Arvo Pärt – Sheet Music & Scores

“I have discovered that it is enough when a single note is beautifully played.” Arvo Pärt (b.1935)

Alongside American composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass, the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt is one of the most important representatives of the “minimalist” movement in classical music. Browse our sheet music and scores, and discover all his simple, beautiful, mysterious, spiritual, atmospheric music today!

His Life

Pärt began his career at the end of the 50s and start of the 60s as a sound engineer, and also composed music for film and television. His early works were influenced by Russian neoclassicism, in particular the works of Dmitri Shostakovich and Sergei Prokofiev, however he also used various modern composition techniques, such as dodecaphony, serialism, and aleatorism. A turning point came in the 1970s, when he devoted himself intensively to the study of medieval music, chorales and polyphony.

Tintinnabuli

In 1976, Pärt began to use his own minimalist compositional technique, “Tintinnabuli”, named after the Latin word for “little bell”, which generally revolves around a simple triad, or three “little bells”. In the words of the composer:

“Tintinnabulation is like this. Here I am alone with silence. I have discovered that it is enough when a single note is beautifully played. This note, or a silent beat, or a moment of silence comfort me.”

The Work of Arvo Pärt

Due to his deep devotion to Christianity, Arvo Pärt’s work includes a great number of religious and spiritual pieces for choir or soloists, either with accompaniment or a cappella. He also wrote many instrumental works, including four symphonies, and a series of piano pieces. Pärt’s music is best characterised by simple motifs, spirituality and atmosphere.

Explore more of Arvo Pärt’s works

• Orchestral Music by Arvo Pärt
• Works for String Orchestra by Arvo Pärt
• Choral Music by Arvo Pärt
• Piano Works by Arvo Pärt
• Organ Works by Arvo Pärt
• Chamber Music by Arvo Pärt