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Between Two Sounds: Arvo Pärt’s Journey to His Musical Language
Between Two Sounds follows the life of world-famous composer Arvo Pärt from his birth in Estonia in 1935 through 1980, when the Soviets forced him to emigrate because of the nonconformist and religious nature of his music.
Based on years of research and close collaboration with Arvo Pärt himself, Joonas Sildre paints an atmospheric portrait of a restless artist who does not shy away from confronting state control or his own internal contradictions.
Arvo Pärt stormed the Soviet music scene in the 1960s as a brash young man pushing the limits of avant-garde modernism. Then he fell silent, no longer able to express what he felt through the musical language he had inherited. When he reemerged a decade later, he had found, in that silence between sounds, a new musical language inspired by ancient sacred music, the basis of his distinctive tintinnabuli technique. This graphic novel will appeal not just to fans of Arvo Pärt’s music but to anyone who has known the struggle to remain true to oneself whatever the cost.
“Sildre finds exciting ways to graphically depict music that shouldn’t be missed.”
—Casten Jaehner, Comic Couch
“This extraordinary book, with its interplay of calm and dynamic, goes along well with Pärt’s music. It brings fans closer to Arvo Pärt as a person and will make the uninitiated curious.”
—Dorothea Husslein, SWR 2
“Pärt seeks silence in music, and Sildre creates this silence in the pictures.”
—Gregor Lilla, Élet és Irodalom
Based on years of research and close collaboration with Arvo Pärt himself, Joonas Sildre paints an atmospheric portrait of a restless artist who does not shy away from confronting state control or his own internal contradictions.
Arvo Pärt stormed the Soviet music scene in the 1960s as a brash young man pushing the limits of avant-garde modernism. Then he fell silent, no longer able to express what he felt through the musical language he had inherited. When he reemerged a decade later, he had found, in that silence between sounds, a new musical language inspired by ancient sacred music, the basis of his distinctive tintinnabuli technique. This graphic novel will appeal not just to fans of Arvo Pärt’s music but to anyone who has known the struggle to remain true to oneself whatever the cost.
“Sildre finds exciting ways to graphically depict music that shouldn’t be missed.”
—Casten Jaehner, Comic Couch
“This extraordinary book, with its interplay of calm and dynamic, goes along well with Pärt’s music. It brings fans closer to Arvo Pärt as a person and will make the uninitiated curious.”
—Dorothea Husslein, SWR 2
“Pärt seeks silence in music, and Sildre creates this silence in the pictures.”
—Gregor Lilla, Élet és Irodalom
224 pages, Hardcover
First published October 17, 2018
19 people are currently reading
2707 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
January 18, 2019
see on kindlasti esimene eesti algupärane graafiline romaan, mida ma lugenud olen, ja võimalik, et esimene, mis üldse kirjutatud - ma igatahes teisi ei tea. ja kas teda romaaniks kutsuda õige on, ei tea ka, see on (osaline) elulugu ju siiski.
olen viimastel aastatel seda žanri kõrgelt hindama õppinud ja lugenud täitsa palju kvaliteetseid koomikseid ja graafilisi romaane ja asju, mis tahavad olla üks, aga on lõpuks teine. Sildre ei valmista muu maailma taustal pettumust, see kõik on väga hea! algus ehk veidi ühemõõtmeline, aga kui juba muusika kirjutamiseks läheb, siis läheb ka muusika joonistamiseks ja sellele on siin leitud väga nauditavaid ja veenvaid lahendusi.
esimesel korral neelasin kogu loo lihtsalt otsast lõpuni alla, siis võtsin algusest uuesti ette ja kuulasin kõiki mainitud-näidatud Pärdi teoseid kõrvale. oo! tõesti täiesti geniaalne töö kunstnikult ja just nii soovitangi seda raamatut lugeda. sest lihtsalt... "Credo" visualiseerituna, kes oleks arvanud, et seda saab teha? või siis "Tabula Rasa" ebaõnnestunud proov vs õnnestunud esiettekanne. aga ka Pärdi eneseotsingud noodijoonte vahel ja kohal ja lõpus... raamatu II osa lõpp on eriti hea näide sellest, kuidas pilt saab toetada ka väga abstraktset teksti.
muidugi ongi Arvo Pärdi elu- ja loomingulugu väga põnev ja eriti palju ma tema noorusajast ja kujunemisest enne ei teadnud, nii et ka muusikast teadmata või hoolimata on huvitav lugemine. aga selleks ajaks, kui lõpuni jõuad, ilmselt juba tead ja hoolidki :)
üks huvitav lugu veel siia juurde: just eelmisel päeval lugesin "Minu Jeruusalemma", mis mul õnnestus raamatukogust mingi vedamise läbi hankida (e-kataloogi andmetel poleks teda seal riiulis üldse olema pidanud) ja seal oli meeleolukas lugu eestlannast ortodoksi nunna ema Ksenija ja Arvo Pärdi kohtumisest ja sellest, kuidas raamatu autor läks hiljem suvalisse Kopli postkontorisse Pärdile pakki postitama ja kohtus seal Pärdi endaga. ta ei arvanud, et see olnuks lihtsalt pime juhus. mitte et ma nüüd just jumalikku ettehoolet kahtlustaks selles, et ma kohe sinna järele Pärdi-raamatut lugesin (selle tõi jõuluvana ja jõuluvanale ma olin enne kirjutanud), aga tore kokkusattumus ikka kõigi nende inimeste õigeuskupööramise lugude juurde, et nad mul nii korraga ja läbipõimunult käsil olid.
