Famed Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina, a significant figure in contemporary music, has died at the age of 93. The announcement was made by the Russian city of Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, which honored her as an epochal figure in music.
Since 1992, Gubaidulina had been residing in Appen, near Hamburg, where she passed away on Thursday, as confirmed by the Hamburg music publisher Boosey & Hawkes/Sikorski. In a statement, it was highlighted that Gubaidulina was regarded as the „Grande Dame of New Music,“ recognized as the most notable Russian composer of her time and a person who drew inspiration from deep faith.
Her extensive body of work includes significant spiritual compositions such as the „Johannes Passion“ (2000) and „Johannes Ostern“ (2002). Gubaidulina dedicated her second violin concerto to the German violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, who premiered it in 2007.
In the Soviet Union, Gubaidulina’s music was banned for a long period. It wasn’t until the 1980s, when violinist Gidon Kremer brought attention to her work in the West, that her compositions began to gain recognition. She often experimented with instruments and sounds from folk music.
Cellist David Geringas compared her music to that of Johann Sebastian Bach, citing its deep spirituality. Gubaidulina was a devout Orthodox Christian, stating in a 2016 interview with the German Press Agency on her 85th birthday, „In prayer, God helps me to love.“
Gubaidulina believed that music was essential for human existence. She expressed, „It is said that a person cannot exist without music, cannot live at all. For me, this is because when listening to music, one can fall ‚out of time‘ and feel a closeness to God as I do.“
Throughout her career, Gubaidulina received numerous awards, including recognition from her native Russia. She was a member of the Academy of Arts in Berlin and the Free Academy of Arts in Hamburg. Additionally, in 2018, she was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, known for its annual Oscars awards.