Gubaidulina is well represented in the BIS catalogue . The documentation in the BIS releases is notably thorough and interesting to read. This CD was received for review in connection with the above report on Sofia Gubaidulina at South Bank and Goldsmith's College. Gubaidulina's four string quartets constitute an important line in her oeuvre, and it is good to have the first three gathered together with the trio which she wrote soon after quartet no 3. I doubt whether she would favour listening to them straight through, as happened in the Purcell Room, for there is a degree of repetition of self-referential gestures, of which she is no doubt well aware.
Nothing is quite what it seems, and a final cello litany brings desolation instead of any comfort.
The third features many pizzicato colourations and fluctuations of movement in quintuplets, sextuplets and septuplets, with bowed tones a late, special event. The string trio explores modes of communication between the participants, recalling that of the first quartet, first all three interacting, next violin and cello against viola, and finally each instrument individually. The performances and recording sound exemplary, a fine pendant to treasure after the memorable live experience.