Elements of the minimalist composition technique in Arvo Part’s works based on psalmic texts

Abstract

Estonian composer whose creation was classified by the critics in the artistic musical movement called “holy minimalism”, Arvo Pärt (1935-) is a special creator, author of many opuses of film music, works for organ, piano, orchestra, choral pages with accompaniment but also a cappella. Arvo Pärt expresses its beliefs and life principles in sonorous works with the help of the tintinnabuli composition technique. With a profound hermeneutical and semantic load, his music stems from his life philosophy and uses simple language, but not simplistic. “De Profundis” and “Zwei slawische Psalmen” are two works based on psalm texts that use the minimalist composition technique.