"Kahe heli vahel" lõpeb 1980. aasta ja Pärtide sundemigreerumisega. nüüd tahaks ainult paluda, et tuleks järgmised osad ka sellele raamatule, sest just sellisel kujul ma tahangi Pärdist ja ta muusikast lugeda veel ja veel ja veel.
olen viimastel aastatel seda žanri kõrgelt hindama õppinud ja lugenud täitsa palju kvaliteetseid koomikseid ja graafilisi romaane ja asju, mis tahavad olla üks, aga on lõpuks teine. Sildre ei valmista muu maailma taustal pettumust, see kõik on väga hea! algus ehk veidi ühemõõtmeline, aga kui juba muusika kirjutamiseks läheb, siis läheb ka muusika joonistamiseks ja sellele on siin leitud väga nauditavaid ja veenvaid lahendusi.
esimesel korral neelasin kogu loo lihtsalt otsast lõpuni alla, siis võtsin algusest uuesti ette ja kuulasin kõiki mainitud-näidatud Pärdi teoseid kõrvale. oo! tõesti täiesti geniaalne töö kunstnikult ja just nii soovitangi seda raamatut lugeda. sest lihtsalt... "Credo" visualiseerituna, kes oleks arvanud, et seda saab teha? või siis "Tabula Rasa" ebaõnnestunud proov vs õnnestunud esiettekanne. aga ka Pärdi eneseotsingud noodijoonte vahel ja kohal ja lõpus... raamatu II osa lõpp on eriti hea näide sellest, kuidas pilt saab toetada ka väga abstraktset teksti.
muidugi ongi Arvo Pärdi elu- ja loomingulugu väga põnev ja eriti palju ma tema noorusajast ja kujunemisest enne ei teadnud, nii et ka muusikast teadmata või hoolimata on huvitav lugemine. aga selleks ajaks, kui lõpuni jõuad, ilmselt juba tead ja hoolidki :)
üks huvitav lugu veel siia juurde: just eelmisel päeval lugesin "Minu Jeruusalemma", mis mul õnnestus raamatukogust mingi vedamise läbi hankida (e-kataloogi andmetel poleks teda seal riiulis üldse olema pidanud) ja seal oli meeleolukas lugu eestlannast ortodoksi nunna ema Ksenija ja Arvo Pärdi kohtumisest ja sellest, kuidas raamatu autor läks hiljem suvalisse Kopli postkontorisse Pärdile pakki postitama ja kohtus seal Pärdi endaga. ta ei arvanud, et see olnuks lihtsalt pime juhus. mitte et ma nüüd just jumalikku ettehoolet kahtlustaks selles, et ma kohe sinna järele Pärdi-raamatut lugesin (selle tõi jõuluvana ja jõuluvanale ma olin enne kirjutanud), aga tore kokkusattumus ikka kõigi nende inimeste õigeuskupööramise lugude juurde, et nad mul nii korraga ja läbipõimunult käsil olid.
"Kahe heli vahel" lõpeb 1980. aasta ja Pärtide sundemigreerumisega. nüüd tahaks ainult paluda, et tuleks järgmised osad ka sellele raamatule, sest just sellisel kujul ma tahangi Pärdist ja ta muusikast lugeda veel ja veel ja veel.
June 9, 2022
Šią knygą skaičiau, aišku, anksčiau, nes turėjau padaryti interviu su autoriumi, o ištraukas mačiau dar anksčiau, komiksų festivalyje Italijoje.
Tuomet galvojau: ot kaip gražiai ir informatyviai galima nupiešti muziką! Ir dabar taip tebegalvoju, manau, čia didelė knygos stiprybė ir grožis.
Kai pradėjau skaityti maketą, galvojau: ech, ir vėl bus tas nuosekliai biografinis komiksas, apie tai, kur augo, kaip mėgo muziką nuo mažens etc. Kažkaip man pačiai ėmė atsibosti grafinės biografijos, gal dėl to, kad pati esu jų pripaišiusi hehe. Bet paskui prasidėjo epizodas apie kompozitoriaus kūrybinę krizę / ieškojimus, kai jis beveik nieko nekūrė – šitas epizodas užėmė gerą knygos gabalą, ir, nors su Parto ieškojimais nesitapatinau, buvo išties įdomu.
Tada galvojau: štai jums būdas išnaudoti komiksų potencialą! Ne šiaip piešti, kas įvyko ir kas ką pasakė, o atskleisti vidinį gyvenimą per grafinius elementus. Valio! Gal jei daugiau pieštume tokių dalykų, būtų lengviau įtikinti leidyklas, užsakovus ir tarybas, kad komiksas gali būti kūrinys pats savaime, o ne "patrauklus perpasakojimas".
Interviu su Joonu bent jau man suteikė naują skaitymo levelį – pvz kad tai vienintelė Arvo Parto biografija, kurią kuriant dalyvavo pats kompozitorius. Yra kitų, rašančių jo biografijas, bet jis su jais nedirba. Dar labai miela detalė apie žmoną intervo gale:)
+ labai mielas piešimo stilius su labai geru šešėliavimu! rekomenduoju
Tuomet galvojau: ot kaip gražiai ir informatyviai galima nupiešti muziką! Ir dabar taip tebegalvoju, manau, čia didelė knygos stiprybė ir grožis.
Kai pradėjau skaityti maketą, galvojau: ech, ir vėl bus tas nuosekliai biografinis komiksas, apie tai, kur augo, kaip mėgo muziką nuo mažens etc. Kažkaip man pačiai ėmė atsibosti grafinės biografijos, gal dėl to, kad pati esu jų pripaišiusi hehe. Bet paskui prasidėjo epizodas apie kompozitoriaus kūrybinę krizę / ieškojimus, kai jis beveik nieko nekūrė – šitas epizodas užėmė gerą knygos gabalą, ir, nors su Parto ieškojimais nesitapatinau, buvo išties įdomu.
Tada galvojau: štai jums būdas išnaudoti komiksų potencialą! Ne šiaip piešti, kas įvyko ir kas ką pasakė, o atskleisti vidinį gyvenimą per grafinius elementus. Valio! Gal jei daugiau pieštume tokių dalykų, būtų lengviau įtikinti leidyklas, užsakovus ir tarybas, kad komiksas gali būti kūrinys pats savaime, o ne "patrauklus perpasakojimas".
Interviu su Joonu bent jau man suteikė naują skaitymo levelį – pvz kad tai vienintelė Arvo Parto biografija, kurią kuriant dalyvavo pats kompozitorius. Yra kitų, rašančių jo biografijas, bet jis su jais nedirba. Dar labai miela detalė apie žmoną intervo gale:)
+ labai mielas piešimo stilius su labai geru šešėliavimu! rekomenduoju
August 14, 2022
Nuostabi istorija. Atrodo, kad nupasakojant menininko, kuriančio priespaudos metu, gyvenimą jau nelabai ką naujo ir beišgirsi (vien liūdesys, netektys ir sunkumai) bet šio grafinio romano autorius pažvelgia kiek giliau – kūrinyje atsiskleidžia daug kūrybinių kančių ir idėjų suteikiamos vilties, itin sumaniai supažindinama su Arvo Parto sumanymais, kurie jį išgarsino visame pasaulyje, ir išvengiama to didaktiškumo, kuris kartais seka panašias istorijas.
