This chapter is dedicated to exploring various aesthetic philosophies, concepts, and ideas drawn from nearly 15 years of immersion in culture, art, and philosophy. My fascination with ECM—a record label known for its distinctive sound—sparked my interest in how music can evoke vivid images and moods. The serene and tranquil qualities of ECM’s recordings have always painted a particular picture in my mind, and many of the composers and improvisers featured on the label seem to embrace these same aesthetic principles, which will be discussed in this chapter, in their work. With Arvo Pärt being the start of New Series, I wanted to add a chapter to describe these concepts, to use them as firestarters with combination of previously discussed material. I believe the connection of certain philosophies that will be presented this chapter, the concepts of silence and space and the music that has been presented in this chaper, altough coming from very different backgrounds, on an intellectual level and artistically can be connected.

 

During my exploration of these ideas, I also discovered a design trend called Japandi1, which blends Japanese aesthetic style and Scandinavian functionatlity in interior design. This revelation made it clear to me that similar aesthetic connections are emerging across different creative fields. The more I delved into these ideas, the more I integrated them into my daily life and artistic output, realizing that these philosophies are adaptable to all forms of art, especially music.


While I’m not certain if Arvo Pärt intentionally aligned with these philosophies, his music—and several recordings from the ECM catalogue—clearly reflect these principles somehow. In this chapter, I’ll outline some key concepts and the connection with my original works. Even brief descriptions of these philosphies can ignite creative sparks, serving as an additional source of inspiration to connect certain images with sound and help guide my ongoing artistic journey, and hopefuly anyone who reads this thesis. These are meditations on the ideas, a beginning for future creations with them as basis. Most of these thought are coming from reading, contemplating and analysing selected sources on the topic, which can be found in Bibliography section. The previous chapters being more technical and focused on sound (or silence), I wanted to dedicate a chapter to a way of thinking, which I believe is not being discussed enough in academia and it is essential for new inspirations, or to create a new way of thinking.

Chapter III . Philosophies | Concepts


 

  • Wabi Sabi


    In traditional Japanese aesthetics, Wabi-Sabi is a world view centred on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of appreciating beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete" in nature. It is prevalent in many forms of Japanese art. 


    “Wabi” and “Sabi” are terms describing the sense of beauty in Japan. In general, they refer to simplicity and serenity. Originally, Wabi and Sabi were two different concepts. Wabi and Sabi comprise a sensibility heavily influenced by Zen Buddhism. They are essentials, must be treated separately, understood individually and then which could help to understand deeper connections. In Zen philosophy there are seven aesthetic principles, as below, for achieving Wabi and Sabi. (Juniper 2003)


    In traditonal Japanese Garden design, these 7 aspects of Wabi Sabi is always incorporated. These 7 main elements are:

 Yūgen (幽玄): Subtly profound grace, not obvious.

The invisible is more important compared to the obvious. It usually enchances what is obvious. The hidden details, or concealed structures generate a sense of awe. This is can found in many things, ranging from forests, sunsets and nature in general. Landscapes are somehow concealed, playing with areas comes with surprises, a lake mirrors certain shadows, the associations of textures indicate elements etc. Even though it is part of the 7 principles of Wabi Sabi, Yūgen has a special place.


 

Yūgen is an important concept in traditional Japanese aesthetics, found in many disciplines. The exact translation of the word depends on the context. Generally it means mysterious.

 

I treat Yūgen as a destination so to say, through portals. Certain images creates these passages. It also suggests that which is beyond what can be said, but it is not an allusion to another world. It is about this world, this experience. According to Zeami Motokiyo, all of the following are portals to yūgen, which I find profoundly beautiful and descriptive:

 

"To watch the sun sink behind a flower-clad hill.

To wander on in a huge forest without thought of return. To stand upon the shore and gaze after a boat that disappears behind distant islands. To contemplate the flight of wild geese seen and lost among the clouds.

And, subtle shadows of bamboo on bamboo." 

 

As a task for myself, I have started writing similar thoughts, that evoke a certain feeling that I attach to yūgen. The more attenion I paid towards experiences, the more I reached to that destination. For instance:

 

- A cold and bright sunrise, in perfect silence. Turning the sky into shades of blue and purple.

