Part: Symphony No. 4

Arvo Part (Composer), Esa-Pekka Salonen (Conductor), Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Esa-Pekka Salonen
• Composer: Arvo Part
• Audio CD (September 7, 2010)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: ECM Records
• ASIN: B003NHY6HK
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #57,191 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Con sublimita

2. Affannoso

3. Deciso

4. Fragments from Kanon Pokajanen

Editorial Reviews

"Arvo Part has found a beautiful simplicity in sound,. which feels fresh and contemporary, but yet speaks to vast numbers of people outside the introverted circles of 'new music'. His music is deeply of our time, but points to a timeless truth."

James McMillan

With his Symphony No. 4 Arvo Part retuns to symphonic structure and scope, in a new work scored for string orchestra, harp, tympani and percussion. The piece was commissioned and premiered by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra under Esa-Pekka Salonen in January 2009 almost forty years after his 3rd Symphony, and is the first symphonic work Prt has written since developing his "tintinnabulation" style. A composition in three movements, it opens with characteristically shimmering suspended chords, and an extraordinary journey begins. "The symphony is large," wrote Mark Swed in the Los Angeles Times, "and exceedingly beautiful." The 4th Symphony was recorded live at L.A,'s Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the 37 minute work is augmented on disc by a new montage of "fragments" of Kanon Pokajanen, a piece which Part feels is closely related to the symphony. "To my mind, the two works belong together and form a stylistic unity."

Although the symphony was previously available as a download from Deutsche Grammophon, the present release marks its first appearance on compact disc, and will be released in time for the composer's 75th birthday (September 11).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top rate new work by Arvo Part, October 7, 2010

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Virginia music lover "cossack" (northern Virginia United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Part: Symphony No. 4 (Audio CD)

This is a review of Part's Fourth Symphony, played by the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Esa-Pekka Salonen. Pictures in the liner notes suggest Part was at the performance and one may guess he aided Salonen in achieving his vision.

The opening minutes establish a clear theme in an ambient, peaceful setting. There is no harshness in the strings, as is sometimes found in the Third Symphony. The long tones from the strings indeed remind one of ambient, New Age music, but only in atmosphere. This music is not wandering or pointless. Somewhere in the 5:00 area the tone very subtly becomes sadder and then a bit ominous. After a brief silence, timpani, some bells, and a fuller throated orchestra emerge, with the strings having some edge to them. The bells become accents to the ends of the mezzo forte phrases, and then silence again. At about 8:25 the mood is definitely sad, but in a romantic way; this is almost Part as a late 19th century romantic. At 10:40, the romantic flow is interrupted by trills from the violins that have an eerieness to them.

Plucked basses open the second, Affanoso movement, but the somber romantic mood remains. Ominous but subdued timpani emerge (this is the time for the subwoofer). This is autumnal, lost love music, with wistful silences interspersed. One is reminded of Bjork's observation during her interview with Part that this is music to live inside of. It gives one time to think, which to me is one of the cherished essences of Part's music. There are echoes of Schoenberg's Transfigured Night in some of this music, but in a more contemplative way. But then at about 10:40 brief loud timpani usher in a more tragic tone.

The third Deciso movement by the 3:00 mark has segued back into the romantic, bittersweet mood from earlier in the symphony. There is a bit of imprecision in the slow pizzicati, but that is typical of a live recording. At about 6:00 we seem to be led on a slow march - to where? The movement ends with that question unanswered.

Having offered a more romantic interpretation of the music (without reading the liner notes before hand) I see the music is a dedication to an imprisoned Russian and is meant as "an expression of great respect for a man who has found moral triumph amid personal tragedy." It is also based on a text related to guardian angels - but the text is not revealed.

This is a 2009 concert recording, so with earphones I heard an occasional shuffle noise, perhaps from the audience, but it was barely noticeable. The recording is crystal clear with beautiful resonance. Part makes good use of various pieces of percussion (triangles, blocks perhaps, and other pieces); this is imaginative (though non-complex and very transparent) scoring. Mercifully, the applause from the end of the concert has been eradicated so there is no break in the mood.