Dažniausiai skaitydama muzikos neklausau, bet šį kartą dariau išimtį – klausantis kompozitoriaus kūrybos šis kūrinys atsiskleidžia tik dar įvairesnemis spalvomis. Be galo sužavėjo, kaip autorius pasirinko iliustruoti muziką, nes ji tampa atskiru kūrinio veikėju, bet vis viena yra suprantama ir prieinama net tiems, kurie žinių apie techninę viso šio reikalo pusę visiškai neturi.
Nustebino temų gausa – čia ne tik įprasta istorija apie tai, ką menininkui teko išgyventi, kai jo kūryba buvo po padidinamuoju valdžios stiklu, bet ir apie tikėjimą ir jo paieškas, šeimą, meilę ir užsispyrimą. Labai rekomenduoju visiems – ne tik muziką mėgstantiems, tiems, kam galbūt dar neteko išbandyti grafinio romano žanro, jauniems ir vyresniems – tai vienas tų kūrinių, kuris savyje talpina be galo daug meilės ir šilumos.
Dažniausiai skaitydama muzikos neklausau, bet šį kartą dariau išimtį – klausantis kompozitoriaus kūrybos šis kūrinys atsiskleidžia tik dar įvairesnemis spalvomis. Be galo sužavėjo, kaip autorius pasirinko iliustruoti muziką, nes ji tampa atskiru kūrinio veikėju, bet vis viena yra suprantama ir prieinama net tiems, kurie žinių apie techninę viso šio reikalo pusę visiškai neturi.
Nustebino temų gausa – čia ne tik įprasta istorija apie tai, ką menininkui teko išgyventi, kai jo kūryba buvo po padidinamuoju valdžios stiklu, bet ir apie tikėjimą ir jo paieškas, šeimą, meilę ir užsispyrimą. Labai rekomenduoju visiems – ne tik muziką mėgstantiems, tiems, kam galbūt dar neteko išbandyti grafinio romano žanro, jauniems ir vyresniems – tai vienas tų kūrinių, kuris savyje talpina be galo daug meilės ir šilumos.
September 11, 2025
Estonian Composer Arvo Pärt at 90
A review of the Plough Books hardcover (September 3, 2024) translated by Adam Cullen from the Estonian language original (2018).
Arvo Pärt at 90, photograph by Brigid Püve at the Arvo Pärt Centre, Estonia.
I reviewed the original Estonian language edition back in 2018. The following is an updated review posted on the occasion of Arvo Pärt's 90th birthday on September 11, 2025. The translation by Adam Cullen for the English language edition is excellent. In recent years, Cullen has become the most widely published English language translator of Estonian in the world with several dozen books to his credit.
Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s music has become increasingly popular throughout the world since his forced emigration from then-Soviet Estonia in 1980. International performances and recordings became more frequent with the release of ECM Records’ Tabula Rasa (1984) to the point now in 2025 where there are over 1,000 professionally issued recordings with his works included. Classical music performance tracker Bachtrack has consistently listed him as either the world's 1st or 2nd most performed living classical composer for the past 15 years (2011-2025) as of January 2025. The main competition for the #1 position has been John Williams, best known for his film scores which are often performed live by symphony orchestras at film screenings.
Pärt's music (and sometimes that of his imitators) has become ubiquitous in film and television, especially when a mood of yearning or of calm resignation is being evoked. Many will have heard his music through popular culture usage without perhaps knowing who the composer even was (e.g. in the music used in the teaser-trailer of Alfonso Cuarón’s film Gravity (2013) and then in the subsequent couch gag Gravity parody in the opening of TV's The Simpsons Season 25 Episode 4 “YOLO”, in a climactic scene of Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), the finale episode of the fantasy comedy/drama TV series The Good Place (2016-2020), etc.).
Information about Arvo Pärt’s life prior to 1980 has been limited to snippets from print interviews or film documentaries and a few pages dedicated to biographical information in books such as Paul Hillier’s Arvo Pärt (1997), Enzo Restagno’s Arvo Pärt in Conversation (Italian original Arvo Pärt allo specchio: conversazioni, saggi e testimonianze 2004) and Peter Bouteneff’s Arvo Pärt: Out of Silence (2015).
Graphic novelist Joonas Sildre has expanded the knowledge of this previous time enormously with this non-fiction graphic novel that tells the story of Pärt’s life from his birth, through his youth and beginning love of music, his subsequent musical education and early years as a composer, his retreat while searching for his own musical voice, its realization in the birth of his unique composition tintinnabuli (little bell-like) style and the repression of his career under the Soviet system which eventually forced his emigration to the west.
The research that has gone into this book's production spanned a period of ten years and is evident in the detail of the various anecdotes of musical study, composition and performance that are recreated in this heartfelt tribute to a life dedicated to seeking a uniquely personal but also universal way of communication through musical sound.
Pärtophiles will sometimes recognize the recreation of various historical photographs, the wonderful characterizations of various associated musical performers and composers (a helpful List of Characters is provided in an Appendix) and will also be intrigued by what would have been limited knowledge in the past (e.g. the origin of the title of Pärt’s first tintinnabuli work Für Alina, the number of original tintinnabuli works (14, of which only 7 were actually performed publicly) etc.)
Joonas Sildre has done all of this in a clean and simple style utilizing only black, grey and white colours which are especially suited to this composer’s story (who has spoken often of his music’s parallels to white light). The use of black notes to symbolise Pärt’s early music, the discovery of the tintinnabuli sound symbolised by white notes and the harmonies between the melody lines and the tintinnabuli accompaniment in his compositions are all perfect visualisations. The adaptation of musical composition staves / bar-lines provide both ways to communicate types of sound e.g. jagged lines for atonal music, or as a symbolic path or road for a journey being travelled.
Further biographies of Pärt and his musical style are sure to be written, especially with the recent availability of his archives to researchers at the newly opened Arvo Pärt Centre in Estonia. None of them are likely to surpass the delightful entertaining value of this unique non-fiction graphic novel though.