 

- A personal experience that I have encountered in Norway. The eerie whistling of a frozen lake in darkness, in midst of a snow storm.

 

 Gunter Nitschke, wrote in his book titled Japanese Gardens, “Yugen suggests an elegant beauty concealing profound depth, a beauty which lies within rather than without, and as such is tinged with the fundamental sadness of all evanescent life" (An 2025)

Fukinsei (不均斉): Asymmetry, irregularity. In Zen aesthetics, asymmetry is regarded as a method for controlling the balance in a composition, precisely because imperfection is a part of the existence. Symmetry always felt human made and what I admired in nature is that there are numerous examples of beautiful patterns and structures that are asymmetrical. Even though Pärt's music, minimalisim and 20th century compositional techniques have symmetrical structures most of the time, I have discovered that occasionaly breaking it in an exchange for asymmetrical patterns opens new possibilities within the music. A breathe of fresh air in a sense.

 Koko (考古): basic, weathered. Koko emphasizes restraint and exclusion. The goal is to present something that both appears spare and imparts a sense of focus and clarity. This very prominent in Pärt's music. The result is usually something that appears to have a clear idea, without extra material. Almost "basic", it clear that there are steps of restrictions that have been taken to create the desired sound.

A final thought on Wabi Sabi. All of these 7 aspects represent elements from nature. Sometimes an unexplainable feeling, a certain quality, elegance or beauty that an object has and many other aspects in life that we usually don't spend that much time.  WIth Pärt's music, combined with these philosophies, I tried to replicate the flow of nature and its creations. Those still moments, those graceful elements that I encountered since I started paying attention and transmitting it onto the paper or into a sonic output. As I mentioned at the start of this chapter, these natural elements, philosophies can be a way to generate a certain feeling and an image into ones music, art and life. After this research, these have become a part of my standart way of thinking when it comes to composition and improvisation.

 Shizen (自然): Without pretence, natural as a human behaviour. Absence of the artificial and a distinct target in creation, without anything forced or imposed. Shizen is even more interesting explained in Zen Philosophy: denial of naïve and casual. It is exhibited by a seeming simplicity and the idea of spontaneity in landscaping. The way this concept influenced me is the simple, natural aspect of creation. Sometimes the natural behaviour, or intuitive approach that I take in my playing and compositions tends be the glue of ideas. I always thought, everything should fit into a box, with order, almost like a militaristic way. Discovering and understading the value of natural behaviour has helped me create more organic structures.

 Datsuzoku (脱俗): unbounded by convention, free.

 It also means freedom from habit or formula. Escape from daily routine or the ordinary. Unworldly. Transcending the conventional. This principle describes the feeling of surprise and a bit of amazement when one realizes they can have freedom from the conventional. Professor Tierney says that the Japanese garden itself, “…made with the raw materials of nature and its success in revealing the essence of natural things to us is an ultimate surprise. Many surprises await at almost every turn in a Japanese Garden.”

Datsuzoku signifies a certain reprieve from convention. When a well-worn pattern is broken, creativity and resourcefulness emerge. 

“The quality that we call beauty ... must always grow from the realities of life.”
― Jun'ichirō Tanizaki (Tanizaki 2001)

 Seijaku (静寂): First and foremost, in the most simple sense, it means tranquillity and silence. This entire thesis started from the chase of serene and tranquil. In this pursuit I have discovered that, with other disciplines and philosophies an active silence is pursued. The idea of an active silence is also what I have notied through Pärt's music (for example: Silouans Song) and started paying more and more attention towards. The intentional state of calm within a piece music, art or in some cases, a garden always conveyse and energy of active silence. 

 Kanso (簡素):Simplicity. 

