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Background:

• Avro Part (born 11 September 1935) is an Estonian composer. Part’s music employs tintinnabula, a compositional technique he invented. Gregorian chant had inspired him. Part is the most performed living composer in the world. His 8 most popular works are listed below:
• Fur Alina (1976) is a gentle, delicate solo piano piece that marked the very first use of Part’s tintinnabula style.
• Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten (1977) is a mournful, soaring orchestral elegy built around a descending A minor scale.
• Fratres (1977 - 2000) is an intense, striking work featuring dramatic variations that exist in multiple instrument versions.
• Tabula Rasa (1977) is a powerful double violin concerto that helped define Part’s “holy minimalism” sound.
• Spiegel in Spiegel (1978 – 2011) is a calm, hypnotic piece written for piano and violin or cello that uses simple repeating scales.
• Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi secundum Joannem (1982) is a passion setting set to Latin from the Gospel of John, chapters 18 and 19, including a brief introduction and conclusion.
• Te Deum (1984 – 1985/1992) is a Latin hymn attributed to Saints Ambrose, Augustine, and Hilary. The piece is dedicated to the late Alfred Schlee of Universal Edition.
• Adam’s Lament (2009) is a choral composition in Russian, with lyrics found in the book Saint Silouan the Athonite. Part described it, “The fallen Adam represents humankind in its entirety and each individual person alike.”

Note: The notations below are as follows: album title, track title(s), soloist(s), orchestra(s), conductor(s), label. Categorised according to conductor or principal soloist. Most of the CDs contain other pieces by Avro Part, but only those 8 popular works mentioned above are listed, together with their performer(s).

Recordings:

• Lamentate.
  Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten.
  Pedro Piquero (piano).
  Orquesta de Extremadura.
  Alvaro Albiach.
  Piano Classics.

• Anima.
  Fratres.
  Alea Saxophone Quartet.
  Col Legno.

• A Portrait.
  Fur Alina.
  Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten.
  Fratres for Cello & Piano.
  Fratres for Violin, Strings & Percussion.
  Spigel im Spiegel.
  Tabula Rasa.
  Passio.
  Alexei Lubimov (piano), Antal Eisrich (percussion), Tibor Parkanyi (cello), Sandor Falvai (piano), Miklos Kovacs (percussion). Simon Mulligan (piano), Daniel Hope (violin), Lesley Hatfield (violin), Rebecca Hirsch (violin), Tonus Peregrinus, Antony Pitts,
  Hungarian State Opera Orchestra Strings.
  Ulster Orchestra.
  Tamas Benedek, Takuo Yuasa.
  Naxos.

• Tabula Rasa.
  Fratres.
  Fratres for Violin, Strings & Percussion.
  Tabula Rasa.
  Spiegel im Spiegel.
  Renaud Capucon (violin), Guillaume Bellom (piano), Francois Sochard (violin), Gidon Kremer (violin), Keith Jarrett (piano), Alfred Schnittke (prepared piano), Tatjana Grindenko (violin).
  Die 12 Cellisten der Berliner Philharmoniker.
  Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Staatsorchester Stuttgart, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra.
  Renard Capucon, Dennis Pussell Davies, Saulus Sondeckis.
  ECM New Series.
  Gramophone Magazine (2011): Re-Issue of the Month.

• Fratres
  Fratres (1989 Version for String Quartet).
  Chillingirian Quartet.
  Warner Classics.

• Te Deum.
  Te Deum.
  Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks.
  Munchner Rundfunkorchester.
  Peter Dijkstra.
  BR Klassik.
  Gramophone Magazine (2015): Editor’s Choice.

• Portrait.
  Spiegel im Spiegel.
  Tabula Rasa.
  Angele Dubeau (violin).
  La Pieta.
  Analekta.

• Passio
  St John Passion.
  Michael George (bass), John Potter (tenor), Lynne Dawson (soprano), David James (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Gordon Jones (baritone), Elizabeth Layton (violin), Melinda Maxwell (oboe), Elizabeth Wilson (cello), Catherine Duckett (basson), Christopher Bowers-Broadbent (organ). The Hilliard Ensemble.
  Western Wind Chamber Choir.
  Paul Hillier.
  ECM.