Soundtrack
There are many thousands of online postings of Arvo Pärt's music from recordings and live performances which you can listen to or watch on YouTube here. On Spotify you can listen to a wide selection of the officially released recordings here.
Trivia and Links
Further information and resources about Arvo Pärt can be found at the website of the Arvo Pärt Centre in Estonia which has both Estonian and English language versions.
The primary recording label of Arvo Pärt's music since 1984 has been Manfred Eicher's ECM Records in Germany and the selection of related albums and books can be seen here
On the occasion of Arvo Pärt's 90th birthday, ECM Records producer Manfred Eicher made a digital only release of "Fratres - Through a Glass Darkly - Sequence by Manfred Eicher" containing a selection of 2025 remastered recordings from the ECM archives. It is currently available exclusively on iTunes here.
I maintain a Goodreads Listopia of books with fictional characters who love Arvo Pärt which you can see here. The range of authors is quite extensive and sometimes surprising. I would be delighted if anyone comes across Arvo Pärt's name and/or music in a fictional work and would let me know about it in order to add to the list. Thank you in advance 😊!
A review of the Plough Books hardcover (September 3, 2024) translated by Adam Cullen from the Estonian language original (2018).
I could compare my music to white light which contains all colours. Only a prism can divide the colours and make them appear; this prism could be the spirit of the listener.
Arvo Pärt at 90, photograph by Brigid Püve at the Arvo Pärt Centre, Estonia.
I reviewed the original Estonian language edition back in 2018. The following is an updated review posted on the occasion of Arvo Pärt's 90th birthday on September 11, 2025. The translation by Adam Cullen for the English language edition is excellent. In recent years, Cullen has become the most widely published English language translator of Estonian in the world with several dozen books to his credit.
Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s music has become increasingly popular throughout the world since his forced emigration from then-Soviet Estonia in 1980. International performances and recordings became more frequent with the release of ECM Records’ Tabula Rasa (1984) to the point now in 2025 where there are over 1,000 professionally issued recordings with his works included. Classical music performance tracker Bachtrack has consistently listed him as either the world's 1st or 2nd most performed living classical composer for the past 15 years (2011-2025) as of January 2025. The main competition for the #1 position has been John Williams, best known for his film scores which are often performed live by symphony orchestras at film screenings.
Pärt's music (and sometimes that of his imitators) has become ubiquitous in film and television, especially when a mood of yearning or of calm resignation is being evoked. Many will have heard his music through popular culture usage without perhaps knowing who the composer even was (e.g. in the music used in the teaser-trailer of Alfonso Cuarón’s film Gravity (2013) and then in the subsequent couch gag Gravity parody in the opening of TV's The Simpsons Season 25 Episode 4 “YOLO”, in a climactic scene of Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), the finale episode of the fantasy comedy/drama TV series The Good Place (2016-2020), etc.).
Information about Arvo Pärt’s life prior to 1980 has been limited to snippets from print interviews or film documentaries and a few pages dedicated to biographical information in books such as Paul Hillier’s Arvo Pärt (1997), Enzo Restagno’s Arvo Pärt in Conversation (Italian original Arvo Pärt allo specchio: conversazioni, saggi e testimonianze 2004) and Peter Bouteneff’s Arvo Pärt: Out of Silence (2015).
Graphic novelist Joonas Sildre has expanded the knowledge of this previous time enormously with this non-fiction graphic novel that tells the story of Pärt’s life from his birth, through his youth and beginning love of music, his subsequent musical education and early years as a composer, his retreat while searching for his own musical voice, its realization in the birth of his unique composition tintinnabuli (little bell-like) style and the repression of his career under the Soviet system which eventually forced his emigration to the west.
The research that has gone into this book's production spanned a period of ten years and is evident in the detail of the various anecdotes of musical study, composition and performance that are recreated in this heartfelt tribute to a life dedicated to seeking a uniquely personal but also universal way of communication through musical sound.
Pärtophiles will sometimes recognize the recreation of various historical photographs, the wonderful characterizations of various associated musical performers and composers (a helpful List of Characters is provided in an Appendix) and will also be intrigued by what would have been limited knowledge in the past (e.g. the origin of the title of Pärt’s first tintinnabuli work Für Alina, the number of original tintinnabuli works (14, of which only 7 were actually performed publicly) etc.)
Joonas Sildre has done all of this in a clean and simple style utilizing only black, grey and white colours which are especially suited to this composer’s story (who has spoken often of his music’s parallels to white light). The use of black notes to symbolise Pärt’s early music, the discovery of the tintinnabuli sound symbolised by white notes and the harmonies between the melody lines and the tintinnabuli accompaniment in his compositions are all perfect visualisations. The adaptation of musical composition staves / bar-lines provide both ways to communicate types of sound e.g. jagged lines for atonal music, or as a symbolic path or road for a journey being travelled.
Further biographies of Pärt and his musical style are sure to be written, especially with the recent availability of his archives to researchers at the newly opened Arvo Pärt Centre in Estonia. None of them are likely to surpass the delightful entertaining value of this unique non-fiction graphic novel though.
Soundtrack
There are many thousands of online postings of Arvo Pärt's music from recordings and live performances which you can listen to or watch on YouTube here. On Spotify you can listen to a wide selection of the officially released recordings here.
Trivia and Links
Further information and resources about Arvo Pärt can be found at the website of the Arvo Pärt Centre in Estonia which has both Estonian and English language versions.
The primary recording label of Arvo Pärt's music since 1984 has been Manfred Eicher's ECM Records in Germany and the selection of related albums and books can be seen here
On the occasion of Arvo Pärt's 90th birthday, ECM Records producer Manfred Eicher made a digital only release of "Fratres - Through a Glass Darkly - Sequence by Manfred Eicher" containing a selection of 2025 remastered recordings from the ECM archives. It is currently available exclusively on iTunes here.
I maintain a Goodreads Listopia of books with fictional characters who love Arvo Pärt which you can see here. The range of authors is quite extensive and sometimes surprising. I would be delighted if anyone comes across Arvo Pärt's name and/or music in a fictional work and would let me know about it in order to add to the list. Thank you in advance 😊!