A great connection of the music that has been discussed prior to this chapter, Kanso simply means that things should be expressed in a plain, simple, natural manner. Reminds us to think not in terms of decoration but in terms of clarity, a kind of clarity that may be achieved through omission or exclusion of the non-essential. Omitting, or reducing has been one of the key elements of Pärt's music. Rather the minimalism, in most cases he treats the staff paper almost like Michelangelo treated David in the famous story. Taking out the excess from the marble. Kanso dictates that beauty, and utility need not be overstated, overly decorative, or fanciful, which I discovered as an essential element for my own music recently. The value of simplicity.

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go back to chapter II

Some images and moments from different parts of the world that I have experienced  connections to the philosophies disccused in this chapter.

A brief moment of solitude in an old Church.

Prague, Czech Repuclic

A train ride next to the Nordic sea.

Trondheim, Norway

An evening stroll.

Den Haag, Netherlands

While exploring ideas for this last chapter, I have noticed that some concepts are unique to and related to certain languages, usually one word phrases used to describe things. This is very common in Japanese, Turkish, Latin  Arabic, Farsi and many more. I always found contemplating on certain words, aspects of nature and many other things to be highly inspirational. Meditating on a certain description has been a very fruitful experience regarding creativity. I will be exploring some of these thoughts that I have discovered through this paper in my musical output and life in general. Some concepts that I have encountered are the following.

Shibui/Shibumi (渋味) Austerity 


Beautiful by being understated, or by being precisely what it was meant to be and not elaborated upon. Direct and simple way, without being flashy. Elegant simplicity, articulate brevity. The term is sometimes used today to describe something cool but beautifully minimalist, including technology and some consumer products. (Shibui literally means bitter tasting). 


 

Shibusa includes the following essential qualities:

 

1. Shibui objects appear to be simple overall but they include subtle details, such as textures, that balance simplicity with complexity. This essetial quality is almost always present in Pärt's works. The outcome seems to be simple, with always subtle details where it raises an eyebrow, making us ask a question "what was that?". 

 

2. This balance of simplicity and complexity ensures that one does not tire of a shibui object but constantly finds new meanings and enriched beauty that cause its aesthetic value to grow over the years. The balance of simplicity and complexity in music of for instance, John Tavener's The Lamb, is a perfect example of this. Always keeps us on our toes, then releases that tension.

 

3. Shibusa is not to be confused with wabi or sabi. Though many wabi or sabi objects are shibui, not all shibui objects are wabi or sabi. Wabi or sabi objects can be more severe and sometimes exaggerate intentional imperfections to such an extent that they can appear to be artificial. Shibui objects are not necessarily imperfect or asymmetrical, though they can include these qualities.

 

4. Shibusa walks a fine line between contrasting aesthetic concepts such as elegant and rough or spontaneous and restrained.

Jo-ha-kyū (序破急)


It is a concept of modulation and movement applied in a wide variety of traditional Japanese arts. Roughly translated to "beginning, break, rapid", it implies a tempo that begins slowly, accelerates, and then ends swiftly. This concept is applied to elements of the Japanese tea ceremony, to kendō, to the traditional theatre and to Gagaku, which is a traditional Japanese court music.

 Mono no aware

 Pathos of things. This poetic phrase is a key term in Japanese culture and aesthetics.

'Mono' means 'thing' or 'things'; 'aware' means 'feeling' or sentiment, and the particle 'no' indicates something an object possesses. So, mono no aware signifies the deep feeling or pathos of things, the powerful emotions that objects and moments can evoke or instil in us. I experience this in numerous occasions, particularly in certain environments. It as also known as an  awareness of impermanence, or transience of things, and both a transient gentle sadness (or wistfulness) at their passing as well as a longer, deeper gentle sadness about this state being the reality of life. This comes down to almost a melancholy like feeling of the impernance of things. Everything just moves on, becoming aware of the realities of life. I will attach various images that I took over the course of this thesis, where I realised the impermanence of things in life. Even this short description, when thinked upon, automatically connects towards Pärt's music in certain ways.

 

Kintsugi (Japanese: 金継ぎ, lit. 'golden joinery'), is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with urushi lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Even though it is a material approach, as a philosophy, this unique method celebrates each artifact's unique history by emphasizing its fractures and breaks instead of hiding or disguising them. In fact, kintsugi often makes the repaired piece even more beautiful than the original, revitalizing it with a new look and giving it a second life. Which could possibly be applied to musical settings in certain ways. 