Filling out the 49 minute (lamentably short) CD is 14:50 worth of choral fragments from Kanon pokajanen by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir; this music is familiar to most Part fans. Part believes the two pieces are related as a "stylistic unity." After having heard the Fourth Symphony, I can hear how an orchestration of the Kanon would be similar. The recording is very atmospheric, in a spacious, church-like way.

The symphony is extremely accessible, and beautiful. To me it ranks near the top of Part's works.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Arvo Pärt's 'Los Angeles Symphony', October 10, 2010

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Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Part: Symphony No. 4 (Audio CD)

Arvo Pärt has been a favorite contemporary composer of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and audience for several years. Esa-Pekka Salonen urged him to write a commissioned work for the orchestra. The following was from the Program Note by John Henken at the time of the premiere in 2009: "Pärt was working at the time with an ancient canon in Church Slavonic containing a prayer to a guardian angel - the connection to `Los Angeles' was irresistible," as a note for the score indicates. "Pärt was further inspired to take the commission by the idea of seeing this work performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, one of the best orchestras in the world, under its music director Esa-Pekka Salonen, and in Walt Disney Concert Hall, one of the most exciting concert buildings of our time."

Pärt's first three symphonies were scored for relatively full orchestras, but the "Los Angeles" Symphony is for strings, harp and percussion. The first movement opens in what sounds like a better world, 'perhaps that realm to which Wagner's Tristan and Isolde ascend'. The violins begin with a sustained soft chord in the stratosphere, accompanied by isolated plucks from harp and cellos. The score remains sparse through its three movements. The percussion is either the tolling of deep timpani or the ring of high bells. There are deliberate march-like passages with simple harmonies. Chords, though, tend to smudge into each other rather than resolve. String textures are thin; nothing in this symphony is hidden. Single sounds become windows looking out to the world. New one adopts his preferred instrumental forces for the tintinnabulation style - strings with percussion.

Arvo Pärt seems to have a direct connection with the spiritual world, so mystic is his output, and nowhere as mystic as this KANON POKAJANEN, Apparently the texts for this work are taken from the Russian Orthodox 'canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ', a work which Pärt describes as follows: 'Many years ago, when I first became involved in the tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church, I came across a text that made a profound impression on me although I cannot have understood it at the time. It was the Canon of Repentance. Since then I have often returned these verses, slowly and arduously seeking to unfold their meaning. Two choral compositions (Nun eile ich...., 1990 and Memento, 1994) were the first attempts to approach the canon. I then decided to set it to music in its entirety-from beginning to end. This allowed me to stay with it, to devote myself to it; and, at the very least, its hold on me did not abate until I had finished the score. I had a similar experience while working on Passio. It took over two years to compose the Kanon pokajanen, and the time "we spent together" was extremely enriching. That may explain why this music means so much to me.' Somehow the purity with which Pärt realizes, develops, and resolves lines of melody finds resonance with everyone no matter their religious background. This music is universal, pure beauty, and emotionally involving.

This is a landmark recording, performed to perfection by the orchestra that commissioned it. Hopefully it will remain in the regular repertoire so that we can grow into the mystery more deeply. Grady Harp, October 10

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Contemporay Music at it's Most Emotional and Stunning!, November 25, 2010

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A music fan (Teaneck, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Part: Symphony No. 4 (Audio CD)

What depth, what a breath, what profoundness in this new hugely moving and yet so structurelessly appearing new symphony by Arvo Paert. Esa-Pekka Salonen and his Los Angelinos give this new masterpiece an interpretation of their devotest and most dedicatest' kind - this is a stunning display of cohesiveness and orchestral color - especially the strings and bass and cellis - comparable in it's fire and intensity only to be found in the fourth movement of a Mahler's 'Ninth', or an Alan Hovhaness' 'Mysterious Mountain', or an Arnold Schoenberg's 'Verklaerte Nacht'...
Nothing more to be said - Paert's crowning achievement - masterfully interpreted and set into scene by these formidable interpreters and longtime champions of contemporary and modern music - a feast for the fan, a must for classical music collector. Buy this, for here for once, you can't go wrong!