The novel follows Estonian composer Arvo Pärt through the cultural, political, personal, and spiritual upheavals which led to the distinctive style that has baffled music critics and deeply moved audiences the world over. Based on years of research and close collaboration with Arvo Pärt himself, author and artist Joonas Sildre paints an atmospheric portrait of a restless artist who does not shy away from confronting state control or his own internal contradictions. Arvo Pärt stormed Soviet-occupied Estonia’s music scene in the 1960s as a brash young man pushing the limits of avant-garde modernism. Then he fell silent, no longer able to express what he felt through the musical language he had inherited. When he reemerged a decade later, he had found, in that silence between sounds, a new musical language inspired by ancient sacred music, the basis of his distinctive tintinnabuli technique.
Joonas Sildre summarised his long working process thus: “Collecting material for this story, listening to and reading the memories of those involved, piecing the information together bit by bit, I understood that history is always subjective. So is my view of Arvo Pärt’s music and his life. That said, I hope and believe that the years of compiling my thoughts into words and pictures has led to a generalisation, which will also help many others to better understand our beloved composer Arvo Pärt.”
The comic book by illustrator and comic book artist Joonas Sildre is the result of years of work: the author has studied many archive sources as he delved into the life and work of the composer and also received advice and help from Arvo and Nora Pärt.
This graphic novel will appeal not just to fans of Arvo Pärt’s music but to anyone who has known the struggle to remain true to oneself whatever the cost.
Original Title: Kahe heli vahel. Graafiline romaan Arvo Pärdist by Joonas Sildre, published by Arvo Pärt Centre (2018).