Transforming "broken" ideas into different areas, filling the broken parts the lacquer (textures, new harmonies) keeping the core idea same but manipulating and altering through change in timbre and texture. These ideas could be used as a skelaton for a possible composition or used to create set of rules for improvisers. (Richman-Abdou 2025)

Komorebi


  Literally, “sunlight leaking through trees,” this word describes the beauty and wonder of rays of light dappling through overhead leaves, casting dancing shadows on the forest floor. I find the one-word descriptions in certain languages very beautiful and highly adaptable to create a certain image in music. Luckily, Komorebi is very easy to encounter and experience. I try chasing this image constatly, for it gives me a peace of mind, inspiration for new ideas and very imporantly, makes me experience the present, which day by day we drift away with all the distractions of today.

 

Festina Lente

I have also found a similar approach that Pärt took, with his piece Fentina Lente, which is an oxymoron "make haste slowly". Composed in 1986 and dedicated to Manfred Eicher, the founder of ECM, the phrase has been used by several important figures in history, such as the first emporor of Rome, Augustus. Because the phrase itself is very inspirational and it is something that can be meditated on, it makes a coded reference to the form as well as the meaning of the composition. It is very structured as most of Pärt's works. The work is composed following the principle of a proportional canon: three instrument groups (first and second violins; violas; cellos and double basses) start at the same time but play the melody at three different speeds. The fastest of the melodies is repeated seven times. After a short coda, the music fades into silence. Leopold Brauneiss, musicologist and researcher of Pärt’s music, has said: “The proverbial title Festina lente (Make haste slowly), on the other hand, points towards the paradoxical time structure of the proportional canon: as the melody proceeds fast and slow at the same time, the fastest voice always sounds at the same time as its own stretched past.” (Arvo Part Centre 2025) 

 

Festina lente premiered on 17 November 1986 in Paris, performed by the Music Projects London orchestra conducted by Richard Bernas. After several revisions over the years, the final version of the work was released by ECM on the album Miserere, recorded by the Beethoven Orchester Bonn with the conductor Dennis Russell Davies. (Arvo Pärt Centre 2025)


I wanted to conclude this chapter with this oxymoron, which has been around for centuries, inspired empires to artists. WIth thinking on certain words, concepts and philosophies, one could come up with many approaches to any art form, as seen in the piece Festina Lente.

Komorebi. A photo taken by me Fall 2024, 

Scheveningen Bosjes

The hand written score of Festina Lente. (Arvo Pärt Centre 2025)

An example of Kintsugi

Stock Photos from photoBeard/Shutterstock

“Whenever I see the alcove of a tastefully built Japanese room, I marvel at our comprehension of the secrets of shadows, our sensitive use of shadow and light. For the beauty of the alcove is not the work of some clever device. An empty space is marked off with plain wood and plain walls, so that the light drawn into its forms dim shadows within emptiness. There is nothing more. And yet, when we gaze into the darkness that gathers behind the crossbeam, around the flower vase, beneath the shelves, though we know perfectly well it is mere shadow, we are overcome with the feeling that in this small corner of the atmosphere there reigns complete and utter silence; that here in the darkness immutable tranquility holds sway.”

- Tanizaki Jun'ichiro (Tanizaki 2001)

“The quality we call beauty must always grow from the realities of life, and out ancestors, forced to live in dark rooms, presently came to discover the beauty in shadows, ultimately to guide shadows to beauty’s end. And so it has come to be that the beauty of a Japanese room depends on a variation of shadows, heavy shadows against light shadows…it has nothing else.” 
–Tanizaka Jun’ichiro (Tanizaki 2001)

“If light is scarce then light is scarce; we will immerse ourselves in the darkness and there discover its own particular beauty.”
― Jun'ichirō Tanizaki (Tanizaki 2001)

Some quotes I have stumbled upon during my studies. They have been very inspirational to my way of thinking, altering way thought process. Since this chapter is about finding new inspirations, hopefully these quotes could guide the reader to a new direction.

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Conclusion