Arvo Pärt (b. 1935)
Fratres (1977/1983)
My Heart’s in the Highlands (2000/2013)
Vater Unser (2005/2013)
Spiegel im Spiegel (1978)
Es sang vor langen Jahren (1984)
Ein Wallfahrtslied (1984/2021)
Summa (1977/1991)
Stabat Mater (1985, adaptation Tomasz Wabnic, 2021)
Aleksandra Kurzak (soprano), Andreas Scholl (countertenor), Roberto Alagna (tenor)
Morphing Chamber Orchestra/Christian Erny
rec. 2021, Casino Baumgarten, Vienna, Austria
Sung texts with English, German and French translations enclosed
Reviewed as downloaded from press preview
APARTÉ AP277 [79]
When Arvo Pärt in the middle of the 1970s abandoned atonalism and created his own mould of minimalism, tintinnabula, he became on of the hottest names in the world of contemporary classical music
within a few years. And he has retained his position through the following decades. From 2011 to 2018 he was the most performed living composer in the world, and in 2019 the second most performed – after John Williams. The simplicity and melodiousness of his compositional method, partly influenced by Gregorian chant, is certainly a reason for his popularity, even though the simplicity often is illusory – there is more depth than a cursory analysis may reveal. But few listeners can deny that there is an almost hypnotic power in many of his works, and on this new record are collected some of his most iconic pieces, together with some that may not be as well-known but deserve to be. For newcomers to Arvo Pärt, this could quite likely be a gateway to his unique magic world.
The early tintinnabula Fratres (Latin for Brothers) from 1977 has become one his most frequently performed creations. It exists in numerous versions for various instrumental combinations, but the original was a three-part score without fixed instrumentation. The version for string orchestra and percussion is possibly the most enthralling, and it is excellently played here.
Roughly contemporaneous with Fratres is another frequently heard work, Spiegel im Spiegel, which refers to the melody moving back and forth symmetrically, while the accompaniment is static. Originally written for violin and piano it was first recorded by Gidon and Elena Kremer in 1979. It is here played on viola by Tomasz Wabnic, accompanied by Marek Ruszczynski, and there exist numerous other versions as well. Personally I find the warmer tone of the viola more attractive. This piece has been featured on innumerable soundtracks for films and television programmes, thanks to the hypnotic power of the melody.
The third instrumental work on this disc, Summa, is from the same period and has a chequered history. It was originally a four-part vocal work based on the Latin Credo text, which was unacceptable in the Soviet era of atheist politics – Pärt was then still living in his native Estonia, which was then part of the Soviet Union – and he had to code the text. This version can be heard, recorded in 1986 by The Hilliard Ensemble on “Arbos” (ECM Records 8319592ECM), which is still available. The version for string orchestra is from 1991, and is another highlight on this disc.
The other five works are all vocal and feature countertenor Andreas Scholl. My Heart is in the Highlands from 2000 is a setting of the Scottish poet Robert Burns and is dedicated to countertenor David James of The Hilliard Ensemble. The solo voice recites the text on one note, so what happens during the nine-minute-long is in the accompaniment by the string trio and a piano. But such is the hypnotic power of Pärt’s inventiveness, that it never feels overlong. The short Vater Unser (the Lord’s Prayer in German) is a truly beautiful piece. Composed in 2005 and dedicated to Pope Benedict XVI, it was performed for him in 2011. The version with string quintet, arranged by the composer in 2013 was premiered by Andreas Scholl in Australia. Here it is recorded with full string orchestra.
Es sang vor langen Jahren was composed in 1984 to a text by Clemens Brentano, one of the few non-religious texts Pärt set during the Tintinnabuli period. It was recorded early by contralto Susan Bickley with Gidon Kremer and Vladimir Mendelssohn, and I must say that I prefer her warmer tone and more nuanced reading to Scholl’s more straightforward delivery. Bickley’s version is also on the ECM disc mentioned above.
Ein Wallfahrtslied, also from 1984, was composed for tenor or baritone and string quartet to the memory of Arvo Pärt’s friend, the film director Grigory Kromanov (1926–1984). According to the composer, Pilgrims’ Song, as it is also titled, “is an attempt to blend in music the contrasting layers of being on this side of the time and being in the sphere of timelessness. The dynamism and mobility of the orchestral part, built around the descending chromatic tone row, makes up one dimension in the composition, while the other dimension is provided by the static quality of the vocal part reduced to a single pitch, which can be compared to the serenity of mountains.” The text is Psalm 121, which begins: “I will lift mine eyes unto the hills, from whence comes my help.” The single pitch of the solo voice makes it a kind of companion piece to My Heart is in the Mountains, besides the mutual metaphor of mountains.
The final work – and by far the longest – is Stabat Mater from 1985. Originally composed for vocal trio and string trio (that version is available on the ECM disc) it is here performed with three solo voices and string orchestra, adapted by Tomasz Wabnic in 2021. The difference isn’t very far-reaching. The full string orchestra produces a somewhat bigger sound, but the playing is utterly sensitive and well-adjusted to the devotional character of the music. The original is more chamber music oriented. The old hymn, dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus, standing at the foot of his cross, has been set to music since the 13th century, often touchingly. There is no doubt that Arvo Pärt is a deeply devoted Christian, and this is a very moving work. The music is slow, inward, beautiful with some faster instrumental interludes interspersed. That by the side of Andreas Scholl, two of today’s most prestigious opera stars, married couple Aleksandra Kurzak and Roberto Alagna, make up the vocal trio may raise an eyebrow or two, but feel no fear. There is nothing flashy or spectacular about their singing. They are restrained, sensitive and stylish. The original version is still utterly valid, but this newcomer will, hopefully, entice new generations of listeners to explore Arvo Pärt’s magic world.
Göran Forsling
Footnote
Of course there is an expanded version for mixed chorus and orchestra that has been recorded numerous times, and that is perhaps a safer recommendation for many readers.
Published: November 22, 2022
