An den Wassern zu Babel saßen wir und weinten

The original version of the piece for voices (S, A, T, B) and freely chosen early music instruments was composed in 1976 and carries the title In spe. Under that title, the piece was also premiered on 27 October 1976 at the Estonia Concert Hall, performed by the Hortus Musicus ensemble, to whom the composition is also dedicated.

In musical terms, it is a work in rigorous tintinnabuli technique, based on extremely sparse and concentrated material. Moving stepwise, the melodies are formed by segments around the main pitch, prolonged note by note, once moving up, once down, according to pre-determined rules. One or more tintinnabuli voices move along the triads corresponding to each melodic voice. These, in turn, are accompanied by one or more pedal not…

The original version of the piece for voices (S, A, T, B) and freely chosen early music instruments was composed in 1976 and carries the title In spe. Under that title, the piece was also premiered on 27 October 1976 at the Estonia Concert Hall, performed by the Hortus Musicus ensemble, to whom the composition is also dedicated.

In musical terms, it is a work in rigorous tintinnabuli technique, based on extremely sparse and concentrated material. Moving stepwise, the melodies are formed by segments around the main pitch, prolonged note by note, once moving up, once down, according to pre-determined rules. One or more tintinnabuli voices move along the triads corresponding to each melodic voice. These, in turn, are accompanied by one or more pedal notes.

The verbal element of the work is also very compact. The sung text of In spe (Latin for “in the hope”) only consists of the vowels “i”, “e” and “o” from the opening part of the ordinary of the mass, Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.). In the political situation of the Soviet time, this was like coded writing.

Pärt returned to the material in 1984 in Berlin, composing a version for soloists or mixed choir and organ, with dedication to Andres Mustonen, the conductor of Hortus Musicus. Besides the new instrumentation, Pärt also gave the work a new title, An den Wassern zu Babel saßen wir und weinten (By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept), borrowed from Psalm 137, the song of David about the Babylonian exile of the Jews. Exile, rootlessness and the longing to return home were undoubtedly very personal and timely topics for Arvo Pärt. Only a few years earlier he had emigrated from Estonia to Austria and later to Germany. However, in a deeper sense, these feelings define the entire Judeo-Christian worldview.

The same music also became the basis for versions for trombone and chamber orchestra (An den Wassern …, 1995), for soloists (S, A, T, B) and instrumental ensemble (An den Wassern ..., 1996) and for wind quintet and string orchestra (In spe, 2010).