Sofia Gubaidulina (1932-2025)
Galgenlieder à 3 (1996)
Helena Rasker (contralto)
Niek de Groot (double bass)
Francisco Anguas (percussion)
rec. 2023, Kuhlhaus, Berlin, Germany
Kairos 0022023KAI [46]

The past couple of years have seen two major losses for contemporary music, with the passing first of Kaija Saariaho and, more recently, Sofia Gubaidulina. Gubaidulina grew up in the Soviet Union. Her music can be somewhat oppressive in mood, with a certain foreboding quality, and yet it often contains a profound directness which rivals the greatest of composers in spiritual grandeur. Her work is always worth hearing, and her absence will be felt strongly across the musical world. 

This recording presents a set of Lieder from 1996. They set the surrealist texts of Christian Morgenstern, and are scored for the rather unusual combination of contralto, double bass and percussion. Gubaidulina, like so many other contemporary composers, is often just as persuasive, if not more so, in her handling of novel and unique ensembles as in more standard fare. Her imaginative use of timbre, in subtle tonal shading and in vivid contrast, keeps your attention fixed throughout the three-quarter-hour cycle. The texts have humorous elements which Gubaidulina captures with a dry wit, though she seems more preoccupied with the bizarre and macabre elements and with exploring the individual sounds of syllables and words. 

The performance is a very fine one. Contralto Helena Rasker is perfectly at home in this music. She has a solid voice, mostly free of dreaded wobble, and a nicely integrated chest register, allowing her to find the range of expression and colour that the music demands. She is characterful and engaged throughout. She defining separate moods and ideas clearly, and is unfailingly musical and, as far as I can tell, precise and accurate. Much the same can be said of double bassist Niek de Groot and percussionist Francisco Anguas. Their playing makes real sense of the various extended techniques utilised by Gubaidulina, such as eerie passages of harmonics on the double bass which, mixed with subtle percussive effects, sound as otherworldly as Morgenstern’s poetry. 

Kairos captures the whole performance in perfect sound. It is clear, with good dynamic range and no hint of dryness or harshness. Everything comes across spectacularly well, and makes listening a real pleasure. All in all, the disc seems a fitting tribute to the late composer, though it was, of course, recorded in 2023, prior to her death. The music is engaging and imaginative. Despite the small and unusual ensemble, there is no sense of meandering over the course of the 45-minute work, which is both a testament to the skill of the composer and the commitment of the three musicians.

Morgan Burroughs

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