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A graphic novel follows the celebrated Estonian composer through the cultural, political, personal, and spiritual upheavals that led to the distinctive style that made him the most performed living composer in the world.
Between Two Sounds follows the life of world-famous composer Arvo Pärt from his birth in Estonia in 1935 through 1980, when the Soviets forced him to emigrate because of the nonconformist and religious nature of his music.
Based on years of research and close collaboration with Arvo Pärt himself, 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. 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.
Enjoy a Spotify playlist created by the author of the Arvo Pärt compositions featured in the book.
One of the things I love about Plough Publishing is that they have such a variety of books. I was invited to read this graphic novel. I had never heard of Arvo Part, but now I have and I have listened to his music. It is brilliant! The story of his life and composing was done via a graphic novel and in black and white. I think its starkness also brought a richness to the story. I loved the format of the book. This was after all a Soviet run country. Estonia is no longer a part of Russia . They declared their independence in 1991, but from 1940 on, they had been annexed by Russia. Communism was a force and even upon music. I enjoyed the story of Arvo Part and his struggle with music and the State and his genius. This book has sparked my interest in Arvo Parks music and the country he came from. Thank you Plough Publishing and NetGalley for this early read.
Reading and reviewing a graphic novel about the life of Arvo Pärt was not on my NetGalley bingo card, but here we are. This fascinating book was written by Jones Sildre - who I assume also illustrated because there is no separate artist listed - and originally published by the Arvo Pärt Centre. It is now being released by Plough Publishing House in an English translation by Adam Cullen. I found it interesting that the original Estonian version was published in 2018, the same year the Pärt Centre opened to the public. This indicates to me how important to Pärt this book was (and is), and how much the composer felt it reflected his life. In Between Two Sounds, we learn about Pärt's early call to music, his struggles with conformity, and his musical training. Initially, his career focused on film and recorded music, but throughout his life he continued to experiment with a style and form of music that pleased him. He found what he was looking for when he discovered the Russian Orthodox Church, and traced Christian musical expression down to what he felt was its essence, as found in Gregorian Chant. This led him to eventually develop his unique tintinnabuli style. His life was also shaped by his relationship to the Soviet Union, which conquered Estonia in 1944. Refusing to give in to Soviet demands for nationalistic music composed under strict rules, he eventually was forced to emigrate to Austria, eventually returning to Estonia when its independence was restored in 2010. The story is fascinating, but the book is even more interesting than a simple narrative would have been. The illustrations serve to illustrate Pärt's experimentation and composition in creative ways. Throughout, Pärt's thought process is central in a way that could only have been possible with the composer's intense collaboration. Arvo Part, now in his late 80s, has been through most of the 2000s the most performed living composer in the world (surpassed in 2019 by John Williams). I had been familiar with his work, but this wonderful book gave me new insights. Many thanks to Plough and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
VERDICT: Masterful chronicle of Arvo Pärt’s journey, through meticulous research and striking monochromatic illustrations. I discovered Arvo Pärt a few decades ago and have been mesmerized by his music ever since. All the more so actually since I became Orthodox myself. I have already read a book on this Estonian musician, the excellent Arvo Pärt: Out of Silence, by Peter C. Bouteneff. So when I discovered a new book on him was out, and available through Netgalley, I didn’t hesitate a second. Between Two Sounds: Arvo Pärt’s Journey to His Musical Language is absolutely a must for all of Pärt’s afficionados, and for readers eager to discover something different. Between Two Sounds is a biography, presented in a chronological order. It was neat to know better Arvo as a boy and young man, his education, his struggles and his gifts. Later in life, he went through a ten year music desert, trying to find his own style – this major part of this life, alluded to in the title, is extremely well presented. There’s also the whole context of the Communist regime and what he had to do to go through the censure. And all the consequences for his career, and his family life, leading to his exile in 1980 – which is actually where the book ends. Please Sildre, could we now have another book on Pärt after these years? The book is the fruit of many years of research and collaboration with the musician and his family. You can really feel the excellency of the author’s work. It translates in many quotations by Pärt himself, but also in a gorgeous simplified illustration style, utilizing only black, gray and white color, that for me captures really well the musician’s inner world and his art. It is a feat to translate music into art. Sildre did it! This might be the most successful graphic “novel” biography I have ever read. The beautiful trailer will give you an idea. The publisher has also put together a great playlist, for you to discover Arvo Pärt or just enjoy his art again and again. This book was so good that I’m planning on buying it as a gift for a friend who also enjoys a lot Arvo Pärt.
