Theatre of Voices, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Ars Nova Copenhagen, The Pro Arte Singers, NYYD Quartet / Paul Hillier (dir)

Harmonia Mundi ★★★★★

Estonian-born Arvo Pärt developed as a composer in the isolation of the Soviet-bloc in the 1950s, largely unaware of contemporary musical trends in the west. By the 1960s, however, he was at the forefront of serialist experimentation and other techniques, producing some major compositions at this time. But the first of several periods of self-imposed silence led him to reassess his musical style and evolve a musical language radically different from his earliest compositions. By 1976 he had formulated the technique to which he has remained loyal which he calls ‘tintinnabuli’ (derived from the Latin, ‘little bells’), which he describes thus: ‘I have discovered that it is enough when a single note is beautifully played. This one note, or a silent beat, or a moment of silence, comforts me. I work with very few elements – with one voice, two voices. I build with primitive materi als – with the triad, with one specific tonality. The three notes of a triad are like bells and that is why I call it tintinnabulation.’

Pärt settled in (West) Berlin in 1980, where he has pursued his minimalist techniques in a series of concentrated settings of religious texts, the majority of which are included in this magnificent 4CD boxed set. Many of these pieces are brief and achieve powerful effects using common scales and triads that have been liberated from their former associative values and relationships.

Paul Hillier is the key figure in these recordings (made between 1996 and 2010): he has been a leading interpreter of Pärt’s vocal music for decades, and with these recordings set down authoritative readings of the music whose legacy will last. His special relationship with the composer and his music is evident throughout and all is lovingly presented. The recording are brought together for the first time as a single set at a special price. No one who loves Pärt’s music will want to be without this set.

This review originally appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of Choir & Organ magazine. Never miss an issue – subscribe today