Arvo Pärt | Holy Minimalism | Silence. Exploring New Sources of Inspiration for Composers and Improvisers [Firtina Thesis

In today’s age of information overload, it is all too easy to become constantly overstimulated. As both a composer and an improviser, I have found a new source of inspiration by exploring minimalism—especially Holy Minimalism—using simple materials, embracing a slower creative process, and diving into the music of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt. The introspective elements, structure and usage of space and silence in this music guided me towards a journey that has helped me reconnect with music in a profound way. Drawing from the composers of the ECM Record Label's New Series who specifically connect a certain image and sound, this thesis examines selected works by Arvo Pärt, whose Tabula Rasa was the starting point for the New Series. This research is to unpack the ideas behind these compositions, explore the thought processes involved, and discuss the underlying philosophies with external concepts that I find highly inspiring, all in search of fresh perspectives. As more artists turn toward simplicity, I believe that looking at this music and the philosophies behind it through both an improvisers and a composers lens can open up exciting new pathways for inspiration.

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Introduction

Chapter I. Holy Minimalism

Altough this thesis covers one of the main figures of this school, it will not be covering Holy Minimalism in detail. One of the main reason behind this is also the terminology, even though widely accepeted, still has problems with it and even the composers under this name (not given by themselves) tend to dislike the term, or don't compose minimalist music with a religious approach on purpose. I would like to do a brief introduction to this compositional school, my connection with it and why I have chosen to alter this research in this specific way.

After spending more than 10 years of time on highly dense, complex, ever changing and information overloaded music and art, I have discovered an interest about minimalism. The beauty of what could be achieved with very limited material and their alterations, variations and other possibilities fascinated me. The limitations, not only with melodic and harmonic material but also limitations in ideas and concepts thought me a very distinctive way of thinking when it comes to composing and performing. Through this style of art and music, I have discovered a sub-genre, an extension of, known as Holy Minimalism. Despite being grouped together, the composers tend to dislike the term, and are by no means a “school” of close-knit associates. Their widely differing nationalities, religious backgrounds, and compositional inspirations make the term problematic, but it is nonetheless in widespread use, sometimes critically, among musicologists and music critics, primarily because of the lack of a better term. I will be talking mainly about this school of composition in this chapter and following because I believe it covers the fundamentals of minimalism and but I am more intrigued by the structure and the thought process behind it. As of a personal interest, I will be analysing certain works of the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt and his wonderful music, which moved me deeply since the moment I started listening to it. I have also added additonal copositions from the relative period and style from composers such as Henryk Gòrecki and John Tavener under a different section. Not analysed throughly, merely a referece to certain points within the compositions, but still added as another source of inspiration during this thesis.

A final addition, regarding my connection to this music and Arvo Pärt, is after spending a decade on virtuosic music, mainly focusing on the technical aspect, I have neglected the spiritual element. Both in the music I was indulging and creating myself. This made me realise that, the core idea that was missing from me as an artist was the spiritual element and discovering has made it easier for me to connect back. Learning more about this school of composers helped me realise that there are stories to be told, without the necessity of involving virtuosic elements, or putting a different meaning to the word. To me, in most cases, playing a single note (or even knowing/deciding) what to play after a deliberate silence is more difficult than playing a difficult and technically challenging passage. Holy Minimalism and music of Arvo Pärt made me think about what was not there and the value of one single element.

I do have a special connection towards the sacred minimalist school. Especially the composer Arvo Pärt, which I will be anaylsing in detail in this thesis. Coming from and being focused on atonal and serialist educational background and interest, at some point I hit a brick wall regarding creative output. A similar crisis that the composers mentioned above also had. I was not contend with my own compositions and the music that I used to listen to was not enjoyable anymore. After a period of searching, I have discovered that Arvo Pärt has also went through the same journey, not creating for almost 10 years in the middle of his career made me connect with this style of music. He spent years studying Medieval and Renaissance music to discover his own voice. I have discovered the same path through his and some other music, concept of silence and philosphy to apply to my own music to find my own voice.

During and after the development of the Minimalist school, there has been a European based group of composers that took inspiration from similar ideas, trying to find another ways to compose. Trying to break their connections with the present, in demand composition styles such as Dodecaphony (12 Tone Serialism) all names mentioned in this thesis have thone through a form of hiatus, found artistic refuge in Medieval and Renaissance music, all in the search for a new simplicity.

Not necessaraly following their American contemporaries path, this seperate school had their main source of ideas from various sources. Medieval/Renaissance music, simplicity, reduction and spirituality seems to be a common ground. The latter one, finding a deeper meaning in and through music has been the connection point for me. Coming from a serialist and 12-tone music background, some leading composers of this style were the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, Polish composer Henryk Górecki and English composer John Tavener, to name a few.. All creating in the popular composing styles of the period, they recreated their style throughout their careers, adapting more of a medieval style composing, triadic harmonies, minimalistic structures, ever-evolving themes, limited harmonic and melodic material and usage of silence.

One of the many reasons why I have chosen these composers is that they all have a shared background of the previously discussed music and somehow that background still finds their way, obscured, into their music. Their early works involves serialism, 12 tone rows, atonalism and many other 20th Century musical developments and still, after experimenting and expressing their musical ideas within the contemporary style, they have reshaped their musical identity, to find their signature sound palette, which is still rooted in the previous mentioned style somehow. This will be discussed throughout this thesis.

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Arvo Pärt

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