April 19, 2024
I know very little about Estonia or the majority of composers out there. Between Two Sounds introduces you to a bit of both in a simple yet engaging way. Being a graphic novel allows it to focus more on how events shaped and affected Arvo Pärt rather than his trajectory as a composer getting lost within the historical events (WWII, Soviet rule). I paired reading this with listening to some of his pieces which I felt enhanced both the writing and the music.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
September 4, 2024
How do you illustrate music as unique as Arvo Pärt's meditative works?
I do not have a good answer for that question. I am giving this "graphic novel" 5 stars not because it explains the unique appeal of this Estonian composer's works—but because the story intrigued and puzzled me so much that I felt compelled to purchase some of Pärt's music. And I love it! It's that inspiration to leap from these pages into his music that I find so valuable.
Everything about this new hardcover appealed to me when it arrived in my mailbox. First, it's published by Plough Publishing House, which is the media arm of the Bruderhof. As a journalist who has specialized in reporting on religious and cultural diversity for many decades, I have visited Bruderhof communities. I am impressed by their ongoing commitment to Christian communal living. So, for the Plough team to decide to celebrate Arvo Pärt's life in such an elaborate new book was enough to make me sit up and immediately begin reading.
The book takes readers way back into the early 20th century to tell the life story of this musical genius who managed to blend classical, avant-garde and centuries-old forms of sacred music, including chants. Given the turbulent history in that part of the world in the mid-20th-Century, he faced dire challenges.
And I'm glad that he was resilient enough to survive and thrive!
I'm especially impressed with his work on what he called "tintinnabuli," which references the bell-like elements of some of the music he was trying to create. Clearly, in reviewing this book, I'm a professional "word guy" who is quickly running out of words to describe a cutting-edge approach to music.
Also, I am admitting that, until this book arrived, I was not aware of his life or his work. So, in writing this review, I am literally just a week or so into my discovery of that remarkable music. I'm fairly certain that, now, I will be listening to his music for a long time—so I think it is appropriate to encourage others to read this book, too.
So, if this review intrigues you, too, check out the book. Maybe you'll find yourself also jumping from these pages into a search for his music.
In my late 60s, I am startled to discover remarkably challenging media experiences like this graphic novel—and this haunting music. I have read online that Pärt is still alive, although he rarely gives interviews. Who knows? Perhaps he might see this Goodreads review.
If so, I wish him well. He—and the team from Plough—already have lifted my spirits and my imagination in fresh ways.
I do not have a good answer for that question. I am giving this "graphic novel" 5 stars not because it explains the unique appeal of this Estonian composer's works—but because the story intrigued and puzzled me so much that I felt compelled to purchase some of Pärt's music. And I love it! It's that inspiration to leap from these pages into his music that I find so valuable.
Everything about this new hardcover appealed to me when it arrived in my mailbox. First, it's published by Plough Publishing House, which is the media arm of the Bruderhof. As a journalist who has specialized in reporting on religious and cultural diversity for many decades, I have visited Bruderhof communities. I am impressed by their ongoing commitment to Christian communal living. So, for the Plough team to decide to celebrate Arvo Pärt's life in such an elaborate new book was enough to make me sit up and immediately begin reading.
The book takes readers way back into the early 20th century to tell the life story of this musical genius who managed to blend classical, avant-garde and centuries-old forms of sacred music, including chants. Given the turbulent history in that part of the world in the mid-20th-Century, he faced dire challenges.
And I'm glad that he was resilient enough to survive and thrive!
I'm especially impressed with his work on what he called "tintinnabuli," which references the bell-like elements of some of the music he was trying to create. Clearly, in reviewing this book, I'm a professional "word guy" who is quickly running out of words to describe a cutting-edge approach to music.
Also, I am admitting that, until this book arrived, I was not aware of his life or his work. So, in writing this review, I am literally just a week or so into my discovery of that remarkable music. I'm fairly certain that, now, I will be listening to his music for a long time—so I think it is appropriate to encourage others to read this book, too.
So, if this review intrigues you, too, check out the book. Maybe you'll find yourself also jumping from these pages into a search for his music.
In my late 60s, I am startled to discover remarkably challenging media experiences like this graphic novel—and this haunting music. I have read online that Pärt is still alive, although he rarely gives interviews. Who knows? Perhaps he might see this Goodreads review.
If so, I wish him well. He—and the team from Plough—already have lifted my spirits and my imagination in fresh ways.
November 19, 2024
My thanks to NetGalley and Plough Publishing House for an eARC of this to read and review.
Yo, I am not intelligent, deep or philosophical enough for this book. That being said, my church has a vibrant music community who I think would enjoy and "get" this book better than I ever could. I will definitely recommend it to them and to anyone with a serious musical or philosophical bent.
2, I am not the correct reader for this book but I can see it being perfect for others, stars.
Yo, I am not intelligent, deep or philosophical enough for this book. That being said, my church has a vibrant music community who I think would enjoy and "get" this book better than I ever could. I will definitely recommend it to them and to anyone with a serious musical or philosophical bent.
2, I am not the correct reader for this book but I can see it being perfect for others, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2020
Usun, et see on üks neist raamatuist, mis suudab puudutada igaühe hinge, kes seda loeb, ole sa siis peadpidi muusikas sees või hoopis võrdlemisi võhik ses valdkonnas.
Vahel on nii, et less is more ja see, et siin pole pikki lehekülgi peenikeses kirjas tekstiga, ei tähenda, et see lugu oleks kuidagi kehvemalt edasi antud. Pigem jääb igale sõnale siin seetõttu just suurem kaal, et selle ümber on vaba ruumi, kust välja paista. Just nagu see, mille poole Pärt ka ise on läbi aegade püüelnud.
Aga kõige paremini on raamatu põhiolemuse kokku võtnud minu meelest ikkagi Sildre ise oma järelsõnas:
"Kogudes materjali selle loo jaoks, lugedes ja kuulates asjaosaliste mälestusi, infot kild killu haaval kokku sobitades, sain aru, et ajalugu on alati subjektiivne. Igal inimesel on oma tee, isiklik ajajoon. Talle antud aeg on väga isiklik kingitus.
Samas aga vaatab objektiivsus meie peale hukkamõistuta, armastusega. Kui me sellele vaid tähelepanu pöörame, on lootus, et otsides teda iseenda teel, kasvab meie tahe ja oskus vaadata ka teiste peale objektiivsemalt. Nõnda jõuame me samm-sammult lähemale armastusele.
