ARVO PÄRT

The newest addition to our Musical Moments series is this reading of Arvo Pärt’s iconic composition Fratres (“Brethren”), performed by pianist Naoko Sonoda and cellist Santiago Cañón-Valencia. Dating back to 1977, Fratres is an early example of the meditative, mystical style Pärt was developing at the time, known as tintinnabuli (after the Latin word for “bells”). Fratres has since been adapted for many different instruments, including this pairing of cello and piano. Pianist Naoko Sonoda provides the harmonic structure around which Colombian cellist Santiago Cañón-Valencia weaves the melodic line, in a performance of enormous technical dexterity and emotional depth.