Arvo Pärt: Tractus in Bloomington, MN

With the occasional exception of
John Williams
,
Arvo Paert
is the most-performed composer of our time, and certain of his works have emerged as favorites performed even in obscure corners of the orchestral and choral worlds. This release, which made classical best-seller lists in the autumn of 2023, might be overlooked by
Paert
listeners, for it contains no
Fratres
Spiegel im Spiegel
, or
Magnificat
. The works on the program are all less often performed, yet this may be precisely its appeal. All the music here exemplifies
's creativity perfectly, and hearing traits of his music anew in less familiar pieces brings them into fresh relief, so to speak. One of these traits is the fact that
is often writing sacred music whether it is in a choral or instrumental guise. Among the finds here is the set of
eight Greater Antiphons
, instrumental despite titles taken from sacred texts (and the antiphon texts are even given in the booklet). These receive a marvelous performance from perhaps
's primary champions, the
Tallinn Chamber Orchestra
and conductor
Tonu Korvits
, with a metallic string edge that brings out the resonance effects so basic to
's music. Another
trait heard afresh here is the way his music, just as it hangs between instrumental and vocal, draws on both static and narrative elements. He introduces a solo voice only once, in the parable-like
L'abbe Agathon
(beautifully sung by
Maria Listra
with the
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir
), but even this work does not depart from his basic meditative language. This release has all the virtues that have made people love
, even as it defamiliarizes them a bit, and it can be recommended to both longtime
fans and to newcomers.
ECM
's sound from the Methodist church in Tallinn, it almost goes without saying, is superb and as well matched to
's music as it could possibly be. ~ James Manheim