Spiegel im Spiegel

Released in 2006, this collection focuses on Arvo Pärt's most famous and accessible works for piano and strings, centered around the 1978 composition 'Spiegel im Spiegel' (Mirror in the Mirror). The album showcases Pärt's 'tintinnabuli' technique, a compositional style inspired by his study of early plainsong and polyphony. This method involves two voices: one that moves stepwise around a central pitch and another that sounds the notes of a tonic triad. The result is a sound that is harmonically stable yet emotionally profound. The inclusion of 'Für Alina' and 'Variationen zur Gesundung von Arinuschka' highlights Pärt's transition into this radical minimalism after a period of creative silence. Critics often cite this specific recording for its pristine production, which captures the delicate decay of the piano notes and the breathy texture of the violin, making it a definitive document of the 'Holy Minimalism' movement.