This composition is both a milestone and an interface in Silvestrov's work: it is the end of his 'avant-garde period' and the beginning of what he later calls 'metamusic'. The structure of the work is unique: The first movement, Sonata for Violin and Piano, can also be performed separately. The second movement, Sonata for Violoncello and Piano, is a kind of lyric intermezzo. It is not until the third movement, Trio, that the instruments really play together, bringing the drama to a 'metaphysical...