A Tribute to Arvo Pärt on his 80th Birthday

"Which Was the Son of ..." by Arvo Pärt, performed by The Tallis Scholars directed by Peter Phillips.
From the album "Tintinnabuli" available from iTunes, www.gimell.com and all good CD stores.
Soprano: Amy Haworth, Ruth Provost, Emma Walshe, Amy Wood.
Alto: Emma Ashby, Patrick Craig, Caroline Trevor, Matthew Venner.
Tenor: George Pooley, Ashley Turnell, Simon Wall, Christopher Watson.
Bass: Stephen Charlesworth, Rob Macdonald, Adrian Peacock, Tim Scott Whiteley.
Produced by Steve Smith and Peter Phillips.
Video made by Steve Smith and Bill Broomfield.
Many thanks to everyone who submitted a Selfie.
The photo of The Tallis Scholars is by Eric Richmond.
We were thrilled to receive the following message from Arvo Pärt:
Many, many thanks for this wonderful surprise. All the faces in the video seem familiar, friends to me. I had the feeling at once that a personal contact with all of them had been born. You have touched my heart and made me very happy; moreover, I find that the Tallis Scholars’ way of singing Which was the Son is particularly felicitous. My deepest thanks for this kind idea. Sincerely yours, Arvo Pärt
Vielen, vielen Dank für diese wunderbare Überraschung. Alle Gesichter auf dem Video erscheinen mir vertraut, sind mir Freund. Ich hatte sofort das Gefühl, als wäre ein persönlicher Kontakt zu allen geboren worden. Sie haben mein Herz erreicht und mir eine große Freude bereitet. Noch dazu halte ich die Art und Weise, wie The Tallis Scholars Which was the Son singen, für besonders gelungen. Tausend Dank für diese liebevolle Idee. Ihr, Arvo Pärt

[@cclsjhieber]

Absolutely love this work. Thank you Tallis Scholars and Peter Phillips for this incredible recording.

[@parsifal40002]

Magnificent tribute to an innovative composer! Thank you, Tallis Scholars and Peter Phillips.

[@davevandorp3781]

Greetings from 'Heli', downunder in New Zealand. Stoked to be part of this tribute to Arvo Part on his birthday. Thanks for enriching my life! Many Blessings on your birthday.

[@BubbaSatori]

Bravo and thank you.Happy birthday Arvo and God bless you.

[@DrewLevitt]

I love this record. This is such a "weird" track, coming right after the unquestionable masterpiece that is "Magnificat," but I've come to love it. Sometimes I skip it, because who wants to spend 7 minutes listening to a list of names, but it really has a kind of hypnotic power that sneaks up on you. The open fifth on "God" is really something, actually; and the "Amen" that follows always affects me deeply. Command performance by the Scholars, of course.

[@TheRevjs]

Happy Birthday, Mr. Part! May God continue to bless you in the days ahead as you have blessed us with your glorious music. From, Mary

[@stevensonology]

Happy birthday, Arvo Part! Thank you for all the incredible music over the years.Sincere best wishes, Enos

[@universaledition]

It's good to see "Obed" at 3:42 - the worshipper...very fitting for a member of Universal Edition. A great video, congratulations!

[@postgeoff6354]

My gratitude to Arvo Pärt and the wonderful musicians who bring his music into the physical world is limitless. I want to say 'thank you from your Joanna for your ineffable gift,' but I cannot say ineffable after hearing your music. If anyone could find the means to express gratitude for all we are given, it would be you. So thank you, Arvo Pärt, and may what you have achieved bring you joy.

[@meeracollier5320]

"Salmon" here, thanking Gimmell for this great recording, the Tallis Scholars for this beautiful performance, and to Mr. Part for all he has done for choral music in the last 80 years. The world is enriched because of you!

[@planxty5]

Mr. Pärt, your music has been a force for good in my life for nearly 30 years. You've made the world a better place, and I think you for that. All best wishes, Simeon.

[@guilhermesobrinho1329]

I can't believe that I've never noticed this wonderful rendition until now... absolutely gorgeous. Thanks for sharing!