See lugu on tõlgendus mitme inimese teekonnast, see on subjektiivne pilguheit, üks jäädvustus paljudest võimalikest - ainulaadne, kuid kaugelt mitte ainuke. Loodan, et see avab mõne ukse edasistele otsingutele."
NB! Lugeda iseenesest mõistetavalt koos soundtrackiga paladest, mida Pärt vastavas raamatu etapis komponeeris. See annab tõesti palju elamusele juurde.
Vahel on nii, et less is more ja see, et siin pole pikki lehekülgi peenikeses kirjas tekstiga, ei tähenda, et see lugu oleks kuidagi kehvemalt edasi antud. Pigem jääb igale sõnale siin seetõttu just suurem kaal, et selle ümber on vaba ruumi, kust välja paista. Just nagu see, mille poole Pärt ka ise on läbi aegade püüelnud.
Aga kõige paremini on raamatu põhiolemuse kokku võtnud minu meelest ikkagi Sildre ise oma järelsõnas:
"Kogudes materjali selle loo jaoks, lugedes ja kuulates asjaosaliste mälestusi, infot kild killu haaval kokku sobitades, sain aru, et ajalugu on alati subjektiivne. Igal inimesel on oma tee, isiklik ajajoon. Talle antud aeg on väga isiklik kingitus.
Samas aga vaatab objektiivsus meie peale hukkamõistuta, armastusega. Kui me sellele vaid tähelepanu pöörame, on lootus, et otsides teda iseenda teel, kasvab meie tahe ja oskus vaadata ka teiste peale objektiivsemalt. Nõnda jõuame me samm-sammult lähemale armastusele.
See lugu on tõlgendus mitme inimese teekonnast, see on subjektiivne pilguheit, üks jäädvustus paljudest võimalikest - ainulaadne, kuid kaugelt mitte ainuke. Loodan, et see avab mõne ukse edasistele otsingutele."
NB! Lugeda iseenesest mõistetavalt koos soundtrackiga paladest, mida Pärt vastavas raamatu etapis komponeeris. See annab tõesti palju elamusele juurde.
February 14, 2020
Liitusin ka graafiliste romaanide lugemise trendiga tänu toredale jõulukingitusele. Mõtlesin hetkeks, et kirjutaks põhjaliku ja sügava arvustuse, sest mul on hästi palju öelda selle raamatu enda, nii sisu kui vormi, kohta ning selle kohta, kuidas temas edasi kantud mõtted läksid nii hästi kokku mu viimasema aja mõtetega ja juhtisid mind õiges suunas. Aga siis tuli mulle meelde Arvo Pärdi enda tsitaat, mis jäi silma, kui panin lugedes taustale mängima tema „Tabula Rasa“: „Enne kui midagi ütelda, peaks võib-olla mitte midagi ütlema.“
Nii palju sellegipoolest ütlen, et väga soovitan!
Nii palju sellegipoolest ütlen, et väga soovitan!
Read
June 9, 2022Kaip džiugu, kad egzistuoja visokios kultūrinės institucijos, kurios ima ir paremia va tokias knygas – vargu ar lemtas labai plačiai auditorijai, bet labai vertingas.
Paskutinėj komiksų apžvalgoj apie ‘Bites’ rašiau, kad komiksai turbūt ne geriausias būdas pasakoti apie muziką, bet dabar jau įsitikinau, kad ‘Bitės’ tiesiog blogai papasakotos. Čia autorius labai kūrybingai naudoja vaizdus, kai kur tikrai girdėjau muziką. Vienintelis knygos minusas – keistas šriftas. Nederėjo su bendru vaizdu nors tu ką.
Paskutinėj komiksų apžvalgoj apie ‘Bites’ rašiau, kad komiksai turbūt ne geriausias būdas pasakoti apie muziką, bet dabar jau įsitikinau, kad ‘Bitės’ tiesiog blogai papasakotos. Čia autorius labai kūrybingai naudoja vaizdus, kai kur tikrai girdėjau muziką. Vienintelis knygos minusas – keistas šriftas. Nederėjo su bendru vaizdu nors tu ką.
June 9, 2022
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Įdomus komiksas, gražiai patinktos iliustracijų spalvos. Pati istorija suteikia proga susipažinti su estų kompozitoriumi Arvo Pärtu ir jo gyvenimo istorija. Kartu sužinome kokiomis nuotaikomis Estija gyveno pastarąjį šimtmetį. Rekomenduoju labai, nes perskaitę tikrai nesigailėsite.
www.facebook.com/miciausknygos
Įdomus komiksas, gražiai patinktos iliustracijų spalvos. Pati istorija suteikia proga susipažinti su estų kompozitoriumi Arvo Pärtu ir jo gyvenimo istorija. Kartu sužinome kokiomis nuotaikomis Estija gyveno pastarąjį šimtmetį. Rekomenduoju labai, nes perskaitę tikrai nesigailėsite.
December 2, 2018
Between Two Sounds: A Graphic Novel about Arvo Pärt
A review of the Estonian language edition
Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s music has become increasingly popular throughout the world since his forced emigration from then-Soviet Estonia in 1980. International performances and recordings became more frequent with the release of ECM Records’ Tabula Rasa (1984) to the point now in 2018 where there are over 500 professionally issued recordings with his works included. Online concert tracker Bachtrack has listed him as the world’s most performed living classical composer for the past seven years running (2011-2017) as of January 2018.
Pärt's music (and sometimes that of his imitators) has become ubiquitous in film and television, especially when a mood of yearning or of calm resignation is being evoked. Many will have heard his music through popular culture usage without perhaps knowing who the composer even was (e.g. in the music used in the teaser-trailer of Alfonso Cuarón’s film Gravity (2013) and then in the subsequent couch gag Gravity parody in the opening of TV's The Simpsons Season 25 Episode 4 “YOLO”, in a climactic scene of Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) etc.).
Information about Arvo Pärt’s life prior to 1980 has been limited to snippets from print interviews or film documentaries and a few pages dedicated to biographical information in books such as Paul Hillier’s “Arvo Pärt” (1997), Enzo Restagno’s “Arvo Pärt in Conversation” (Italian original Arvo Pärt allo specchio: conversazioni, saggi e testimonianze 2004) and Peter Bouteneff’s “Arvo Pärt: Out of Silence” (2015).