• Spiegel im Spiegel.
  Spiegel im Spiegel.
  Benjamin Hudson (viola), Jurgen Kruse (piano).
  Brilliant Classics.

• The Christian Jarvi Sound Project.
  Fratres.
  MDR Sinfonieorchester.
  Kristian Jarvi.
  Naïve.

• Collage.
  Fratres.
  Philharmonic Orchestra.
  Neeme Jarvi.
  Chandos.

• Spiegel im Spiegel.
  Fratres for Violin and Piano.
  Fratres for String Quartet.
  Spiegel im Spiegel.
  Fur Alina.
  Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten.
  Vadim Gluzman (violin), Angela Yoffe (piano), Alexei Lubimov (piano).
  Tallin Quartet.
  Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.
  Neeme Jarvi.
  BIS.

• Credo.
  Fratres (Version for String Orchestra and Percussion).
  Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten.
  Estonian Festival Orchestra.
  Paavo Jarvi.
  Alpha.
  Presto Recordings of the Year (2025): Finalist.

• Mullova, Part.
  Fratres.
  Tabula Rasa.
  Spiegel im Spiegel.
  Viktoria Mullova (violin), Florian Donderer (violin), Liam Dunachie (piano).
  Estonian National Symphony Orchestra.
  Paavo Jarvi,
  Onyx.
  Limelight Magazine Recordings of the Year (2019): Nominated Orchestral.

• The Very Best of Avro Part.
  Fratres (1991 Version for String Orchestra and Percussion).
  Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten.
  Estonian National Symphony Orchestra.
  Paavo Jarvi.
  Warner Classics.

• Summa.
  Fratres.
  Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten.
  Estonian National Symphony Orchestra.
  Paavo Jarvi.
  Erato.

• The Sound of Avro Part.
  Fratres.
  Cantus in Memoriam of Benjamin Britten.
  Spiegel im Spiegel.
  Martin Roscoe (piano), Tasmin Little (violin).
  Estonian National Symphony Orchestra.
  Paavo Jarvi.
  Erato.

• Adam’s Lament.
  Tui Hirv (soprano), Rainer Vilu (baritone).
  Latvian Radio Choir, Vox Clamantis. Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir.
  Riga Sinfonietta, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra.
  Tonu Kaljuste.
  ECM New Series.
  BBC Music Magazine (2013): Disc of the Month.
  Grammy Awards (2013): Best Choral Performance.
  BBC Music Magazine Awards (2014): Choral Finalist.

• Summa.
  Fratres.
  Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten.
  Tapoila Sinfonietta.
  Jean-Jacques Kantorow.
  BIS.

• Tabula Rasa.
  Tabula Rasa.
  Jan Soderblom, Tero Latvala, Jouko Laivuori.
  Tapoila Sinfonietta.
  Jean-Jacques Kantorow.
  BIS.

• Lamentate.
  Fratres.
  Fur Alina.
  Edward King (cello), Onute Grazinyte (piano).
  Accentus.

• Katia & Marielle Labeque.
  Fur Alina.
  Katia Labeque (piano).
  Deutsche Grammophon.

• Alina
  Fur Alina (two versions).
  Spiegel im Spiegel (Three Variations).
  Vladimir Spivakov (violin), Sergei Berzodny (piano), Alexander Malter (piano), Dietmar Schwalke (cello).
  ECM New Series.
  Presto Recording of the Week (2008).

• For Avro.
  Fratres (Transcribed by Osokins for Piano).
  Fur Alina.
  Georgijs Osokins (piano).
  Deutsche Grammophon.

• Max Richter: Recomposed The Four Seasons, Vasks, Part.
  Fratres (For Violin and Orchestra).
  Fenella Humphreys (violin).
  Covent Garden Sinfonia.
  Ben Palmer.
  Rubicon.
  BBC Music Magazine (2019): Concerto Choice.

