Flotation Device celebrates 90th birthday of Arvo Pärt the prominent Estonian composer and exponent of spiritual minimalism. We revisit his famous tintinnabuli pieces of 1976–78 (including Tabula Rasa, the recording of which was often played by AIDS workers to comfort hospital patients at the height of the epidemic), as well as his early twelve-tone experiments and his later more conventionally-hewn orchestral and religious works, including the premiere recordings of Silhouette (inspired by the Eiffel Tower) and O Holy Father Nicholas (his final composition, written for the dedication of the National Shrine at the World Trade Center site). Some verbal reflections from Joan Tower and Pärt himself provide some context as does a kaleidoscopic sampling of his trademark piece Fratres in five different arrangements. We’re helped by Gidon Kremer, Keith Jarrett, Alfred Schnittke, Hortus Musicus, the Kronos Quartet, Neeme and Paavo Järvi, Vox Clamantis and the Estonian Festival Orchestra.
Comments
Photo credits: Arvo Pärt and Heino Eller via Arvo Pärt Centre, Arvo Pärt by Eric Marinitsch, Arvo Pärt in 1962 by Armin Alla, Arvo and Nora Pärt by Rene Riisalu, Paavo Järvi and Arvo Pärt by Kaupo Kikkas, Für Alina, Between Two Sounds by Joonas Sildre.
Flotation Device 2025-09-07: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: Pärt at 90. With Fratres (Hortus Musicus, composed and premiered 1977) [0:00]
1. [2:18] Tabula rasa - 1. Ludus, Con moto. From Tabula Rasa (ECM, 1984) with Gidon Kremer, Tatjana Grindenko (violins), Alfred Schnittke (prepared piano), Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Saulus Sondeckis (conductor). NOTE: Composed 1977, premiered September 30, 1977 at Tallinn Polytechnic Institute. Recorded live November 1977 by Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Bonn
2. [11:54] Stabat Mater (excerpt). From Stabat Mater: Choral Works by Arvo Pärt (Paraclete, 2020) with Gloriae Dei Cantores, Richard K. Pugsley (conductor), Brad Michel, Dan Pfeiffer (recording engineers). NOTE: Composed 1985
3. [19:53] Tabula rasa - 2. Silentium, Senza moto. From Tabula Rasa, Fratres, Symphony No. 3 (Deutsche Grammophon, 1999) with Gil Shaham, Adele Anthony (violins), Erik Risberg (prepared piano), Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi (conductor)
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SET 2: Origins. With Fratres (Gidon Kremer, Keith Jarrett) [33:04]
1. [36:30] Nekrolog, Op. 5 (excerpt). From Arvo Pärt: The Master of Pure Sound (Erato/Parlophone, 1997) with Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Paavo Järvi (conductor), Mike Hatch (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1960, premiered 1961 in Moscow
2. [42:56] Joan Tower interviewed by Michael Schell (2021, with Tower: Très Lent)
3. [44:32] Für Alina. From Alina (ECM, 1999) with Alexander Malter (piano). NOTE: Composed February 1976, premiered March 23, 1976 by Rein Rannap at Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn. Recorded July 1995
4. [55:28] Outro with O Holy Father Nicholas (Vox Clamantis, composed and premiered 2021, first recording)
5. [1:00:37] Symphony No. 1 (Polyphonic) - 1. Canons. From Cello Concerto "Pro et Contra" et al (BIS, 1989) with Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi (conductor), Siegbert Ernst (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1963, premiered February 7, 1964 by Estonian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi
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SET 3: Symphonies. With Fratres (I Fiamminghi string quartet) [1:08:38]
1. [1:10:49] Symphony No. 4 (Los Angeles) - 2. Affannoso. From The Symphonies (ECM, 2018) with NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic, Tõnu Kaljuste (conductor), Aleksandra Nagórko, Andrzej Sasin (recording engineers). NOTE: Composed 2008. Premiered January 10, 2009 by Los Angeles Philharmonic, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles
2. [1:20:02] Missa Syllabica - Agnus Dei, Ite Missa Est. From 25 Years (Nonesuch, 1998) with Ellen Hargis (soprano), Suzanne Elder (alto), Neal Rogers (tenor), Paul Hillier (baritone), Kronos Quartet: David Harrington, John Sherba (violins), Hank Dutt (viola), Joan Jeanrenaud (cello). NOTE: Composed 1977, premiered October 28, 1977 by Hortus Musicus at Riga Polytechnic Institute
3. [1:22:14] "Have you thanked God for this failure already?" (Arvo Pärt lecture at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Yonkers, 2014. Fratres with I Fiamminghi wind octet)
4. [1:23:36] Mein Weg. From Credo (Alpha, 2025) with Estonian Festival Orchestra, Paavo Järvi (conductor), Andres Olema (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1989 for organ, arranged 1995 for strings and percussion
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SET 4: Mirror in a mirror. With Fratres (Alea Saxophone Quartet) [1:29:58]
1. [1:33:36] Missa Syllabica - Credo, Sanctus. From 25 Years (as above)
2. [1:38:59] Silhouette. From Credo (credits as above). NOTE: Composed 2009, first recording
3. [1:47:29] Spiegel im Spiegel. From Fratres (EMI, 1994) with Tasmin Little (violin), Martin Roscoe (piano), Mike Hatch (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1978. Premiered December 27, 1978 by Vladimir Spivakov and Boris Bekhterev at Moscow Conservatory
4. [1:55:47] Outro with Fratres (Morphing Chamber Orchestra)