Joonas Sildre has expanded the knowledge of this previous time enormously with this non-fiction graphic novel that tells the story of Pärt’s life from his birth, through his youth and beginning love of music, his subsequent musical education and early years as a composer, his retreat while searching for his own musical voice, its realization in the birth of the tintinnabuli (little bell-like) sound and the repression of his career under the Soviet system that eventually forced his emigration to the west.
The research that has gone into this book's production spanned a period of ten years and is evident in the detail of the various anecdotes of musical study, composition and performance that are recreated in this heartfelt tribute to a life dedicated to seeking a uniquely personal but also universal way of communication through musical sound.
Pärtophiles will sometimes recognize the recreation of various historical photographs, the wonderful characterizations of various associated musical performers and composers (a helpful List of Characters is provided in an Appendix) and will also be intrigued by what would have been limited knowledge in the past (e.g. the origin of the title of Pärt’s first tintinnabuli work Für Alina, the number of original tintinnabuli works (14, of which only 7 were actually performed publicly) etc.)
Joonas Sildre has done all of this in a clean and simple style utilizing only black, grey and white colours which are especially suited to this composer’s story (who has spoken often of his music’s parallels to white light). The use of black notes to symbolise Pärt’s early music, the discovery of the tintinnabuli sound symbolised by white notes and the harmonies between the melody lines and the tintinnabuli accompaniment in his compositions are all perfect visualisations. The adaptation of musical composition staves / bar-lines provide both ways to communicate types of sound e.g. jagged lines for atonal music, or as a symbolic path or road for a journey being travelled.
Further biographies of Pärt and his musical style are sure to be written, especially with the recent availability of his archives to researchers at the newly opened Arvo Pärt Centre in Estonia. None of them are likely to surpass the delightful entertaining value of this unique non-fiction graphic novel though.
Other Information and Links
This is a review of the initial Estonian language edition of Kahe heli vahel. It is hoped that translated editions will be available in the future. Copies of the Estonian edition are available from the Arvo Pärt Centre online shop (see under the book's official url in Goodreads) and various Estonian online stores. If you order direct from the author at the book's Facebook page (payment via bank transfer) you will receive a personalized autographed copy with a bonus drawing of Arvo Pärt by artist/writer Joonas Sildre.
A review of the Estonian language edition
Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s music has become increasingly popular throughout the world since his forced emigration from then-Soviet Estonia in 1980. International performances and recordings became more frequent with the release of ECM Records’ Tabula Rasa (1984) to the point now in 2018 where there are over 500 professionally issued recordings with his works included. Online concert tracker Bachtrack has listed him as the world’s most performed living classical composer for the past seven years running (2011-2017) as of January 2018.
Pärt's music (and sometimes that of his imitators) has become ubiquitous in film and television, especially when a mood of yearning or of calm resignation is being evoked. Many will have heard his music through popular culture usage without perhaps knowing who the composer even was (e.g. in the music used in the teaser-trailer of Alfonso Cuarón’s film Gravity (2013) and then in the subsequent couch gag Gravity parody in the opening of TV's The Simpsons Season 25 Episode 4 “YOLO”, in a climactic scene of Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) etc.).
Information about Arvo Pärt’s life prior to 1980 has been limited to snippets from print interviews or film documentaries and a few pages dedicated to biographical information in books such as Paul Hillier’s “Arvo Pärt” (1997), Enzo Restagno’s “Arvo Pärt in Conversation” (Italian original Arvo Pärt allo specchio: conversazioni, saggi e testimonianze 2004) and Peter Bouteneff’s “Arvo Pärt: Out of Silence” (2015).
Joonas Sildre has expanded the knowledge of this previous time enormously with this non-fiction graphic novel that tells the story of Pärt’s life from his birth, through his youth and beginning love of music, his subsequent musical education and early years as a composer, his retreat while searching for his own musical voice, its realization in the birth of the tintinnabuli (little bell-like) sound and the repression of his career under the Soviet system that eventually forced his emigration to the west.
The research that has gone into this book's production spanned a period of ten years and is evident in the detail of the various anecdotes of musical study, composition and performance that are recreated in this heartfelt tribute to a life dedicated to seeking a uniquely personal but also universal way of communication through musical sound.
Pärtophiles will sometimes recognize the recreation of various historical photographs, the wonderful characterizations of various associated musical performers and composers (a helpful List of Characters is provided in an Appendix) and will also be intrigued by what would have been limited knowledge in the past (e.g. the origin of the title of Pärt’s first tintinnabuli work Für Alina, the number of original tintinnabuli works (14, of which only 7 were actually performed publicly) etc.)
Joonas Sildre has done all of this in a clean and simple style utilizing only black, grey and white colours which are especially suited to this composer’s story (who has spoken often of his music’s parallels to white light). The use of black notes to symbolise Pärt’s early music, the discovery of the tintinnabuli sound symbolised by white notes and the harmonies between the melody lines and the tintinnabuli accompaniment in his compositions are all perfect visualisations. The adaptation of musical composition staves / bar-lines provide both ways to communicate types of sound e.g. jagged lines for atonal music, or as a symbolic path or road for a journey being travelled.
Further biographies of Pärt and his musical style are sure to be written, especially with the recent availability of his archives to researchers at the newly opened Arvo Pärt Centre in Estonia. None of them are likely to surpass the delightful entertaining value of this unique non-fiction graphic novel though.
Other Information and Links
This is a review of the initial Estonian language edition of Kahe heli vahel. It is hoped that translated editions will be available in the future. Copies of the Estonian edition are available from the Arvo Pärt Centre online shop (see under the book's official url in Goodreads) and various Estonian online stores. If you order direct from the author at the book's Facebook page (payment via bank transfer) you will receive a personalized autographed copy with a bonus drawing of Arvo Pärt by artist/writer Joonas Sildre.
August 25, 2019
Yup, I’m having a great reading weekend. If you speak Estonian, read this book.
June 16, 2020
Ilus pilguheit ühe erakordse inimese elukäiku.
Säärane süvenemine, nagu on omane Pärdile, on minu jaoks võõras ja samas ka imetlust tekitav. See on mõtte- ja eluviis, mida ma päriselt ei mõista ega saa tõenäoliselt kunagi ise ka seda harrastama, kuid ometigi on see paeluv. Paeluv on näha, kui erinevalt võivad inimesed oma kirele ja huvile läheneda. Imetlusväärne, kui (otsimisele) pühendunud saab olla. Ja samas ka võõrastav ja kummastav.