• Piano Music.
  Fur Alina.
  Ralph van Raat.
  Naxos.

• Stabat Mater.
  Fratres.
  Munchner Rundfunkorchester.
  Ivan Repusic.
  BR Klassik.

• Echoes of Time.
  Spiegel im Spiegel.
  Lisa Batiashvili (violin).
  Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks.
  Esa-Pekka Salonen.
  Deutsche Grammophon.
  Gramophone Magazine (2011): Disc of the Month.
  Presto Recording of the Week (2011).

• Organ Music and Choral Music.
  Spiegel im Spiegel (Transcribed for Organ).
  Benjamin Saunders.
  Brilliant Classics.

• Avro Part Live.
  Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten.
  Munchner Rundfunkorchester.
  Ulf Schirmer.
  BR Klassik.

• Passio.
  Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi secundum Joannem.
  Helsinki Chamber Choir.
  Nils Schweckendiek.
  BIS.
  Gramophone Magazine (2021): Editor’s Choice.
  International Classical Music Awards (2022): Nominated Choral.

• Avro Part.
  Spiegel im Spiegel (Three Variations).
  Fratres (Three Variations).
  Fur Alina.
  Ketevan Sepashvili (piano), Veriko Tchumburidze (violin), Gertrude Rossbacher (viola), Sandro Sidamonidze (cello).
  Gramola.

• Bach & Part.
  Spiegel im Spiegel.
  Fratres (For Violin, Strings & Percussion).
  Arabella Steinbacher (violin), Peter von Wiehardt (violin).
  Stuttgarter Kammerorchester.
  Pentatone.
  BBC Music Magazine (2023): Concerto Choice.

• Fratres. Best of Avro Part.
  Spiegel im Spiegel.
  Fratres (1980 Version for Violin and Piano).
  Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten.
  Martin Roscoe (piano), Robert Aldwinckle (harpsichord), Tasmin Little (violin), Richard Studt (piano).
  Bournemouth Sinfonietta.
  Richard Studt.
  Warner Classics.

• The Collection.
  Spiegel im Spiegel.
  Spiegel im Spiegel (1978).
  Fratres (1977, revised 1980).
  Fratres for Strings and Percussion.
  Fratres for Violin, Strings and Percussion.
  Fratres for 8 Cellos.
  Fratres for String Quartet.
  Fratres for Wind Octet and Percussion
  Tabula Rasa.
  Fur AlinaNos. 1 – 3 (1976).
  Passio.
  Jurgen Kruse (piano), Jeroen van Veen (piano),Hatfield Leslie (violin) Hirsch Rebecca (violin), Sebastian Klinger (cello), Thomas Leech (soloist).
  Hungarian State Opera, Ulster Orchestra.
  Benedek Tamas, Yuasa Takuo.
  Brilliant Classics.

• Fur Anna Maria. The Complete Piano Music.
  Fur Alina Nos. 1 - 3 (1976).
  Jeroen van Veen.
  Brilliant Classics.

• Stabat Mater.
  Spiegel im Spiegel.
  Fratres (Violin & Orchestra).
  Morphing Chamber Orchestra.
  Tomasz Wabnic., Marek Ruszczynski.
  Aparte.
  Opus Klassik Awards (2023): Nominated Conductor of the Year.

• Silentium, Fratres, Magnificat, Missa syllabica.
  Fratres (1991 Version for String Orchestra and Percussion).
  London Philharmonic Orchestra.
  Franz Welser-Most.
  Virgin.

• Eternal.
  Tabula Rasa.
  Passio.
  Fratres for Violin, Strings & Percussion.
  Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten.
  Lesley Hatfield (violin), Rebecca Hirsch (violin), Tonus Peregrinus, Antony Pitts.
  Ulster Orchestra, Hungarian State Opera.
  Takuo Yuasa, Tamas Benedek.
  Naxos.

About Coram Deo

Coram Deo — before the face of God. This blog reflects on Scripture, world events, science, music, psychology, and the human mind — always through the lens of Christian faith. All of life is lived before the face of God.