“I have discovered that it is enough when a single note is beautifully played.” Arvo Pärt (b.1935)
Alongside American composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass, the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt is one of the most important representatives of the “minimalist” movement in classical music. Browse our sheet music and scores, and discover all his simple, beautiful, mysterious, spiritual, atmospheric music today!
Pärt began his career at the end of the 50s and start of the 60s as a sound engineer, and also composed music for film and television. His early works were influenced by Russian neoclassicism, in particular the works of Dmitri Shostakovich and Sergei Prokofiev, however he also used various modern composition techniques, such as dodecaphony, serialism, and aleatorism. A turning point came in the 1970s, when he devoted himself intensively to the study of medieval music, chorales and polyphony.
In 1976, Pärt began to use his own minimalist compositional technique, “Tintinnabuli”, named after the Latin word for “little bell”, which generally revolves around a simple triad, or three “little bells”. In the words of the composer:
“Tintinnabulation is like this. Here I am alone with silence. I have discovered that it is enough when a single note is beautifully played. This note, or a silent beat, or a moment of silence comfort me.”
Due to his deep devotion to Christianity, Arvo Pärt’s work includes a great number of religious and spiritual pieces for choir or soloists, either with accompaniment or a cappella. He also wrote many instrumental works, including four symphonies, and a series of piano pieces. Pärt’s music is best characterised by simple motifs, spirituality and atmosphere.
for string quartet (2004/2006)
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 462069
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 226914
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 113494
for: Piano
Item no.: 577598
for: Countertenor oder Alt und Orgel
Item no.: 364791
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 124020
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 182151
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 583529
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 604432
for: für gemischten Chor (SATB) und Orgel
Item no.: 427742
für gemischten Chor a cappella (2007)
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 330775
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 490764
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Organ score
Item no.: 370336
Entstanden zwischen 1965 und 1970 für verschiedene Schauspiel- und Zeichentrickfilme
in estnischen Kinderzimmern ein Klassiker
for: Children's choir, piano
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 649498
for: 4 Singstimmen (Ct/ATTB) a cappella
Vokalpartitur
Item no.: 133058
for: Women's choir (SA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 160014
for: für 7 (8) Blockflöten(SATB) und 3 Triangel ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 113538
Tantsud. Musik für Kindertheater
Veröffentlicht auf CD: ERES-CD 06
Musik aus Estland
for: Piano
Item no.: 389286
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 113508
Clarinet trio based on the 2nd movement of the Piano Sonata
for: Clarinet, cello, piano
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 679829
for: Piano
Item no.: 144913
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 124021
for: 3 choirs (SSAA, SATB, TTBB), string orchestra, prepared piano, tape
Study score
Item no.: 490038
for: 3 Singstimmen (STT), Schlagzeug und Orgel
Partitur und Stimmen
Item no.: 185010
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 603408
for: gemischten Chor (SATB) a cappella
Chorpartitur
Item no.: 225053
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 113992
for: Piano
Music score (spiral binding)
Item no.: 191130
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 113065
for: für Streichquartett
Score, Parts
Item no.: 554627
for: Organ
Single edition
Item no.: 656758
für Flöte, Oboe, Klarinette, Horn und Fagott
for: Flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon (wind quintet)
Set of parts
Item no.: 380202
for: Bläseroktett und Schlagzeug
Score
Item no.: 124017
for: 4 voices [mixed choir], (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 471772
for: Violin, string orchestra, percussion
Study score
Item no.: 444818
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 152171
for: gemischten Chor (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 138887
for: Alto flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 486736
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 492598
Item no.: 577834
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 109351
for: gemischten Chor oder Solisten (SATB) und Orgel
Item no.: 216392
for: Piano 4 hands [2 pianos 4 hands]
Ensemble score
Item no.: 605786
for: 3 solo voices [soprano, counter tenor [alto], tenor), violin, viola, cello
Set of parts
Item no.: 158462
for: Viola, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 207439
for: Double bass, piano
Item no.: 471768
for: Mixed choir (SATB) [4 voices (SATB)]
Choir score
Item no.: 173909
for: für Violine, Röhrenglocke in cis ad lib. und Streicher
Study score
Item no.: 301382