Arvo Pärt
Arvo Pärt (11 September 1935) is an Estonian composer of classical and sacred music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs his self-invented compositional technique, tintinnabuli. His music is in part inspired by Gregorian chant. Pärt has been the most performed living composer in the world for 5 consecutive years.
Arvo Pärt was born in Paide, Järva County, Estonia. His musical studies began in 1954 at the Tallinn Music Secondary School Read Full BioArvo Pärt (11 September 1935) is an Estonian composer of classical and sacred music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs his self-invented compositional technique, tintinnabuli. His music is in part inspired by Gregorian chant. Pärt has been the most performed living composer in the world for 5 consecutive years.
Arvo Pärt was born in Paide, Järva County, Estonia. His musical studies began in 1954 at the Tallinn Music Secondary School, interrupted less than a year later while he fulfilled his National Service obligation as oboist and side-drummer in an army band. He returned to Middle School for a year before joining the Tallinn Conservatory in 1957, where his composition teacher was Professor Heino Eller. Pärt started work as a recording engineer with Estonian Radio, wrote music for the stage and received numerous commissions for film scores so that, by the time he graduated from the Conservatory in 1963, he could already be considered a professional composer. A year before leaving, he won first prize in the All-Union Young Composers' Competition for a children's cantata, Our Garden, and an oratorio, Stride of the World.
Today Arvo Pärt is best known for his choral works, which he started to produce in the 1980s, after his emigration from the former Soviet Union to Germany, Berlin. Before that he had written his most recognised works from the 1970s, Fratres, Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten, and Tabula Rasa. In 1978 Pärt composed Spiegel im Spiegel (Mirror in Mirror).
Pärt's oeuvre is generally divided into two periods. His early works ranged from rather severe neo-classical styles influenced by Shostakovich, Prokofiev and Bartók. He then began to compose using Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique and serialism. This, however, not only earned the ire of the Soviet establishment, but also proved to be a creative dead-end. When early works were banned by Soviet censors, Pärt entered the first of several periods of contemplative silence, during which he studied choral music from the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries.
The spirit of early European polyphony informed the composition of Pärt's transitional third symphony (1971); thereafter he immersed himself in early music, re-investigating the roots of western music. He studied plainsong, Gregorian chant, and the emergence of polyphony in the Renaissance. The music that began to emerge after this period was radically different. This period of new compositions included Fratres, Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten, and Tabula rasa.
Pärt describes it as tintinnabuli: like the ringing of bells. The music is characterised by simple harmonies, often single unadorned notes, or triad chords which form the basis of western harmony. These are reminiscent of ringing bells. Tintinnabuli works are rhythmically simple, and do not change tempo. The influence of early music is clear. Another characteristic of Pärt's later works is that they are frequently settings for sacred texts, although he mostly chooses Latin or the Church Slavonic language used in Orthodox liturgy instead of his native Estonian language. Large-scale works inspired by religious texts include St John Passion, Te Deum, and Litany. Choral works from this period include Magnificat and The Beatitudes.
A new composition, Für Lennart, written for the memory of the Estonian President Lennart Meri, was played at his funeral service on 2nd April 2006. In response to the murder of the Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya in Moscow on 7th October 2006, Pärt declared that all his works performed in 2006-2007 would be in commemoration of her death.
Pärt was honoured as the featured composer of the 2008 RTÉ Living Music Festival in Dublin, Ireland. He was also recently commissioned by Louth Contemporary Music Society to compose a new choral work based on St Patrick's Breastplate, to be premiered in 2008 in Louth, Ireland.
Arvo Pärt was born in Paide, Järva County, Estonia. His musical studies began in 1954 at the Tallinn Music Secondary School Read Full BioArvo Pärt (11 September 1935) is an Estonian composer of classical and sacred music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs his self-invented compositional technique, tintinnabuli. His music is in part inspired by Gregorian chant. Pärt has been the most performed living composer in the world for 5 consecutive years.
Arvo Pärt was born in Paide, Järva County, Estonia. His musical studies began in 1954 at the Tallinn Music Secondary School, interrupted less than a year later while he fulfilled his National Service obligation as oboist and side-drummer in an army band. He returned to Middle School for a year before joining the Tallinn Conservatory in 1957, where his composition teacher was Professor Heino Eller. Pärt started work as a recording engineer with Estonian Radio, wrote music for the stage and received numerous commissions for film scores so that, by the time he graduated from the Conservatory in 1963, he could already be considered a professional composer. A year before leaving, he won first prize in the All-Union Young Composers' Competition for a children's cantata, Our Garden, and an oratorio, Stride of the World.
Today Arvo Pärt is best known for his choral works, which he started to produce in the 1980s, after his emigration from the former Soviet Union to Germany, Berlin. Before that he had written his most recognised works from the 1970s, Fratres, Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten, and Tabula Rasa. In 1978 Pärt composed Spiegel im Spiegel (Mirror in Mirror).
Pärt's oeuvre is generally divided into two periods. His early works ranged from rather severe neo-classical styles influenced by Shostakovich, Prokofiev and Bartók. He then began to compose using Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique and serialism. This, however, not only earned the ire of the Soviet establishment, but also proved to be a creative dead-end. When early works were banned by Soviet censors, Pärt entered the first of several periods of contemplative silence, during which he studied choral music from the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries.
