Arvo Pärt: In Principio

1	In principio, for mixed c
2	In principio, for mixed c
3	In principio, for mixed c
4	In principio, for mixed c
5	In principio, for mixed c
6	La Sindone, for orchestra
7	Cecilia, vergine romana,
8	Da Pacem Domine, for chor
9	Mein Weg, for 14 strings
10	Für Lennart in memoriam,
Arvo Pärt: In Principio
1.	In principio, for mixed chorus & orchestra 19:40
	Composed by Arvo Pärt
	Performed by Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
	Conducted by Tonu Kaljuste
2.	La Sindone, for orchestra 15:53
	Composed by Arvo Pärt
	Conducted by Tonu Kaljuste
	Performed by Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
3.	Cecilia, vergine romana, for chorus & orchestra 16:39
	Composed by Arvo Pärt
	Performed by Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
	Conducted by Tonu Kaljuste
4.	Da Pacem Domine, for SATB chorus or soloists 5:00
	Composed by Arvo Pärt
	Performed by Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and Tallinn Chamber Orchestra
	Conducted by Tonu Kaljuste
5.	Mein Weg, for 14 strings & percussion 6:23
	Composed by Arvo Pärt
	Conducted by Tonu Kaljuste
	Performed by Tallinn Chamber Orchestra
6.	Für Lennart in memoriam, for string orchestra 7:22
	Composed by Arvo Pärt
	Conducted by Tonu Kaljuste
	Performed by Tallinn Chamber Orchestra

All Music Guide

This collection of music by Arvo Pärt includes six of his choral and orchestral works, five of which were written between 2000 and 2007. This is not music that breaks new ground for the composer. Its austere tone is suffused in mysticism, and it manages to sound both archaic and very new, with a surface that can seem simplistic, but which in fact is rigorously worked out. The selection, though, offers a nicely diverse sampling of pieces, some for orchestra and some for chorus and orchestra, representing a variety of moods, from the somber "Für Lennart in memoriam" to the contrapuntally lively "Mein Weg." "Für Lennart in memoriam," for string orchestra is a soulful lament written to honor Lennart Meri, the president of Estonia, which reflects the textures and mood of Pärt's early choral works from the 1970s. "Mein Weg," an orchestral reflection on a sober poem by Edmond Jabès, has a perkiness that seems a little at odds with its subject matter, but it's an especially attractive piece, with more chromaticism than is usual for the composer. "Cecilia, vergine romana," for mixed voices and orchestra, is a kind of mini-cantata on the life of the third century saint and has more textural variety than is typical for a Pärt score, included a section with a rocking accompaniment reminiscent of Philip Glass. It's an engaging piece that could appeal to listeners who find the composer's more characteristic style too severe. The performing duties are divided between the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, all conducted by Pärt specialist Tonu Kaljuste. The sound of the singers and players is ideally chaste and pure, and the performances are, in a way, passionate, not an adjective usually associated with Pärt, but the approach is successful in bringing the works to life with a special vividness. ECM's sound is clean and clear with just the right amount of resonance. Stephen Eddins

Stereophile

Throughout In Principio, the singing of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir has an extraordinary unity and expressiveness, while the playing under the baton of conductor Tinu Kaljuste of both orchestras is forceful and precise.... Arvo Pärt's cosmos of sound and passion is an expanse of deep commitment and easy accessibility that, as the examples on In Principio continue to prove, is utterly unique in this terrestrial kingdom. Robert Baird

National Public Radio

I don't use the word masterpiece casually. But I've spent several weeks studying the musical scores of these works, examining the extraordinary details of the composer's craft. Because of that intimate involvement, I'm confident that several of these works are true masterpieces and will be heard for a long time to come. Tom Manoff