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Tragic and existential Symphony No. 2
Arvo Pärt’s Symphony No. 2 was completed in 1966, and although the exact date of completion cannot be ascertained from the archival documents, it was most likely written between March and September.Read more -
The best organ builder in Estonia made a present to the centre. The story of an old harmonium
The Pärt family harmonium stood next to the door of the old archive building of the centre, where it quietly and shyly greeted everyone who entered. From time to time, Arvo Pärt or his son, the Chairman of the Council of the Centre Michael Pärt lifted the lid of the instrument, making the harmonium sing for the employees and visitors of the centre.Read more -
Legendary Russian pianist Alexei Lubimov met with Arvo Pärt
On 6 March, Arvo Pärt’s friend and peer, the highly recognised Russian pianist Alexei Lubimov visited the Arvo Pärt Centre. HeRead more -
A Bible that belonged to Arvo Pärt’s grandparents made its way back to the composer
For years, the author Jaan Kaplinski carefully kept the Bible, printed in 1863, which had belonged to Arvo Pärt’s grandparents. Kaplinski had repeatedly mentioned returning it to the composer and now this has taken place. The Bible is especially valuable for Arvo Pärt, because the composer’s grandmother read it to him on Sundays in his childhood.Read more -
The Estonian Theatre and Music Museum gave the Arvo Pärt Centre the manuscript of an arrangement by Arvo Pärt as a gift
Snow is falling… – a manuscript score with such a title, suitable for this time of year, was presented to us by the Theatre and Music Museum whom we were glad to host yesterday at the centre. The piece is a German children’s song arranged by Arvo Pärt, which was found by museum scholar Ene Kuljus, while ordering Valter Ojakäär’s collection.Read more -
A journey to one’s own voice. The story of a flower pot
“It was 7 February 1976, a beautiful sunny winter’s day,” Nora Pärt recalls. There was brightness and inspiration in the air and Nora suggested they take a longer walk through the forest in Nõmme. However, Arvo Pärt was not getting up from his dark brown pianino anytime soon… They didn’t make it to the forest that day; however, the piano composition Für Alina was born. With this small piece the composer found his own voice and compositional style, which he named tintinnabuli.Read more -
Arvo Pärt’s documents from the 1970s reaches the Arvo Pärt Centre
In December, the archive of the Arvo Pärt Centre received a priceless addition when Maaja Rumessen, the widow of the pianist and musicologist Vardo Rumessen, gave a box full of valuable archive materials to the Arvo Pärt Centre. This box contains personal materials, notebooks, concert programmes and newspaper cuttings related to Arvo Pärt's work, dated up to 1980, when the composer was forced to emigrate from the Soviet Union.Read more