Mats Norrman:

>Always the usual suspect are being played.  But I can tell that here
>in Sweden Sofia Gubaidulina is incredibly popular.  And seemingly abroad
>as well. Her offertorium is surely as great as anything by Sjostakovitj.
>If there are other people on the list who are interested in her music,
>don't hesitate to contact me.

Indeed, I am interested in the music of Sofia Gubaidulina.  I really
LOVE Kermer and Dutoit's recording of Offertorium (DGG), an atonal violin
concerto based on the theme from Bach's Musical Offering.  But I also like
her chamber music and her bassoon concerto...  A few years ago, I also had
to opportunity to hear Dutoit conducting the US premiere of the Concerto
for three kotos and orchestra, a most dramatic and original work.  Do you
know a recording of this piece?

EMI has rencently launched a new Gubaibulina CD that seems quite
interesting:

   http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/e/emi57153a.html

Have you heard it?

Apart from Gubaidulina, I like the music of another female Russian composer:
Galina Ustvolskaya.

   http://www.siue.edu/~aho/musov/ust/ust.html

 From my perspective, her Octet for two oboes, four violins, timpani and
piano (1949-1950) and her Grand Duet for cello and piano (1959) are among
the best chamber works of the 20th century...  As moving as Shostakovich's
string quartets!!!  There is a good Melodiya/BMG CD that offers decent
recordings of these great works...  Grab it if you find it somewhere:
I think it has been deleted from the BMG catalogue!

Other fans of Ustvolskaya on this list? If you have new recordings to
suggest, please let me know...

Daniel B
Calgary, Canada