The spirit of early European polyphony informed the composition of Pärt's transitional third symphony (1971); thereafter he immersed himself in early music, re-investigating the roots of western music. He studied plainsong, Gregorian chant, and the emergence of polyphony in the Renaissance. The music that began to emerge after this period was radically different. This period of new compositions included Fratres, Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten, and Tabula rasa.
Pärt describes it as tintinnabuli: like the ringing of bells. The music is characterised by simple harmonies, often single unadorned notes, or triad chords which form the basis of western harmony. These are reminiscent of ringing bells. Tintinnabuli works are rhythmically simple, and do not change tempo. The influence of early music is clear. Another characteristic of Pärt's later works is that they are frequently settings for sacred texts, although he mostly chooses Latin or the Church Slavonic language used in Orthodox liturgy instead of his native Estonian language. Large-scale works inspired by religious texts include St John Passion, Te Deum, and Litany. Choral works from this period include Magnificat and The Beatitudes.
A new composition, Für Lennart, written for the memory of the Estonian President Lennart Meri, was played at his funeral service on 2nd April 2006. In response to the murder of the Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya in Moscow on 7th October 2006, Pärt declared that all his works performed in 2006-2007 would be in commemoration of her death.
Pärt was honoured as the featured composer of the 2008 RTÉ Living Music Festival in Dublin, Ireland. He was also recently commissioned by Louth Contemporary Music Society to compose a new choral work based on St Patrick's Breastplate, to be premiered in 2008 in Louth, Ireland.
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Spiegel im Spiegel
Arvo Pärt Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Arvo Pärt:
Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten (Instrumental)…
De Profundis De profundis clamavi ad te Domine Domine exaudi vocem meam f…
Es sang vor langen Jahren Es sang vor langen Jahren (Clemens Maria Brentano) Es sang …
Parce mihi domine Parce mihi Domine Parce mihi, Domine, nihil enim sunt dies…
Procedentem sponsum Procedentem sponsum Procedentem sponsum de thalamo; Laude di…
Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus. Dominus deus Sabaoth. P…
The lyrics can frequently be found in the comments below, by filtering for lyric videos or browsing the comments in the different videos below.
kasumi uzumaki
It's been the hardest year of my life, this music makes me imagine I'm invisible, it's sundown, going back in time, watching myself crying every night in my bed and giving a little pat on my head "it'll be ok"
Then I go out of my room, hug my mother who's sad and uncomfortable because of me and my circumstances "mama, I'm sorry" with a kiss on her little forehead.
Then make my way out of the house, walk along an empty road, with no people and no cars or anything
Just me, walking until reaching out for a small cottage on the beach on nowhere.
I open up the door, here comes him "Where have you been? I'm hungry, make me my favorite breakfast...and you know I miss you"
I go immediately to do what my sunshine asked me to, make him the best breakfast ever (Bagila bil Dihn Alhur)
Put the dish on the table in front of him, he grabs my wrist and pulls me into his lap, "let's eat together" says he
I hug him, like I've always wanted to, so hard and start crying
"It's ok come here"
We finish eating and just go to the beach, by any chance it should be sunset
One of my dreams is to watch it with him, on the beach.. and we sleep, forever.
All of this could happen in real life, but he has cancer and he ended our relationship for it..yet I'm still around no matter.
Don't die
Don't go away
I hope one day you'll be cured, and back to me so I could show you this.
June 11/ 2020
9:35 AM
Greenred Productions - Relaxing Music
Simple and impressive example of minimalism by a true master!
Tom T
Simple? I beg to disagree. :)
Tom T
Perfect symmetry into the least molecule. Just stunning.
lilly rivera
Yes is true
Eliza Tozaru
@Ronan Deniel qq1
Ronan Deniel
R
Dominic Bradburn
I appreciate this will probably not be read by many, and that's okay, it's more for me anyway. I have had a very difficult past few years, especially this year, i have lost relationships, love ones, and jobs. I have spent all year practically iscolated from society in my room wallowing in despair and self pity. I have on a couple of occasions come close to calling it a day with life.
The only thing that has brought be back was the look on my dogs face in those moments of feeling empty and worthless. He looks at me like im the best person on the planet. And it makes me continue on for his sake. In many ways he has been my guardian angel, I don't have much else other than him. This song reminds me of those moments, whilst also giving me a feeling of courage to continue, just as my dog does..
To anyone who feels iscolated and alone, don't give up. There will most certainly be better days to come, and better people in your life. And if maybe you feel too alone to some up the strength, maybe get a dog? Not many things can make you feel as valued as them smiling right at you.. Thanks for reading to those who did, I start my first job in over a year next week, things may work out yet. Much love
David Burns
One year on from your comment, i hope the past year has been a complete contrast from the previous one, good luck
Ona B
Dear Dominic,. I thank you for your uplifting words accompying Spiegel im Spiegel from A. Part. I hope you are doing fine.
I am currently listening to this great Piece of music with my cat right beside me. She, like your dog, reminds me kindly to eat, sleep etc.to. stay alive in this strange world. It is music like this and words like yours that remind me of friends I had and the joy they brougth tot my life. Like a sweet memorie (that makes me feel both happy and sad). Our I could say : both grateful for what was and accepting what is. I am at ease (I have peace) , at the moment, for what the Future may bring, I hear it in the tiny bells. Merry Christmas. Ona
Mark Spencer
Love and Hugs 😊