15 March 2026

One of the world’s most spiritual composers is the Estonian, Arvo Part. During his early career, he pursued an avant garde style. This led to a seven year absence from composition. When he returned, it was with a different style which he described as tintinnabulist.

The word ‘tintinnabulum’ is Latin for bell. It characterised a music which was minimalist and meditative. It is most famously heard in his work, ‘Spiegel im Spiegel’, literally, ‘Mirror in the Mirror’.

In this type of music, there are two voices. ‘One is the vulnerable, human voice that is straying and sometimes pained, the other is the stable, divine or angelic voice that consoles.’ writes Peter Bouteneff. The two are never far from each other and he describes this as ‘bright sadness’.

On Friday night, there was an extraordinary concert in St. Salvator’s Chapel of Arvo Part’s St. John Passion, sung in the Latin from the Vulgate. The soloists were taken by the Gesualdo Six singing in the chancel and from the gallery. The Chorus was sung by the Chapel Choir singing in the chancel.

The musical accompaniment was provided by University musicians playing violin, cello, oboe and bassoon. They contrasted with the grand sound of the Hradetzky  organ. The cello and the bassoon added an austerely, haunting quality to the passion. This was bright sadness at its best.

There was a lot of chanting reminiscent of the Orthodox liturgy. There was silence and singular contrasts between the minimalist accompaniment and the powerful organ. As the piece progressed, the music not only enveloped me but entered into my body and suffused me. Remarkable. The chapel was packed.