Arvo Pärt - Silentium
Four pieces by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, a pioneer of “holy minimalism.”
“One of the most haunting, beautiful pieces of music I’ve heard this year.” - Monorail
The album centers around a never-before-released rendition of “Silentium,” the second movement of Pärt’s most famous concerto, Tabula Rasa, performed by Boston-based chamber orchestra A Far Cry. The group plays “Silentium” at nearly half the speed of the best-known version, released on ECM in 1984. The piece, known for its healing properties for the dying and often used in palliative care facilities (one patient famously called it “angel music”), is breathtaking at half speed, seemingly stilling time itself.
The album compiles some of the most stunning renditions of Pärt’s music ever recorded. “Vater Unser (Arr. for trombone & string ensemble)” is somehow warm and austere at once. A miniature epic. Pianist Marcel Worm’s solo version of “Variationen zur Gesundung von Arinuschka” is as beautiful as anything we’ve ever heard. “Fratres for Strings and Percussion” is one of Arvo Pärt’s most celebrated works. The Hungarian State Opera Orchestra’s version is iconic, filled with emotional playing right on the verge of overly romantic, but never tipping over.
Pärt’s approach to both music and life is as sparse as the compositions he creates. He once said, “I have nothing to say… Music says what I need to say. And it is dangerous to say anything, because if I’ve said it already in words there might be nothing left for my music.” Silentium continues Mississippi Records’ fascination with this great contemporary composer.
credits
releases March 21, 2025
Mississippi Records MRI-208
Ajna Offensive FLAME126
front cover painting by Eduard Steinberg "Composition (June 1997)"
back cover painting by Eduard Steinberg "Composition (1992)"
courtesy of Galina Manevich-Steinberg
Layout by Sam Wenc
Tracks 1-3: Mastered by Andrew Weathers
Track 4: Mixed and Mastered by Andrew Weathers
Vater Unser (Arr. for trombone & string ensemble)
Performers: Jörgen Van Rijen, Camerata RCO
Courtesy of: BIS
Variationen zur Gesundung von Arinuschka
Performer: Marcel Worms
Courtesy of: Zefir Records
Fratres for Strings and Percussion
Performers: Hungarian State Opera Orchestra, Tamás Benedek
Courtesy of: Naxos
Silentium
Performers: A Far Cry with soloists Alexi Kenney and Stefan Jackiw
Courtesy of: A Far Cry
Four pieces by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, a pioneer of “holy minimalism.”
“One of the most haunting, beautiful pieces of music I’ve heard this year.” - Monorail
The album centers around a never-before-released rendition of “Silentium,” the second movement of Pärt’s most famous concerto, Tabula Rasa, performed by Boston-based chamber orchestra A Far Cry. The group plays “Silentium” at nearly half the speed of the best-known version, released on ECM in 1984. The piece, known for its healing properties for the dying and often used in palliative care facilities (one patient famously called it “angel music”), is breathtaking at half speed, seemingly stilling time itself.
The album compiles some of the most stunning renditions of Pärt’s music ever recorded. “Vater Unser (Arr. for trombone & string ensemble)” is somehow warm and austere at once. A miniature epic. Pianist Marcel Worm’s solo version of “Variationen zur Gesundung von Arinuschka” is as beautiful as anything we’ve ever heard. “Fratres for Strings and Percussion” is one of Arvo Pärt’s most celebrated works. The Hungarian State Opera Orchestra’s version is iconic, filled with emotional playing right on the verge of overly romantic, but never tipping over.
Pärt’s approach to both music and life is as sparse as the compositions he creates. He once said, “I have nothing to say… Music says what I need to say. And it is dangerous to say anything, because if I’ve said it already in words there might be nothing left for my music.” Silentium continues Mississippi Records’ fascination with this great contemporary composer.
credits
releases March 21, 2025
Mississippi Records MRI-208
Ajna Offensive FLAME126
front cover painting by Eduard Steinberg "Composition (June 1997)"
back cover painting by Eduard Steinberg "Composition (1992)"
courtesy of Galina Manevich-Steinberg
Layout by Sam Wenc
Tracks 1-3: Mastered by Andrew Weathers
Track 4: Mixed and Mastered by Andrew Weathers
Vater Unser (Arr. for trombone & string ensemble)
Performers: Jörgen Van Rijen, Camerata RCO
Courtesy of: BIS
Variationen zur Gesundung von Arinuschka
Performer: Marcel Worms
Courtesy of: Zefir Records
Fratres for Strings and Percussion
Performers: Hungarian State Opera Orchestra, Tamás Benedek
Courtesy of: Naxos
Silentium
Performers: A Far Cry with soloists Alexi Kenney and Stefan Jackiw
Courtesy of: A Far Cry
Four pieces by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, a pioneer of “holy minimalism.”
“One of the most haunting, beautiful pieces of music I’ve heard this year.” - Monorail
The album centers around a never-before-released rendition of “Silentium,” the second movement of Pärt’s most famous concerto, Tabula Rasa, performed by Boston-based chamber orchestra A Far Cry. The group plays “Silentium” at nearly half the speed of the best-known version, released on ECM in 1984. The piece, known for its healing properties for the dying and often used in palliative care facilities (one patient famously called it “angel music”), is breathtaking at half speed, seemingly stilling time itself.
The album compiles some of the most stunning renditions of Pärt’s music ever recorded. “Vater Unser (Arr. for trombone & string ensemble)” is somehow warm and austere at once. A miniature epic. Pianist Marcel Worm’s solo version of “Variationen zur Gesundung von Arinuschka” is as beautiful as anything we’ve ever heard. “Fratres for Strings and Percussion” is one of Arvo Pärt’s most celebrated works. The Hungarian State Opera Orchestra’s version is iconic, filled with emotional playing right on the verge of overly romantic, but never tipping over.
Pärt’s approach to both music and life is as sparse as the compositions he creates. He once said, “I have nothing to say… Music says what I need to say. And it is dangerous to say anything, because if I’ve said it already in words there might be nothing left for my music.” Silentium continues Mississippi Records’ fascination with this great contemporary composer.
credits
releases March 21, 2025
Mississippi Records MRI-208
Ajna Offensive FLAME126
front cover painting by Eduard Steinberg "Composition (June 1997)"
back cover painting by Eduard Steinberg "Composition (1992)"
courtesy of Galina Manevich-Steinberg
Layout by Sam Wenc
Tracks 1-3: Mastered by Andrew Weathers
Track 4: Mixed and Mastered by Andrew Weathers
Vater Unser (Arr. for trombone & string ensemble)
Performers: Jörgen Van Rijen, Camerata RCO
Courtesy of: BIS
Variationen zur Gesundung von Arinuschka
Performer: Marcel Worms
Courtesy of: Zefir Records
Fratres for Strings and Percussion
Performers: Hungarian State Opera Orchestra, Tamás Benedek
Courtesy of: Naxos
Silentium
Performers: A Far Cry with soloists Alexi Kenney and Stefan Jackiw
Courtesy of: A Far Cry
