There are few composers who can suspend time in the way Arvo Pärt is able to through his music. This weekend, you have a chance to place yourself in that ineffable space, as the Louisville Chamber Choir performs Pärt’s Berliner Messe.
This piece shows Pärt at his most luminous — a composer who can say more with a single, ringing harmony than most can with a full symphony. It takes work, though, to pull it off. The choir has to collectively believe in the effect, and dedicate their energy and endurance to keeping that suspense and silence alive.
Louisville Chamber Choir’s director, Kent Hatteberg, talks about why Pärt’s music has this special quality, and about the challenges of bringing that magic alive.
Kent Hatteberg & Laura Atkinson on Arvo Part.mp3
Louisville Chamber Choir
Arvo Pärt: Berliner Messe
April 12, 3pm
Second Presbyterian Church