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October15,2010

TheSoundofSpirit
ByARTHURLUBOW

EmigratingfromtheSovietUniontotheWestinJanuary1980withhiswife,Nora,
andtheirtwosmallsons,theEstoniancomposerArvoPrtwasstoppedbyborderpoliceat
theBrestrailroadstationforaluggagesearch.Wehadonlysevensuitcases,fullofmy
scores,recordsandtapes,herecalledrecently.Theysaid,Letslisten.Itwasabigstation.
Nooneelsewasthere.WetookmyrecordplayerandplayedCantus.Itwaslikeliturgy.
Thentheyplayedanotherrecord,MissaSyllabica.Theyweresofriendlytous.Ithinkitis
thefirsttimeinthehistoryoftheSovietUnionthatthepolicearefriendly.Hewasjoking,
butnotentirely.Later,whenIaskedNoraaboutthatstrangesceneattheborder,shesaid,
Isawthepowerofmusictotransformpeople.
Mostcontemporarycomposersaimtoravishtheearortotickle(orboggle)themind.Prtis
playingforhigherstakes.Hewantstotouchsomethingthathewouldcallthesoul,andtoa
remarkableextent,heissucceeding.WhenIwouldmentiontofriendsoracquaintancesthat
IwaswritingaboutPrt,Iwassurprisedathowmanyresponded,Oh,IloveArvoPrt!Its
notsomethingyouoftenhearwhenyoumentionacontemporarycomposer.Theenthusiasm
forPrtsmusicextendsbeyondthecirclesofclassicalmusic(whereheissometimes
deridedasbackwardlookingandboring)toincludeadmirersinthepopmusicworld,like
MichaelStipeofR.E.M.andBjork.ManyofPrtspiecesaresettingsofreligioustexts,and
eventheinstrumentalworksbearawhiffofchurchincense.Yetthecompositionsresonate
profoundlyfortheunconvertedaswellasthefaithful.Itsacleansingofallthenoisethat
surroundsus,saystheviolinistGidonKremer.Itismusicthatrevealsitselfgradually,with
aharmonicstillnessthatconjuresupanalternativetohecticeverydayexistence.Iwas
attractedtotheunbelievablecalmandbrillianceofhismusic,andaseemingsimplicity,
Stipetoldme.Asamusicianandanartist,yourealizethatwithinitssimplicity,its
incrediblycomplex.Itbringsonetoatotalmeditativestate.Itsamazing,amazingmusic.
Prt(pronouncedPAIRT)writesinastylethatisunmistakablyhisown.Youputonapiece
andyoucantellatonceitisPrteventheearlypieces,saystheEstonianbornconductor
NeemeJarvi,whohasknownPrtsince1960.YoucantellthatwithShostakovichor
Khatchaturian,butwedonthavemanycomposersthesedayswhohavethatabilitytoshow,
Thisisme.AlthoughPrtsmusicisoftencomparedtotheGregorianchantina
monasteryortheearlypolyphonicmusicoftheRenaissance,youcouldjustaseasilylikenit
totheabstractpaintingsofMondrian.Itisgovernedbyverystrictrulesinaframeworkso
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simpleandclearthatanydeviationasingledissonantnoteoranunexpectedpausecan
beasgalvanizingasasmall,yellowrectangleinapaintedgrid.
Lastmonth,Prtmarkedhis75thbirthday,andtheeventwascelebratedwithafestivalof
hismusicthroughoutEstonia,where,saystheyoungerEstoniancomposerErkkiSvenTuur,
heisalivinglegend.Therewereperformancesofrecentaswellasfamiliarpieces,a
reminderthatPrt,anenergeticmanwithareedyvoice,lopinggaitanderectposture,
showsfewsignsofslowingdown.ECMNewSeries,whichwasinaugurated26yearsago
withhisbreakthroughworkTabulaRasa,likewisebalancedtheoldandnew,releasinga
firstrecordingofPrtsFourthSymphony(whichwaspremieredin2009bytheLosAngeles
Philharmonic)andpreparingtoissueadeluxecommemorativeeditionofTabulaRasain
December.Thisyear,PrtsmajornewworkisAdamsLament,a25minutepiecefor
stringorchestraandchorus,basedonanoldRussiantext.(AdamsLamentwillhaveits
firstNorthAmericanperformancenextmonthinNewYork,aspartoftheWhiteLight
FestivalatLincolnCenter.)
