Triple Concerto for Violin,

A distinctive feature of Sofia Gubaidulina's music is that at the end of the 1970s she discovered the tonal qualities and expressive possibilities of the bayan, a button accordion that had previously been popular in Russia only as a folk music instrument, and through numerous inspired compositions made it an instrument of contemporary music. She was supported and guided by bayan performers, such as Friedrich Lips in Moscow and Swiss musician Elsbeth Moser, who taught in Hannover. The Triple Concerto for violin, cello and bayan was written on the advice of Elsbeth Moser. For the five movements of the sonata "Rejoice!" for violin and cello (1981), Gubaidulina chose different quotations from the writings of the Ukrainian "travelling philosopher" Grigori Skoworoda (1722-1794), who called for poverty and self-reflection as a precondition for the search for God. The composer explains: "The theme of my work is the metaphorical representation of the transition to another reality, expressed by the juxtaposition of normal sound and overtones". Because of the clear religious references, the work could only have its premiere in Finland in 1988.