On this new CD, the Gyvaerts String Trio, a group renowned for its interpretations of contemporary music, performs works by four composers who hail from the old Soviet Union and whose music is known for being accessible and deeply felt: Sofia Gubaidalina, Giya Kancheli, Alexander Knaifel and Oleg Paiberdin.

The Goeyvaerts String Trio was founded in 1997 and focuses exclusively on 20th and 21st century repertoire. It owes its name to the Flemish composer Karel Goeyvaerts who played a key role in the fundamental changes in European new music. The group regularly collaborate with composers such as Peter Swinnen and Giya Kancheli, and performers like Alexander Ivashkin (cellist and biographer of Alfred Schnittke), and Henk Guittart of the Schoenberg Quartet.

All of the music featured on this 2CD set has been written by musicians from different parts of what used to be the Soviet Union: Knaifel and Paiberdin are Russian, Gubaidulina also, though of Tatar heritage, and Kancheli is Georgian. As composers, all of them have to different degrees adopted a highly personal and economical approach towards their music, where the sound world incorporated is more readily accessible to the listener.

For this recording the Goeyvaerts Trio worked and rehearsed extensively with all of the composers represented on the CD.

Contents:
CD 1
Sofia Gubaidulina
String Trio (1988) dedicated to the memory of Boris Pasternak
1. Part 1
2. Part 2
3. Part 3
Oleg Paiberdin
4. Organum A-nn-A (2000)
Giya Kancheli
5. Time... and again (1997/1998)
6. Rag-gidon-time (1995/1999)

CD 2
1. Alexander Knaifel reads... Prayer of one going to church
Alexander Knaifel reads poems by F Tyutchev (1803-1873) dedicated to E F (Elena Frolova)
2. No.1
3. No.2
4. No.3
5. No.4
6. No.5
7. No.6
Alexander Knaifel
8. E F and three visiting cards of the poet (2008)

Goeyvaerts Trio:
- Kristien Roels (violin)
- Kris Matthynssens (viola)
- Pieter Stas (cello)