InonebirthdayfestivalconcertthatIattended,inanoldchurchintheEstoniancapitalof
Tallinn,alongstemmedredrosewashandedtoeachoftheplayersandthentothe
composer,whoboundeduptothestage,playfullyboppingtheheadsofthemusicianswith
hisfloralbaton.Belyinghismythologizedpublicreputationassolemnandmonklike,Prt
disarminglyblendstheanticwiththeearnest.Beforewemet,Icouldcomprehendthe
impulsetocasthiminareligiousmold(althoughforme,withhisaquilinenose,furrowed
browandgrayfleckedblackbeard,adifferentholyprototypecomestomindoneofthe
apostlesaspaintedbyTintoretto).Appearancenotwithstanding,heisneitheranasceticnor
arecluse.Hesamanoftheworld,saysManfredEicher,theECMfounderandrecord
producer,whoishisclosefriend.Heisverycentered.Heknowsexactlywhathewantsand
doesntwant.
Heisalsoforthrightonworldlymattersthathedeemsimportant.HededicatedtheFourth
SymphonylastyeartoMikhailKhodorkovsky,whowasanoiloligarchbeforeheranafoulof
VladimirPutin,theformerpresidentandcurrentpremierofRussiasince2003,
Khodorkovskyhasbeenimprisonedforfraudandtaxevasion.Andafterthemurder,in
October2006,oftheoutspokeninvestigativejournalistAnnaPolitkovskaya,whosearticles
embarrassedbothPutinandtheproMoscowgovernmentinChechnya,Prtdeclaredthat
allconcertsofhismusicthatseasonwouldbeperformedinhermemory.Hevolunteeredto
methatheknewthatinmakingsuchgestureshewasventuringoutsidehisrecognized
bailiwick.IamnotapoliticianImadilettante,hesaid.Butthisisthenormalthinkingof
peoplewhocamethroughthisSoviethell.
In1992,onceEstonianindependencehadbeenproclaimedupontheashesoftheSoviet
Union,Prtandhiswifecamebacktoseetheirnativeland.Theyhadspent12yearsinexile,
mainlyinBerlin.IaskedhimifhefoundEstoniaverydifferentonhisreturn.
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Itwasnearlythesameaswhenweleft,hesaid.Samefunctionarieshavechangedtheir
color.Somepeoplesaythatafterbeingoccupiedbyanotherstate,youneedforhealingthe
sameamountoftimeasyouwereoccupied.Soweneed50yearsandEastGermany48
years.
Hechuckled.Therewassomekindofenthusiasm,headded.
Liketeenager,Norachimedin.Wewereinacar,withArvodrivingusfromthevillagein
thecountrywheretheyspendmostoftheirtimebacktoTallinn,inwhichtheykeepa
spaciousapartmentintheOldTown.
Nowwearefree,Prtmimicked,withatonethatwasbothwistfulandamused.Navea
littlebit.Butthereallifeissomethingdifferent.Thencomesthedifficulties.Newbandits.
Atthispoint,adifferentstrainofhispersonalitysounded.Thereisagoodruleinspiritual
life,whichweallforgetcontinually,hesaid,thatyoumustseemoreofyourownsinsthan
otherpeoples.HeremarkedthatthesumofhumansinhasbeengrowingsinceAdams
time,andweallsharesomeoftheblame.SoIthinkeveryonemustsaytohimself,We
mustchangeourthinking.Wecannotseewhatisintheheartofanotherperson.Maybehe
isaholyman,andIcanseeonlythatheiswearingawrongjacket.
Someweekslater,Ithoughtbackonthisconversationandreflectedthatinitstwoparallel
linesoneworldlyandcritical,theotherforgivingandtolerantPrtwasrecapitulating
thetwomusicalvoicesofthetintinnabulistyleofcomposition,whichhediscoveredafter
yearsofpainfulsearchinginthe1970s,andwhichhasguidedhismusiceversince.
TheArvoPrtCenterislocatednearthePrtscountryhome,inanewlybuiltnouveau
richeresidencethatconvenientlybecameavailableinaforeclosuresalewhentherecession
hit.Thehousenowsheltersthecentersadministrativeoffices,andtheformergaragehas
beenrenovatedintoaclimatecontrolledarchive.
