ARVO PÄRT

The deeply spiritual music of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt seems to resonate as much with believers as it does with those of no faith at all. Stripped down to its essence, Pärt’s style often combines a plainchant-like transparency and purity within a hypnotic, minimalist frame—a combination that makes it instantly appealing and deeply moving. This recording, featuring one of the great violinists of our age, Viktoria Mullova, and the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra under Estonian American conductor Paavo Järvi, stands as one of the finest of Pärt’s works for the violin.    Mullova captures the spirit of Pärt’s soundworld with playing of incredible power and icy intimacy: the gently fluttering opening of “Fratres” is executed with breathtaking control, the coruscating textures of Tabula rasa are searingly intense. The final work, “Spiegel im Spiegel”, for violin and piano, is an exquisite sound sculpture, timelessly beautiful and breathtakingly executed.