BETWEEN TWO SOUNDS Arvo Part’s Journey to His Musical Language By Joonas Sildre, Translated by Adam Cullen This graphic account of Arvo Part, one of the greatest living composers, is multi layered. His journey from political oppression in Soviet Estonia to freedom in the West is interwoven with his artistic and spiritual journey. The technicalities of his development as a composer will be clear perhaps only to trained musicians. But to the rest of us, it speaks to the role of creativity and intention in all of the arts. In Tallinn, Estonia, a creative psychologist tells Arvo Part that “for a change, one must try out a field in which one is a complete novice.” Part’s personal musical journey is not a road map for all artists but a sign of how creativity depends on an inner vision and response to the world, physical and spiritual. His compositions that unite melody and triad into one “inseparable ensemble” have a special relationship to silence. Part discovers “a need to concentrate on each sound…just like on every blade of grass.” His creation of Tintinnabuli, or little bells, is “a quest for truth, beauty and purity” that speaks in each sound. In his composition For Alina, two voices are like two people whose paths sometimes cross or don’t. His search for meaning in composing and his religious search are two strands that do meet when he is on the grounds of Puht Convent in Estonia. “Why do you look so sad?” asks a young woman who happens to cross his path. He replies, “I’m a composer and I’m trying to write music. But it just won’t work.” She replies, “Have you thanked God for it not working?” He comes to realize that “the heart lives perpetually in music, just as in prayer.” He finds that words are not his medium. “I know a great secret, but only in music can I express it.” For him, his music is a “narrow path” as he mediates the music to “treat a single sound like a human soul.” His thinking expands to other arts, such as sculpture, in which the artist is also mediator. This engages the reader to consider the role of silence in drama, painting, and in writing, such as Philip Gross’s poem The Musical Cottage. Here a boy is listening to a music box, where “The final note hangs frozen at the tip of being. Thirty years. It will not drop.” (nawe.co.uk). The reader is encouraged to meditate on Part’s musical vision that “you must begin with what is most important—with practicing love for all creation, and of course for the Creator above all.” It is “astounding” he says, that “evil itself is destroyed when it encounters love.“
I requested an advanced copy of this book because I enjoy both graphic novels and biographies, so I love when the genres are combined. I had never heard of the composer Arvo Part and was curious to learn about his life. It was interesting to read about his life in the soviet Union and how his art was affected by politics. Part tried a variety of styles throughout his life, and this book led me to investigate his music which I quite enjoyed. The illustrations are completely in black and white. This may have been intentional, as it appropriately reflect black and white piano keys as well as the black and white expected behavior in the strict regime. The art also interprets the music itself graphically and expresses Parts feelings and philosophy. However, I was not prepared for all the philosophy that the main character expresses. It was interesting but seemed to bog down the book. Had I already known anything about the man, this may not have come as a surprise. I recommend this to graphic novel lovers who are also music aficionados or enjoy philosophy. It would also make an excellent addition to schools and libraries.
NOTE: I am a librarian and I received a paperback ARC copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. A graphic novel is an interesting medium to tell the story of one of the foremost composers of the late 20th Century, but Joonas Sildre's art and storytelling give the life and music of Arvo Pärt a sensitive and captivating treatment. "Between Two Sounds" is marked by subtlety at every turn, from its color scheme to its pacing, allowing key events in Pärt's life to unfold gradually, as if in a musical composition. By zooming in on the trials and challenges Pärt and his family faced in USSR-occupied Estonia, Sildre reveals Pärt's musical and personal philosophies and how they shaped his compositional output even in the shadow of an authoritarian regime. The tension of that era in history manifests itself in unexpected ways, making the general mood ominous and pensive but never horrific. A little wry humor every now and then adds an additional dimension to this composer and his life. For anyone interested in music history or Eastern European history, "Between Two Sounds" is a breathtaking read.
This thought-provoking graphic novel makes one think deeply about issues that are of the utmost significance. It inspires us to aspire to reach out for the highest and best. I encourage you to get your own copy of a graphic novel that will stay on your bookshelf forever.
My knowledge about composers and Estonia are both nil, which is rather disappointing considering this wonderful book I had the privilege of reading. I was given an early copy of Between Two Sounds: Arvo Pärt's Journey To His Musical Language by Joonas Sildre and translated by Adam Cullen. Then again, my ignorance turned out to be for the best, because I was able to learn so much about a talented composer and his life's story, which made for an exciting reading adventure. So, why did I fall in love with this book? Well, first off, I loved the title of the book - it immediately intrigued me. Secondly, the books' cover - oh, my! I loved it! It had me wanting to grab a copy of the book straightaway. And, third, it was a graphic novel - I love graphic novels! How could I resist reading this book, right? Plus, it was about a new-to-me topic, the composer, Arvo Pärt. I love learning new things and learning about a composer sounded like fun. It really did, especially given that it would be in graphic novel form - anything with illustrations will make learning a thrill. Suffice it to say, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book - it was eye-opening and fascinating. Learning about Arvo Pärt's journey is amazing - you can't help but get carried away in his story and the history - plus, the visuals add a layer of depth. Oh, and his music - what he composed was just brilliant! I found myself looking it up and listening to it as I read his story. Talk about an excellent soundtrack! All in all, Between Two Sounds is a definite must- read! I enjoyed every second I spent with this book and would definitely recommend it to everyone - make sure to check it out!
Although we are learning about the life of a composer, he speaks in a more general way about the creative process. We experience the lows and the highs, we see the birth of inspiration. And for reading, it is recommended that we listen to his music, which makes this already gripping comic even more atmospheric. I really liked the visual world, the drape colour gives it a kind of sepia tone. Only the portrayal of the music was more captivating. The notes, the five lines and the melody rush across the page in places, while in others the harmony makes a big impression. As a musician, I particularly liked these parts.