ThePrtsyoungerson,Michael,whowasworkingabroadasafilmmusiceditor,returned
toEstoniatwoyearsagotobecomethedirectorofthecenter.Michael,whois32,showed
methemanuscriptsthatarethejewelofthearchive,withaspecialplaceforhisfathers
spiralnotebooksofthe70s,whichhadbeenreinforcedinthoseimpoverishedtimeswith
whateverwasavailable,likescrapsofleatherordenimfromoldjeans.TheacidintheSoviet
recycledpaperisleachingawaythebrightlycoloredfelttippedpeninkthatthecomposer
usedtotryoutdifferentharmonicaccompanimentstohismelodiesthecentersmost
pressingpriority,occupyingtheattentionofthreestaffmembers,istoscanthesepagesinto
digitalimages.
Alittlelater,Prtjoinedusandbroughtphotostatsofa1976notebooktoshowme.Along
withmusicalnotations,therewerecommentsinEstonian,Russian,Latin,Germanand
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Englishthatrecordedhisthoughtsaswellasquotesfromtexts.Hereadafewaloud,
translatingthemintoEnglishforme.Thecollectionofenergymustbethegroundof
form,herecited,andlaughed.WhatitmeansIdonotknow.Suchwordsare
embellishmentstothebulkofthejournals,whicharefilledwithmusicalnotes.Iwrote
thousandsandthousandsofpages,herecalled,tothinkinmusicallanguage,What
happenedhere?Whyonemelodymakesthisimpressionandtracesthespirit,andanother
not?Everyday,10or20pagesormore.Thiswasmywork,everyday.Nowayout.
Beforethislongordeal,musichadcomeeasilytohim.Thesonofaheavymachinery
operatorwholeftwhenArvowas2,Prtmovedintoamoreculturedmilieuoncehismother
remarriedafewyearslater.Hisstepfatherwasacommercialsignpainterinthefamily
housewereaconcertpianoandastashofscores.Thepianowaslackingmanykeysinthe
middleregisterlikea5yearoldchildwithteethmissing,Prttoldme.Butevenwith
thisdilapidatedinstrument,hedemonstratedhistalent.Hismusicalabilitypropelledhimto
apositionasadrummerwhenhewasdraftedintotheSovietArmy,andlatertoaplaceat
themusicalacademyinTallinn.Therehebecameknownassomeonetowatchwhich,in
theSovietUnion,wasamixedblessing.
Asayoungman,Prtcomposedmusicthatwasexuberantlyandaggressivelymodern.In
1962,hisfirstorchestralpiece,Nekrolog,wasalsothefirstEstonian12tonemusictobe
performedasPrtsbiographerPaulHillierrecounts,itstirredgreatcontroversy,earninga
specificdenunciationinMoscowasavantgardebourgeoismusicbytheformidable
musicalarbiterTikhonKhrennikov,secretaryoftheUnionofSovietComposers.Serial
musicwasjustoneofthestylesthatPrtwasexploring.Innumerousworksofmusical
collage,acompositionalapproachthatwaspopularwithShostakovichandotherSoviet
composers,heincorporatedpassagesofshrilldissonance.Somepieceswerenonsensically
Dadaesque:inhisSecondSymphony,themusiciansatcertainpointsareinstructedto
crinklepiecesofbrownwrappingpaperortosqueakchildrenstoys.
Otherworksweremorepoliticallyprovocative.In1968,hecausedanuproarwhenhis
choralpieceCredowaspremiered.Thistime,theLatintextitproclaims,Ibelievein
JesusChristiswhatoutragedthedevoutlyatheisticauthorities.NeemeJarvi,who
conductedthesoleSovietperformance,toldme:Thelawwasthatyoufirsthadtoshowthe
scoretothecomposersunion.Ididnt.Ithoughttheywouldntletus.TheEstonian
Philharmonicorganizationsaid,Letsdoit.Nextmorningitwasabigscandalinthe
PolitburoofEstonia.Thenthepressurestarts.Somepeopleweresackedfromthe
Philharmonicorganization.Hesaysthatheretainedhispositionbecausenoonewas
availabletoreplacehim,butthatthescandaldriedupPrtsofficialcommissions,forcing
himtorelyonwritingfilmscorestoearnaliving.
