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Pushing Boundaries

Kate Molleson explores the extraordinary life and creative trajectory of Arvo Pärt in his 90th birthday year, with his son Michael. Today - the young Pärt’s avant-garde spirit.

Kate Molleson traces Pärt’s avant-garde spirit as he comes of age in Soviet era Estonia.

Composer of the Week celebrates the 90th birthday of Arvo Pärt, one of the world’s most-performed and recognisable living composers. A composer who had the courage to defy Soviet edicts, to spend years searching for answers, to invent a personal language that pivots on past and present, on sound, silence and clarity. Throughout the week, Kate Molleson explores Pärt’s landmark works and extraordinary story in conversation with his son Michael. And researchers from the Arvo Pärt Centre in Laulasmaa, Estonia provide exclusive insights into Pärt’s more personal archive.

Today, Kate and Michael discuss Pärt’s creative beginnings, from writing children’s songs to seeking out “forbidden” modernist music as a student. His avant-garde curiosity would lead him to write the first 12-tone work in Estonia, but also get him into trouble with the Composers’ Union.

Littlemore Tractus (excerpt)
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir
Tallinn Chamber Orchestra
Tõnu Kaljuste, conductor

The Deer’s Cry
VOCES8

Songs from Childhood (I Am Already Big; Mommy’s Kiss)
Artur Aadma, vocals
Hele Ann Vrager, vocals
Estonian Radio Children’s Choir
Mihkel Poll, piano

Symphony No 1 (“Polyphonic” (i. Canons)
NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic
Tonu Kaljuste, conductor

Sonatina No 1 (ii. Larghetto)
Jeroen van Veen, piano

Nekrolog
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Paavo Järvi, conductor

Collage über BACH
Tapiola Sinfonietta
Jean-Jacques Kantorow, conductor

Produced by Amelia Parker for ѿý Audio Wales and West

Release date:

59 minutes

On radio

Next Monday 16:00

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