Peter Bouteneff’s book is the first book to examine the connections between Pärt’s music and the traditions of Orthodox Christianity, undoubtedly a relevant addition to the field of Pärt studies. As a professor of theology as well as someone who knows Pärt’s music intimately, Bouteneff contemplates concepts such as spirituality and religiosity, and time and timelessness in Arvo Pärt’s music, discussing why it reaches out to so many listeners across religions and cultures. He also explores the role of text in Pärt’s work. The central chapters of the book are dedicated to some of the more significant terms in Orthodox teachings and their relationship to Pärt’s music.
The author does not expect the readers to only be music scholars and theologians, but a wide variety of people and admirers of Pärt’s music, who would like to know more about the composer’s work and his spiritual world.
A professor of theology and a conservatory-trained musician, Peter Bouteneff, has been an ardent and attentive listener of Arvo Pärt’s music ever since he came to know the composer personally in 1990. He teaches systematic theology and spirituality at St Vladimir’s Seminary in US, where he also co-directs the Arvo Pärt Project.
Original title: Arvo Pärt: Out of Silence Author: Peter C. Bouteneff Publisher: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press Country: USA Year of publication: 2015 Language: English Pages: 231