[@michaelklimas1699]

Mr. Part: THANK YOU for sharing with the world with your amazing genius!! May your tintinnabuli style of composition continue to inspire and thrive into the 22nd century and beyond. Happy 80th! Best always, Eliezer!

[@valwinchester4642]

Delighted to be able to send birthday greetings and many thanks for your beautiful music. "Zorobabel", aka Angus and Val (We love our new name!)

[@Whrrr1978]

Thank you for giving us this remarkable music. I ring and work with bells every day, so listening to and understanding a little more about Tintinnabuli puts another fascinating perspective on things. Happy Birthday! Esli.

[@antodob47]

Wonderful, beautiful, glorious, a fitting tribute to a sublime composer, up there with the supreme Renaissance masters. A bright light in the darkness. Arvo is truly a gift of God (which, see comment below, is the meaning of the name Mattathias). Thanks also to Steve Smith and the Tallis Scholars who have brought us decades of delight. And I am lucky number seven, one of a number of Matathiases. Thank you for including me in this tribute, an honour indeed.

[@bemon1]

I love your music, Mr. Arvo Pärt. I thank you for your divine works and wish you a very happy birthday. - Levi with headphones 😊🔔

[@markrood5324]

What a beautiful idea for a wonderful man and composer. I appear as Juda. Happy birthday, Arvo Part!!!

[@raymondchoi7059]

Haha I'm Rhesa (2:06)! I really can't imagine my life without the music of Arvo Pärt now... so much thanks... and happy 80th birthday!

[@NIABklyn]

Happy Birthday, Maestro! Your music always takes me to another, much more beautiful and peaceful world! - Sem

[@mnenth]

Happy 80th Arvo Pärt, we were so happy to appear in the video as your Neri. Many happy returns.

[@RobertAshton]

This is brilliant! Pleased to appear as Matthat, especially when that name means 'gift' in Hebrew; my copy of "Tinnabuli" was indeed a gift given to me by my wife who knows well what a fan I am of Arvo Part's work. Coincidentally he's almost exactly 20 years older than me!

[@merielennik6389]

To Arvo Pärt, whose music strikes a chord deep with me - it is heavenly to listen to, and sing. I am thrilled to have been able to be part of this birthday tribute to such an amazing composer, under the guise of אליקום - Eliakim. Happy Birthday to you, Arvo Pärt, and may there be many more, along with many more wonderful compositions. Thanks to Gimell Records for such an unusual, clever, and beautifully done tribute!

[@francolissa472]

Nice video. Thanks by Naum and the best greetings to our Maestro.

[@pigpuddle1]

So happy to be a part of this! Happy 80th, Arvo Pärt!

[@madadam12]

Adam and my dog Cammy appear together as "Addi" AT 2:22. Perfect! Happy 80th, Arvo!

HAPPY (80th) BIRTHDAY, MAESTRO PART!!! (born September 11, 1935) Arvo Pärt is an Estonian composer of classical and sacred music.

[@RichardHallas]

I'm the third image in the video, and they've called me "Levi" even though I NEVER, EVER wear jeans! Oh, the irony. But I write this whilst coincidentally wearing the same jumper as is shown in my picture, so that redresses the clothing balance somehow. Anyway, I love the video, and how (as far as possible) the appearance of the photos coincides with the name being sung. Great stuff! Obviously I love the music too. I first got interested in Arvo Pärt in the late 1980s (while I was doing my music degree), just before he became really popular. (Had he already become popular, I almost certainly wouldn't have paid him any attention, because I'm perverse and a champion of the underdog!) He was the second Estonian composer whose music I came to love, as I was already (and still am) a huge fan of Eduard Tubin. I've always had a very soft spot for Pärt's wonderful Third Symphony (as recorded on BIS by its dedicatee, Neeme Järvi) and for "Es sang vor langen Jahren" in particular. Not to mention the Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten, Arbos, Tabula Rasa, Fratres, the Seven Magnificat Antiphons and many other wonderful pieces. Happy 80th birthday on Friday, Arvo! Thanks for all the wonderful music, and please keep up the good work for many more years to come.

[@jjsoetekouw]

Jonan (3'05'') loves the music of Arvo Part!