Inretrospect,whatismostimportantaboutCredoisthatinit,Prtdescribedinmusical
termsthecrisisthatwasafflictinghim.Thecompositionjuxtaposesalovelyharmonic
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progressionfromBachsPreludeinCwithviolentlydiscordantmusic.Iwantedtoput
togetherthetwoworldsofloveandhate,heexplained.IknewwhatkindofmusicIwould
writeforhate,andIdidit.Butforlove,Iwasnotabletodoit.Thatwaswhatdrewhimto
theideaofborrowingBachsthemeandincorporatingitintoacollage.Likeatonepoem,
Credodramatizesastory,inthiscaseascenefromtheNewTestament.AsPrtexplained,
ItwasmydeepconvictionthatthewordsofChristYouhaveheardaneyeforaneye,a
toothforatooth,butIsaytoyou,Donotresistevil,gowithlovetoyourenemiesthiswas
atheologicalmusicalform.Lovedestroyedthehate.Notdestroyed:thehatecollapseditself
whenitmetthelove.Aconvulsion.SoitisinCredo.Earlyon,thepieceintroducesthe
Bachquotation,thenotesevolveintoasequencethatistransformedfollowingtherulesof
12tonemusicandtheneruptsintodissonanceandclashingbeforesubsidingonceagain
intoagentlerepriseofthePrelude.
AfterCredo,Prtstoppedcomposing.Henolongerbelievedinthemusicalformshehad
dependedon.Ithinkifthehumanhasconflictinhissoulandwitheverything,thenthis
systemof12tonemusicisexactlygoodforthis,hetoldme.Butifyouhavenomore
conflictwithpeople,withtheworld,withGod,thenitisnotnecessary.Youhavenoneedto
haveaBrowninginyourpocket,oradagger.Oneday,aroundthattime,hethinksperhaps
itwasinabookstore,heheardasnippetofGregorianchantplayingonaradioitwaslikea
windowopeningontoanotherworld.Inonemomentitwasclearhowmuchdeeperand
morepureisthisworld,hecontinued.Everyonehasmanyantennae,andtheycatchwhat
wecannotevenregisterinourminds.Butthefeelingisclear.Inhisobsessivelythorough
way,hebegantostudymonodythesinglelineofGregorianplainsongandthebirthof
WesternpolyphonyinmedievalandearlyRenaissancemusic.Hefilledhisnotebookswith
ancientmelodies.
Iaskedifhisattractiontoreligiousmusicdrewhimintothechurch,butthatwasa
distinctionhedidntrecognize.Thereisnoborderthatdivided,hesaid.Religionandlife
itisallthesame.HewasreadingearlyChristianwritingswhilehewasimmersing
himselfinmusicalstudy.Theoldmusic,whenitwaswritten,thefocusofthismusicwas
theHolyScriptureforcomposersforcenturies,hesaid.Itwastherealityforeveryartist.
Throughone,youcanunderstandtheother.Otherwise,youarelikesometeachersinthe
SovietUnionwhosay,Bachwasagreatcomposerbuthehadadefecthewasreligious.It
meansthisteachercannotunderstandthemusicofBach.
Atthistimeofspiritualsearching,hemetNora,amusicalconductor,whowasembarkedon
asimilarquest.OfJewishorigin,shewasplanningtoimmigratetoIsraelwithherparents,
butaftermeetingPrt,shechosetostaybehind.In1972,sheenteredtheRussianOrthodox
Churchafewmonthsbeforehedid,andinthatyear,theymarried.Wehadthesame
journeyinthesamedirectionwehadthefeelingwemustdoittogether,hesaid.Ever
since,theyhaveformedatightknitunit,speakinginonevoicetotheoutsideworld.
