You can hate him, you can love him. However, there is no denying that Pärt's religious minimalism was, at the time, a stone in the pond of musical modernists and piecemeal adepts. Passio from 1982 is the most extreme example of this minimalism. So extreme, in fact, that it can make enthusiastic Arvo Pärt fans doubt (as Jan Brokken does in his book Baltische zielen). The music sounds impersonal
… and static, as if it were made with very strict rules. In fact, that is true; in that respect Pärt is not so different from the squeaky-clean adepts. Those who sit through the session, however, will discover that even this seemingly motionless music has a tension. A beautiful performance and recording helps of course. In that respect, this performance by the Helsinki Chamber Choir is welcome, alongside the older performances by The Hilliard Ensemble and Tonus Peregrinus. (HJ)more
