This graphic novel Between Two Sounds, which is about Arvo Pärt, was published by the Arvo Pärt Centre and written by the artist and illustrator Joonas Sildre. It has now reached readers in the Czech language.
Published by Nakladatelství Květy Života, Mezi dvěma zvuky was translated into Czech by Jan-Marek Šík. The book was presented at the Prague Book Fair and ahead of the ‘Arvo Pärt 90’ concert by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir at the Prague Spring Festival.
Between Two Sounds tells the story of Arvo Pärt’s explorations in music from his childhood up to 1980, when his family had to leave Estonia. This period also covers the birth of the new composition technique, tintinnabuli. The author of the book, Joonas Sildre, studied many archival sources, delving into the life and work of the composer, also receiving advice and help from Arvo and Nora Pärt.
Between Two Sounds has already been translated into seven languages. In addition to Czech, translations have also been published in German, English, Lithuanian, Finnish, Hungarian and Korean.