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Duringthefirstyearsoftheirmarriage,Norawatchedherhusbandstruggletofindhisway
outofhismusicalimpasse.Prttoldmehefeltthatthetoolshehadwereinadequate:I
cannoteatsoupwithaforkormeatwithaspoon.Hewassearchingforanewsystem,one
thatwouldprovidethekindoflogicalframeworkthat12tonemusicoffersbutwouldallow
himtoexpresshisevolvingstateofsmallstepsoftolerancetotheworld.Duringthis
periodofexploration,someonesuggestedthattoescapehiscreativestalemate,heneededto
disrupthisnormalhabits.Toencouragethatdislocation,thePrtsexperimentedwithvisual
arttheywouldprovideplainclayflowerpotstovisitingfriends,andtheywouldallpaint
them.AttheArvoPrtCenter,thereisonespecimenofthecomposershandiwork,andit
standsapartfromthegroup.Otherpeopledaubedtheirpotswithbrightsplotches.Hisis
decoratedwithperfectlyregular,mutedcolorbands.
Forseveralyears,hestudiedoldmusic,especiallyGregorianplainsong.Nothingchangedin
me,butIinstinctivelyfeelithasalifegivingpower,hesaid.Butwhereisthissecret?
Whereisthissecret?Hewasfollowingmanydifferentalleys,allofthemblind.AsNora
recalled,Webothdontknowinwhatdirectiontolooknature,forest,birds,bells.For
Arvo,theseagullwasimportant.Hewantedthelineofpoweroftheirflight.Howdothey
havesomuchpower?Maybeitisintheselines.Hedrewpatternsofnotesthatmimicked
themotionsofwings.Thatwasnottheanswer.
Ihoped,ofcourse,thatIcanfindthewayout,butalsothehopelesswasaneveryday
guest,Prttoldme.AndIwasfullofenergy.ItwaspossiblethatIexplodefromallofthis
situation.Duringthatperiod,hewroteonlyonepieceofmusic,theThirdSymphony(1971),
atransitionalwork.Mostly,hestudied.AndmaybetherewasonepointwhenIsaid,Stop
withthisoldmusicasacomposer.Nowinthisplacemustbebornsomethingofmine
fromeverythingthatIhavelearnedinoldmusic,inreligion,inlife,andhowmuchIwas
abletoseemyownsinsandimperfections,andtorepentit.Tosay,Yes.Andifyoudo,then
itislikewhenyouareonacomputer,andyouwriteatextandthenyoupresssomething
anditisempty.Butitisagoodthing.Beginfromzero,fromnothing.Itslikeifthereisa
freshsnowandnobodyhaswalked,andyoutakethefirststepsonthissnow.Andthisisthe
beginningofnewlife.
Prtsmaturestylewasinauguratedin1976withasmallpianopiece,FrAlina,that
remainsoneofhisbestknownworks.Itisgovernedbythecompositionalsystemthathe
calledtintinnabuli,derivedfromtheLatinwordforbells.Thetintinnabulimethodpairs
eachnoteofthemelodywithanotethatcomesfromaharmonizingchord,sotheyring
togetherwithbelllikeresonance.Butthenameofthemethodshouldnotbetakentoo
literally.Itsametaphor,Prttoldme.Hiswifechimedin,Itspoetical,andthesoundof
thewordismusical.
Iwonderedwhomthepiecewasnamedfor.Alinaisthedaughterofourverygoodfriend
whovisitedusinTallinn,Prtsaid.Andthisday,astheyvisitedus,themotherofAlina
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hasabirthday.ButAlina,thedaughter,wasnotwithher.ShelefttheSovietUnionsome
yearsagowithherfatherandlivedinLondon.Andtherewasnoconnection,anditwashard
forall.AndthenIdecidedtodedicatethissmallpianopiecetoAlina,likeasmall
consolation.
Irepliedthatthissuggestedanothermetaphor,becausethetintinnabulistyleespeciallyin
thesimpleforminwhichitexistsinFrAlinaconsistsoftwolines.Themelody,which
proceedsmainlyinstepsupanddownthescale,mightbecomparedtoachildtentatively
walking.Thesecondlineunderpinseachnoteofthemelodywithanotefromaharmonizing
triad(thefundamentalchordofWesternmusic)thatispositionedascloseaspossibletothe
noteofthemelody,butalwaysbelow.Youcouldimaginethisaccompanimenttobea
motherwithherhandsoutstretchedtoensurehertoddlerdoesntfall.
