Part: Symphony No. 4
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Composer: Arvo PartConductor: Esa-Pekka Salonen
Orchestra: Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
CD Release Date: 2010-09-07
Music Label: ECM Records
Soundtracks:
- Con sublimita
- Affannoso
- Deciso
- Fragments from Kanon Pokajanen
Music reviews of Part: Symphony No. 4
Music Review: Top rate new work by Arvo Part
Rating: 5 Stars
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.
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Description of Part: Symphony No. 4
"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).
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