Darkness" is a powerful and evocative work that explores the opposing forces of light and darkness through a rich and varied musical language.

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