Pärt: Summa

The English Renaissance master William Byrd and the Baltic innovator Arvo Pärt have much more in common than just one-syllable last names. Both draw on the compositional technique of the Middle Ages and Renaissance and are featured together on this recording by the Calefax Reed Quintet, a one-of-a-kind Dutch wind ensemble. Their music also finds a strong vocal advocate in this splendid performance by the countertenor Kai Wessel.

Celebrating the serene mysticism of the music of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, this 2CD collection brings together his best known works (such as the ever-popular Spiegel im Spiegel) , with lesser known masterpieces (such as the haunting Burns setting My Heart’s in the Highlands).

Largely drawn from the Decca and Deutsche Grammophon catalogues, this collection includes seven brand new recordings with Nigel Short conducting the award-winning Tenebrae in Cantate Domino and the English Chamber Orchestra in orchestral works including the famous Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten – an outstanding example of Pärt’s ‘tintinnabulation’ style.

This collection of recordings illuminates two different sides of violinist Tasmin Little’s accomplished playing. While the Brahms and Sibelius Concertos are a testament to her technical skill and breadth of expression, the Pärt works display a more pared-back approach, making full use of Little’s pure and resonant tone.

Chamber Choir Voces Musicales, Tallinn Sinfonietta / Risto Joost Chamber choir Voces Musicales was founded in 1999 by Risto Joost mainly from the students of the Estonian Academy of Music. Audiences received the choir well already during the first season, which was highlighted by prizes from several competitions. In April 2001, as a great acknowledgment Voces Musicales won 1st prize in the category of chamber choirs at the international choir competition Tallinn 2001. Success in the Tallinn choir competition was continued by another victory in 2005, when besides two 2nd prizes in minor categories the choir also won the Grand Prix.

The repertoire of the choir includes music from Renaissance polyphonies to contemporary compositions. Voces Musicales has been a guest performer at festivals in France, Israel and Finland and has participated in the performance of several oratorical works. The choir has premièred the compositions of several composers (Toivo Tulev, Helena Tulve, Timo Steiner, Ülo Krigul, etc). Voces Musicales has co-operated with conductors Neeme Järvi, Olari Elts, Arvo Volmer, Andres Mustonen, Jüri Alperten and orchestras such as the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Corelli Baroque Orchestra, NYYD Ensemble, Hortus Musicus, Pärnu City Orchestra. In autumn 2009, the choir celebrated their 10th anniversary with a jubilee concert.

Arvo Pärt has concentrated on setting religious texts, which have proved popular with choirs and ensembles around the world. Among his champions in the West have been ECM Records who released the first recordings of Pärt’s music outside the Soviet bloc, Hilliard Ensemble who have premièred several of the vocal works, and Neeme Järvi who conducted the première of Credo in Tallinn in 1968, and has, as well as recording the tintinnabuli pieces, introduced Pärt’s earlier compositions through performances and recordings.