The documentary Sofia Gubaidulina. The Forgotten Piano was premiered in the framework of the Quincena Musical Donostiarra in 2010, and is presented to the public for the first time in 2023 at the Museo de la Música in Barcelona.
In 2009, the pianist Ricardo Descalzo and the composer Borja Ramos created a project with Musikene, the Higher School of Music of the Basque Country, it centred on the complete works for piano written by the Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina.
This project consists of a video recording of the complete works for solo piano written up until then by the composer, although she stopped writing music for piano during the 1970s. It also features the recording of Introitus (1978) for piano and orchestra, and an interview that was recorded at the composer’s home, at Musikene, and at other locations.
The documentary seeks to highlight the importance of Sofia Gubaidulina's piano work in a production that lasts just over an hour, but which is undoubtedly one of the most significant contributions to piano repertoire from the second half of the 20th century.
In the documentary, the composer discusses her piano music, written over fifty years ago, as well as her memories and influences from the time. Given the scarcity of written or filmed testimonies about this period from one of the most relevant authors in today’s world, this documentary is of significant historical value.
The music of Sofia Gubaidulina (Chistopol, Tatarstan, 1931), guest composer at L’Auditori during the 2022-2023 season, is inspired by philosophical, spiritual, and religious references. To the composer, religion and music share a common goal: ‘Re-ligio, the restitution of the legato of life’. Her production unites and contrasts traits from the wealth of Russian tradition, with fundamental concepts of European culture such as opposition, dichotomy, and connections with elements of Catholic ceremonial tradition.