Track Listing

1. Tabula rasa, concerto for 2 violins (or violin & viola), prepared piano & string orchestra: Ludus (With Movement)
2. Tabula rasa, concerto for 2 violins (or violin & viola), prepared piano & string orchestra: Silemtium (Without Movement)
3. Collage over B-A-C-H, for strings, oboe, harpsichord & piano: I. Toccata
4. Collage over B-A-C-H, for strings, oboe, harpsichord & piano: II. Sarabande
5. Collage over B-A-C-H, for strings, oboe, harpsichord & piano: III. Ricercar
6. Symphony No. 3: Movement 1
7. Symphony No. 3: Movement 2
8. Symphony No. 3: Movement 3

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #133979 in Music
• Released on: 2001-01-16
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.com
Along with Fratres, Tabula Rasa is easily the most popular instrumental composition that Estonian composer Arvo Pärt has ever penned. It's no wonder, either. This swirling double concerto for violins, string section, and piano is crammed with sonic drama, as well as quiet moments, making it the perfect showpiece for the composer's meditative tintinnabuli style of composition. Violinists Leslie Hatfield and Rebecca Hirsch deliver an electrifying performance of this work that easily stands alongside interpretations by Gidon Kremer (to whom this piece was dedicated) and others. Compared with Kremer's recordings, the prepared piano sounds a bit muted here, but this is a minor qualm--the violins and Ulster Orchestra steal the show. Going back in time, Collage uber BACH dates from 1964 and shows us how far Pärt's compositional style has evolved over the decades. Dense string textures give way to brief allusions of Bach, though the piece is thoroughly indebted to serialism. Symphony No. 3 from 1971 is one of the composer's lesser-recorded masterpieces, which is a shame because it shows the composer at a crossroads, incorporating elements of modernism, Gregorian chant, and polyphony. The resulting work sounds epic, gripping, and reflective, but ends with an unexpected last gasp of excitement.

Pärt fans won't need much convincing to buy this disc; these are great performances. But every classical CD collection should have at least one disc by the master of "holy minimalism" (and so much more), and this budget-priced disc is just about the perfect introduction to the composer's instrumental works. --Edward Garabedian

Customer Reviews

5 stars to repertoire/performance, 1 to the sound
This time Naxos didn't make too happy. This cd is actually the perfect introduction to Part's music, featuring three of the four steps in the evolution of this composer. In the beginning Part was a stark, albeit very individual, serialist ( mercifully, this aspect is not documented here), then he began to introduce neo-classical elements in his music, with Bach' s severe spirituality as a beacon. This second phase ("collage" style) is documented by the masterful "Bach" collage, a piece that, despite the name, does not sound derivative or patchy at all. It's a little suite that somewhat sounds like Baroque, but at the same time sounds unmistakably modern, especially in the 2nd movement, which starts most gently and then starts to... how could I say? .. growl and snarl like a genetic mutation? (listen and you'll understand what I mean, I promise!) In the following phase Part entirely reverted to Neo-Classical manners, but in a sacred/ancient mood

more than baroque. Although clearly transitional, the 3rd sym. is very good, with a distinct Stravinskian flavour. Finally Part concentrated his styles in the current "tintinnabuli" style, here represented by the magisterial "Tabula Rasa". It's a piece in 2 movements, for string orchestra and "prepared" piano (which sounds like bells, hence the "tintinnabuli" word), where all the Part's better known trademarks are present: alternation of music and (expressive) silences, utterly refined string string textures, a rarefied spirituality and, above all, a sense of timelessness. I know some find it too "minimal" (i.e. boring), I think it's just music that requires a degree of emotional consonance. All the 3 pieces actually receive strong performances here: the Ulster Orchestra does not sound at all like a "regional" ensemble ( beatifully rich and disciplined strings) and their conductor is clearly attuned to the music's idiom. The problem is the recording: while warm and well-detailed, the sound is also excruciatingly hissy, in a way that actually reminded me of analog recordings, even if it's DDD. Weird, and too bad, since this is exactly the kind of music that needs digital silence and, unfortunately, the piece with the loudest hiss is just Tabula Rasa! Altogether a very good&cheap introductory issue if you want to know what Part is about, but if first-class sound is one of your priorities you should switch (like I did ) to the 20/21 Neeme Jarvi (a longtime Part advocate) disc. It has the same items, but it's played even better (one of the soloists is Gil Shaham!) and infinitely better recorded.

Doesn't stand up in comparison
This was the first recording of Tabula Rasa I had heard, and was absolutely blown away, until I heard the Gidon Kremer version on ECM. It's almost a different piece of music. The emotional tone on the ECM captures the extreme tension and beauty of the piece in a way the Naxos fails to do. Also, I know there is a prepared piano here, but I can't detect it -- the atmosphere is augmented immeasurably on the ECM where it is clearly audible. I have been on the whole extremely satisfied with Naxos recordings, but wonder now what I might be missing on others. The Collage uber BACH and 3rd Symphony here are stunning and not to be missed (but then, I haven't heard any other versions yet). Altogether a great introduction to Part's music at the price.

excellent span of part's work
my first thought was that i really don't need another version of part's classic tabula rasa. but at the naxos price, why not?

the performance of the title piece is superb, well up there with ECM recordings of the 80's which first introduced me to part's music.

the fun of discovery lies with the other two compositions- both are before part's signature tintinnabuli style, but still very enjoyable on their own terms. "collage uber bach" is alternately serene and angry. "symphony #3" (described in the liner notes as "transitional") is beautiful, but the liner notes mention another work of the same period that the composer had "withdrawn". argh.

as usual naxos has done a great job on packaging, liner notes and all the little details. my only complaint would be the short CD length, a mere 52 minutes.