Prtgrabbedmyownhandwithexcitement.Thisisthewholesecretoftintinnabuli,he
exclaimed.Thetwolines.Onelineiswhoweare,andtheotherlineiswhoisholdingand
takescareofus.SometimesIsayitisnotajoke,butalsoitisasajoketakenthatthe
melodiclineisourreality,oursins.Buttheotherlineisforgivingthesins.Metaphors
aside,thetintinnabulistyleprovedtobeaningeniousandfertilesystemforgenerating
compositions.Fromthelate70sonward,afterhislongdrought,Prthasbeenanextremely
productivecomposer.
WhilePrtsmusicisoftencategorized(althoughnotbyhim)asminimalist,itavoidsthe
monotonyofsomeofthepiecesthatgobythatlabelandtoooftensoundasthoughthey
werestitchedtogetherbyasewingmachine.Thisisprimarilybecausetherulesthatbindthe
triadictothemelodiclineproduceunexpectedoutcomesconsequently,themusicseemsto
move,evenif,remaininginthehomekey,itneverreallygoesveryfar.Butitisalso
importantthatPrt,afanaticfordetail,painstakinglyadjustseachscoretoachievethe
resultheisafter.
Inthefirsttintinnabulipieces,Prtwasnotthinkingaboutperformances,and(aswith
medievalmusic)hisnotationwassparse.Hesteppedoutpubliclyin1977withTabula
Rasa.Hisfriend,theconductorEriKlas,waslookingforaworktoaccompanya
performanceofAlfredSchnittkesFirstConcertoGrosso,whichwaswrittenfortwoviolins,
harpsichord,preparedpianoandstringorchestra.HeaskedPrtifhecoulddeliverapiece
inthreemonthswiththesameorchestration.Thecomposercomplied(eliminatingthe
harpsichord).Whenthenewpiecearrived,theorchestraplayersandtheviolinsoloists,
GidonKremerandTatjanaGrindenko,werebewildered.Wewereallabitsurprisedbythe
emptypictureofthescore,Kremertoldme.Itwasalltonalandsotransparent.Therewere
sofewnotes.
Thenightoftheconcert,theauditoriuminTallinnwasfull.Havinghadonlytwodaysof
rehearsal,themusicianswerefilledwithapprehension.Theycametotheconcertexpecting
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acatastrophe,evenGidonKremerandTatjanaGrindenko,whoputalltheirtalentonevery
note,especiallythesecondpart,theslowpart,Prtsaid.Anditwasamagnetforthe
orchestra,andtheytookoverthisarticulation.Anditwaswonderful.Itwassostillthatthe
peoplecouldnotbreatheorcough,itwoulddisrupt.Itwaswithmethesamefeeling.My
heartbeatwassonoisythatIthoughteveryonecouldhear.ThecomposerTuur,whowas
stillateenager,wasintheaudiencethatnight.Iwascarriedbeyond,hetoldme.Ihadthe
feelingthateternitywastouchingmethroughthismusic.Inthescore,Prtwrotean
exceptionallylongfourmeasuresofrestattheendofthepiece,butthesilencewentoneven
longer.Nobodywantedtostartclapping,Tuursaid.
WhenyoulistentoTabulaRasa,thesilencethatisbeingbrokenisaspalpableasthe
musicbeingplayeditislikethevoidthatisshapedbyabowl.Thetwoviolinspiercewith
catlikedelicacyandpurpose.Thepiano(whichisalteredandamplifiedtoproducethe
timbreofabellorgong)streaksrepeatedlylikeraindropsonawindshieldandknells
occasionallywithaportentousclang.Thechamberorchestraweavesawebofsustained
notesthatshimmerandglisten.Ifyouwerefloatinginspacelookingdownonearth,thisis
whatyouwouldwantinyourheadphones.WritinginTheNewYorkereightyearsago,Alex
RossreportedthatTabulaRasawasoftenrequestedbyterminallyillpatientsafflicted
withAIDSorcancer.
ItwasTabulaRasathatECMsEicherheard,comingovertheradioonalatenightdrive
hewasmakingfromStuttgarttoZurichandwhichsotransfixedhimthathepulledonto
thesideoftheroadtolistenmoreclosely.Eventually,hetrackeddownthenameofthepiece
andthecomposer,andhecontactedPrt.Becausehislabelupuntilthenwasdevotedtojazz
andimprovisedmusic,EicherstartedtheNewSeriestoreleasecomposedworks,with
TabulaRasathefirst.Sincethattime,hehasproduced11morerecordingsdevotedto
Prtsmusic,alwayswiththecomposersparticipation.IthasbeenPrtsmainavenueto
internationalrecognition.
