Dedication to Arvo Pärt

Arvo Pärt is one of the few composers whose music can be recognized after just a few notes. It is no surprise that, for several decades, his works have remained among the most frequently performed compositions by a contemporary composer worldwide. Celebrating his 90th birthday, the Estonian composer has become a global phenomenon by choosing a path that, at first glance, seemed at odds with the spirit of his time. At a moment when music was searching for ever-new and complex forms, A. Pärt turned towards simplicity and silence.

Before discovering his distinctive tintinnabuli* style, A. Pärt explored various musical directions of the 20th century and later became increasingly immersed in early music, Gregorian chant, and polyphony. He did not reject the past, nor did he seek to recreate it. Instead, his diverse musical experiences became the foundation for a language that is now understood by listeners around the world.

In the programme prepared to mark Pärt’s anniversary, pianist Onutė Gražinytė and cellist Edward King explore the composer from a broader perspective – through composers whose music reveals ideas close to his own. In the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, one finds clarity of form and inner order; in the music of Olivier Messiaen, a unique sense of time and spiritual exploration; and in Alfred Schnittke’s sonata, the encounter of different musical worlds. Alongside these works, the sounds of “Fratres” and “Spiegel im Spiegel” will remind us that sometimes the greatest impact comes not from an abundance of sounds, but from the ability to hear what exists between them.

* Tintinnabuli (from the Latin tintinnabulum – “bell”) is a musical style created by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt and introduced in 1976, characterized by austerity, slow tempos, and a transparent, clear sound.