• 13-digit ISBN: 978-1-84379-276-5
• Barcode: 9781843792765
• Approximate length: 15,000 words
• Formats: iPad/iPhone (enhanced)

The music of Arvo Pärt draws on traditions stretching back across the centuries, yet it could only have been written by someone who had lived through the complexities and contradictions of the last half-century. In his native Estonia, his early music incurred the wrath of the Soviet authorities; when he moved to the West, his style offended against prevailing notions of taste and creativity. But at every stage, Pärt has pursued his own musical vision. Here is a survey of Pärt’s career, from early experiments with serialism, through musical collages that took their inspiration from Bach, to the discovery of his distinctive ‘tintinnabuli’ style, which unleashed a flood of innovative and fascinating new pieces. Audio samples are contained in the text: just tap to listen while you read.

About the Author

Nick Kimberley reviews classical music and opera for the London Evening Standard. He has also written for The Independent, The Observer, Gramophone, Opera and The Wire, and has contributed to the ‘Rough Guides’ to classical music and opera. Between 1995 and 2004 he edited the magazine The Full Score for the Music Sales publishing group, and from 2003 to 2009 he edited the programme book for Spitalfields Festival. He teaches on the Criticism, Communication and Curation course at Central St Martins in London.