Serene, but Sophisticated
Daniel Johnson | 05/31/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It's hard to imagine a finer recording of Pärt's orchestral works. The selection of pieces is excellent (and quite extensive), the orchestra is well-balanced and well-blended, and the tempi are chosen with the utmost sensitivity. The damp, cathedralesque ambience of the recording may tend to drain some of the expressive quality out of the strings, but these solemn, mystical works sound very much at home in such an environment. I prefer these recordings even to the famous 'Tabula Rasa' disc on ECM.Most of these pieces are in Pärt's minimalistic "tinntinnabuli" style, but the 3rd Symphony will be a pleasant surprise to those listeners familiar only with that side of Arvo Pärt's oeuvre. It's a sprawling, full-orchestral setting of archaic polyphony, rich and "cinematic" in the best sense of the word."
Wow!!
A. Vetter | NY | 12/25/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have enjoyed the music of Part for a long time.
Fratres and the Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten are wonderful pieces.
In many ways, I prefer this version of the Cantus over Paavo's father, Neeme.
They are both wonderful performances.
Paavo, in his way, makes this piece more cathartic. The srings are so great.
And, for me, the real find was the Third Symphony. The elements of chant, monastic melody and simplicity were astounding.
Heavenly music!!"