Arvo Part Bio (Biography)
Real name:
Arvo Part
Date of birth:
September 11. 1935
Place of birth:
Paide, Estonia
Astrology Sign:
Virgo
Tags:
Biography
Arvo Part is a minimalist composer in the classical tradition. His works have included neo-classical compositions as well as ones based on the twelve-tone serialist techniques of Schoenberg. He is currently seen as a pioneer of the "mystic minimalist" style, and has written many well known choral works in this style.
Arvo Part was born in Paide, Estonia on September 11, 1935. He started to attend music school when he was seven years old, and began composing at the age of fourteen. In his early years, Arvo Part wrote neo-classical compositions in the style of composers like Bartok and Shostakovich. Attempting to further develop an individual style, Arvo Part began working in the serialist style of Schoenberg, but had great difficulty making anything using this style that satisfied him. After lapsing into an artistic crisis, Arvo Part began to study early Renaissance music and medieval religious music. This, and the further development of his religious life, inspired him to create the personal style that has become his trademark: minimalist music with a religious / sacred bent that operates around simple unchanging rhythms and basic harmonies.
Arvo Part's music has become popular internationally due to a number of recordings that have been released by ECM Records since the early eighties, and Arvo Part's compositions have been frequently used in the scoring of films. Over fifty films use Arvo Part's music, including the recent Palm d'Or winner Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. His popular works include the "Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten" and "Spiegel im Spiegel", both of which have appeared in multiple film soundtracks. Many of his recent compositions are dedicated to particular individuals, such as 2006's "For Lennart", played at the funeral service of Estonian President Lennart Meri, and he has announced that recent works will be performed to commemorate the death of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya.
Since 1980, Arvo Part has lived in Berlin. As of early 2007, Arvo Part continues to live in Berlin and compose.
Arvo Part was born in Paide, Estonia on September 11, 1935. He started to attend music school when he was seven years old, and began composing at the age of fourteen. In his early years, Arvo Part wrote neo-classical compositions in the style of composers like Bartok and Shostakovich. Attempting to further develop an individual style, Arvo Part began working in the serialist style of Schoenberg, but had great difficulty making anything using this style that satisfied him. After lapsing into an artistic crisis, Arvo Part began to study early Renaissance music and medieval religious music. This, and the further development of his religious life, inspired him to create the personal style that has become his trademark: minimalist music with a religious / sacred bent that operates around simple unchanging rhythms and basic harmonies.
Arvo Part's music has become popular internationally due to a number of recordings that have been released by ECM Records since the early eighties, and Arvo Part's compositions have been frequently used in the scoring of films. Over fifty films use Arvo Part's music, including the recent Palm d'Or winner Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. His popular works include the "Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten" and "Spiegel im Spiegel", both of which have appeared in multiple film soundtracks. Many of his recent compositions are dedicated to particular individuals, such as 2006's "For Lennart", played at the funeral service of Estonian President Lennart Meri, and he has announced that recent works will be performed to commemorate the death of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya.
Since 1980, Arvo Part has lived in Berlin. As of early 2007, Arvo Part continues to live in Berlin and compose.