Sieben Worte – interview
< BackA short interview with the composer Sofia Gubaidulina (b. 1931) about her iconic piece for cello, accordion and strings, “Sieben Worte” (1982).
Gubaidulina is a living legend and an immense source of inspiration to me – as well as to so many other composers and musicians in the world.
In November 2014 I had the fortune and enormous pleasure of working thoroughly on Sieben Worte with Gubaidulina herself. And I was amazed. During rehearsals her eyes were burning and she was completely at one with the music – not yielding until every musician was giving their utmost to the expression of the piece.
It is somewhat clear from Gubaidulina’s scores, but experiencing her in person erased any doubt whatsoever: Music is not a question of playing notes, it is a question of life and death.
