Album

Released in celebration of Arvo Pärt's 70th birthday, this survey of his popular choral works is as much a retrospective tribute as it is a sampler of his CDs on Harmonia Mundi. Under the direction of Paul Hillier, a leading authority on Pärt's music and career, the performances by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, the Theatre of Voices, and the Pro Arte Singers are beautifully blended, well-balanced, and richly resonant; and the pieces themselves are fine examples of Pärt's celebrated tintinnabular style. Few pieces illustrate this simple, triad-based method more transparently than Dopo la vittoria (1996-1998), newly recorded here, or The woman with the alabaster box (1997); the held triads in these pieces can be heard quite clearly; and even the serialized Solfeggio (1964) can be regarded as an early specimen of tintinnabuli in its sustained diatonic clusters. But harmonic experiments are not everything in Pärt's music, and listeners seeking music of spiritual depth and beauty may turn to the Berliner Messe (1990, revised 1997) or the Magnificat (1989), two of Pärt's most acclaimed works. Though this album is narrowly focused on choral works and is less comprehensive than the Naxos double-disc of Pärt's music, also released in 2005, it will nonetheless satisfy those who need only an introduction to this composer's work.

© Blair Sanderson, Rovi

CD 1
Arvo Pärt Composer Dopo la vittoria: Little cantata Work Recorded 2004 Paul Hillier Conductor, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir Chorus/Choir
1	Dopo la vittoria: Little cantata	11:11			Album Only
Arvo Pärt Composer The Woman with the Alabaster Box Work Recorded 1998 Paul Hillier Conductor, Theatre of Voices Ensemble, Pro Arte Singers Chorus/Choir
2	The Woman with the Alabaster Box	6:34			$0.99
Arvo Pärt Composer Berliner Messe, for chorus and organ Work Recorded 1998 23:24 Christopher Bowers-Broadbent Organ, Paul Hillier Conductor, Theatre of Voices Ensemble
3	1.Kyrie	3:07			$0.99
4	2.Gloria	3:26			$0.99
5	3.Alleluia Verse 1	1:02			$0.99
6	4.Alleluia Verse 2	1:23			$0.99
7	5.Veni Sancte Spiritus	4:04			$0.99
8	6.Credo	4:01			$0.99
9	7.Sanctus	3:55			$0.99
10	8.Agnus dei	2:26			$0.99
Arvo Pärt Composer Solfeggio Work Recorded 1996 Paul Hillier Conductor, Theatre of Voices Ensemble
11	Solfeggio	5:19			$0.99
Arvo Pärt Composer Magnificat Work Recorded 1996 Paul Hillier Conductor, Elizabeth Engan Vocals, Theatre of Voices Ensemble
12	Magnificat	6:43			$0.99
Arvo Pärt Composer Bogoróditse dyévo (Hail Mary) Work Recorded 1998 Paul Hillier Conductor, Pro Arte Singers Chorus/Choir, Theatre of Voices Ensemble
13	Bogoróditse dyévo (Hail Mary)	1:14			$0.99
Arvo Pärt Composer I Am the True Vine Work Recorded 1998 Paul Hillier Conductor, Pro Arte Singers Chorus/Choir, Theatre of Voices Ensemble
14	I Am the True Vine	8:14			$0.99
Arvo Pärt Composer ... which was the son of... Work Recorded 2002 Paul Hillier Conductor, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir Chorus/Choir
15	... which was the son of...	7:31			$0.99