CriticsofPrtsworkusuallycomplainthatitisersatzandsimpleminded.Butunlike
somesocalledholyminimalists(likeHenrykGoreckiandJohnTavener)withwhomheis
unfairlygrouped,Prtcomposesbyaprocessthatisasrigorouslysystematicasanything
propoundedbySchoenberg.Heisnotanoldfashionedcomposerbutacontemporaryone.
Withouthishavingtraveledthroughserialmusic,itishardtoimaginethathecouldhave
arrivedathismethod.
MuchofwhatPrtwritesischoralmusic.Althoughhiscompositionsareintendedfor
concertperformanceandnotreligiousservice,inoneregardheismedieval:hisacute
sensitivitytotextsrecallstheGregorianchantshesoadmires.Butheretoo,his
mathematicalbrainisatwork.Heappliesasetofprinciplestodeterminethephrasingofa
piece:sothatinPassio,asettingofthePassionaccordingtoSt.John,whichdatesfrom
1982andisoneofhismajoraccomplishments,hegivesadifferentdurationvalueto
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differentsyllables,dependingonthesyllablesrelationshiptopunctuationmarksinthe
sentences.Asimilaroperatingsystemisusedininstrumentalworksthatarederivedfrom
texts,likethesecondmovementoftheFourthSymphonyastheconductorTonuKaljuste
observes,Behindthisstringmusiciswordstheypraybetweennotes.
Sincehetypicallywritesnowinresponsetocommissions,Prtorchestrateshisworkwitha
detailthathedidntapplyintheearlydays,whenhismusicwasplayingmainlyinhisown
heador,ifitwasperformed,couldbeadaptedtowhatevermusicalforceswereavailable.
Itwasmusicwithoutcolors,Prtexplainedtome.Whateverinstrumentsyouhadin
Tallinn,youplayedatthattime.Themorerecentmusicalsosoundsfreerthansomeofthe
olderwork.Before,thealgebrawasmostimportant,Kaljustesays.Nowthealgebra
becomesmoreorganic.Thelanguagehecreatedhasstartedtobreathe.
OverlunchwiththePrts,Iaskedifhismusichadbecomelessconfinedbyguidelines.
Thefirstperiodwasverystrict,Norasaid.ItwasveryimportantforArvotogivehimselfa
system,rulesanddiscipline.Andovertime,Arvohadmoreandmorefreedom.
Ibelievedinmyselfmoreandmore,hesaid.Thenheadded:Itcanbegoodorbad.Itis
dangerous,thisfreedom.
Withoutdiscipline,freedomisverydangerous,Norasaid,withemphasis.
Insomeway,wegobacktothetintinnabuli,Arvoresumed.Onelineislikefreedom,and
thetriadlineislikediscipline.Itmustworktogether.
BackatthePrtCenter,shortlybeforethislunch,Prthaddescribedtomehisattractionto
earlymusicandhisexodusfromthecampofcontemporary12toneandatonalmusic.
Actually,musicisaverymaterialthing,hesaid.Whenyouplaythedissonancebetween
twostringsavery,verypainfuldissonancethenitissomethingverycertain.Andwhen
youplayatuneontheviolinandthefifthisclean,thenthereisnoothervibration.Itslike
anoscilloscopewhenyouseeitgoesflat.
Isaidthatwhenamedicaloscilloscopewentflat,thepatientwasdead.
Helaughed.Thisisaresurrectionforpurityfromimpurity.
Hewalkedtothepianoinacorneroftheroomandcrashedoutsomelouddissonantchords,
abedlamofblackandwhitekeys.Thenheusedtwofingerstopickouttwowhitekeysand
playanopenfifth,anintervalthatisafundamentalmusicalconsonance,asoundthat
soothesandresolves.
Wereaditinourheartsandminds,hesaid.Andyoucanchoose.Thecomposercan
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25/1/2015

ArvoPrt,theSoundofSpiritNYTimes.com

choosewhatheneeds.Thisisveryprimitiveexplaining,butitisso.Whocansayitisnot
so?
ArthurLubowisacontributingwriterforthemagazine.Hislastarticlewasabouttheartist
TinoSehgal.

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