Arvo Pärt

Just a quick post before bed (and another dreadful week at the office) I've never really been into a 'classical' artist before, but as I discover more and more of Arvo Pärt, this is beginning to change. I first came to know of this renowned Estonian composer, famous for his pioneering of minimalism in classical music and his creation of the 'tintinnabulation' compositional style (that's wikipedia for you =), on a music blog which posted his 'Berlin Mass' work, movements and songs of the standard Catholic mass setting which I was familiar with.

His music struck me as being so different from the idea of 'classical music' i had in my head, it was so sparse and stark, so.. minimalistic, for lack of another word. His instrumental works often were for only a couple of instruments, such as a piano and a cello, or a violin etc. I went out and got a compilation of his and haven't been disappointed. Think this quote perfectly sums up his amazing vision: "I have discovered that it is enough when a single note is beautifully played. This one note, or a moment of silence, comforts me."

My favourite song of his so far is "Spiegel im Spiegel" (Mirror within a Mirror) a work from 1978. The album sleeve notes, "for violin and piano, it is constructed from the most basic elements, which here produce an effect of childlike innocence. Over a piano accompaniment which combines broken chords with bell-like notes in varying registers, the violin intones a sustained melody in which phrases of increasing length and range always return to the note A."

Yeah i didn't understand that either. All i know is that it is a piece of the utmost tranquility and absolute beauty to listen to. (that wasn't very, quick i guess)

Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel (Tasmin Little on violin, Martin Roscoe on piano) /