Tundub, et ka romaani enda stiil lähtus minimalismist - mustvalge, võrdlemisi vähe kujutavaid detaile. Väga terviklik ja nö stiilne teos.
Ja ometigi on nii huvitav ja paradoksaalne, et kui kõige võti on taandada kõik arvule üks, siis seesama üks sisaldab endas kõiki detaile, kõiksust, ehk kõike seda, mis enne taandatud sai...
Ja igaühe jaoks on see üks omal moel erinev, tuleb tuttav ette erinevatest muusikateostest, loodusest, kunstist, armastusest... See üks on tegelikult justkui meele- või teadvuseseisund. Kas seda saabki täiuslikult vahendada, või see on lihtsalt kogetav erinevates olukordades erinevate inimeste jaoks? Ehk on ainult inimese enda kogemus võimeline tegema seda viimast taandamist, viimase komakoha eemaldamist, jõudmaks arvuni üks? Selle arvu väljendamine jääb aga paratamatult võimatu jahtimiseks, sest mitte miski ei saa edasi anda üksikinimese kogemust...
Säärane süvenemine, nagu on omane Pärdile, on minu jaoks võõras ja samas ka imetlust tekitav. See on mõtte- ja eluviis, mida ma päriselt ei mõista ega saa tõenäoliselt kunagi ise ka seda harrastama, kuid ometigi on see paeluv. Paeluv on näha, kui erinevalt võivad inimesed oma kirele ja huvile läheneda. Imetlusväärne, kui (otsimisele) pühendunud saab olla. Ja samas ka võõrastav ja kummastav.
Tundub, et ka romaani enda stiil lähtus minimalismist - mustvalge, võrdlemisi vähe kujutavaid detaile. Väga terviklik ja nö stiilne teos.
Ja ometigi on nii huvitav ja paradoksaalne, et kui kõige võti on taandada kõik arvule üks, siis seesama üks sisaldab endas kõiki detaile, kõiksust, ehk kõike seda, mis enne taandatud sai...
Ja igaühe jaoks on see üks omal moel erinev, tuleb tuttav ette erinevatest muusikateostest, loodusest, kunstist, armastusest... See üks on tegelikult justkui meele- või teadvuseseisund. Kas seda saabki täiuslikult vahendada, või see on lihtsalt kogetav erinevates olukordades erinevate inimeste jaoks? Ehk on ainult inimese enda kogemus võimeline tegema seda viimast taandamist, viimase komakoha eemaldamist, jõudmaks arvuni üks? Selle arvu väljendamine jääb aga paratamatult võimatu jahtimiseks, sest mitte miski ei saa edasi anda üksikinimese kogemust...
January 31, 2019
Ma annaksin hea meelega kuus tärni! Tunnen esimest korda, et keegi on nii lähedale jõudnud muusika arusaadavalt ja tõeliselt selgitavalt sõnasse ja pilti panemisele. Ja siis veel religioon... Ma ei ole usklik inimene ja pole seda ka kunagi olnud aga see raamat kuidagi liigutas midagi minu meeltes. Ehk siiski...?
November 5, 2018
Joonas Sildre on suutnud helid ja inimesed pildikeelde panna. Ilus ja haarav!
March 12, 2025
A dull look at the first half of the life of an Estonian composer who struggled to make his music heard under the oppressive restrictions of the Soviet Union.
I'd never heard Arvo Pärt's name before picking up this book and never knowingly heard his music, though it is apparently used in some film and television shows I've viewed, including Ted Lasso and Avengers: Age of Ultron. I listened to a few pieces on Spotify, and I guess they were all right, if a bit slow and repetitive. I didn't feel a need to add them to any playlist though, and he's certainly not gonna knock the more lively Mozart off the top of my favorite classical composers list.
That said, I don't think this book is intended for Pärt virgins like me. A lot of it is just him moping around trying to find his sound and ignoring his wife. Literally, he marries the first one after a one-panel introduction, she immediately disappears for half the book, and then a caption offhand tells us they've divorced. His second wife gets a bit more time on the page as she helps him cement his religion. The whole book is chock-full of characters who get little introduction or payoff, so I can only assume their names mean more to people from Estonia or avid fans of Pärt.
The art's attempt to show the music the characters in the book can hear is mostly floating circles and swirling lines and that fell flat for me. Honestly, it's probably because I couldn't help but compare it unfavorably to the dynamic art of Monk!: Thelonious, Pannonica, and the Friendship Behind a Musical Revolution, another graphic novel about a musician whose music I don't listen to but the pages of which gave me a clear impression of how it must sound.
(Best of 2024 Project: I'm reading all the graphic novels that made it onto one or more of these lists:
• Washington Post 10 Best Graphic Novels of 2024
• Publishers Weekly 2024 Graphic Novel Critics Poll
• NPR's Books We Love 2024: Favorite Comics and Graphic Novels
This book made the NPR list.)
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: Prologue -- I. Credo -- II. Silentium -- III. Tabula Rasa -- The Cast -- The Setting -- Afterword -- Thanks
I'd never heard Arvo Pärt's name before picking up this book and never knowingly heard his music, though it is apparently used in some film and television shows I've viewed, including Ted Lasso and Avengers: Age of Ultron. I listened to a few pieces on Spotify, and I guess they were all right, if a bit slow and repetitive. I didn't feel a need to add them to any playlist though, and he's certainly not gonna knock the more lively Mozart off the top of my favorite classical composers list.
That said, I don't think this book is intended for Pärt virgins like me. A lot of it is just him moping around trying to find his sound and ignoring his wife. Literally, he marries the first one after a one-panel introduction, she immediately disappears for half the book, and then a caption offhand tells us they've divorced. His second wife gets a bit more time on the page as she helps him cement his religion. The whole book is chock-full of characters who get little introduction or payoff, so I can only assume their names mean more to people from Estonia or avid fans of Pärt.
The art's attempt to show the music the characters in the book can hear is mostly floating circles and swirling lines and that fell flat for me. Honestly, it's probably because I couldn't help but compare it unfavorably to the dynamic art of Monk!: Thelonious, Pannonica, and the Friendship Behind a Musical Revolution, another graphic novel about a musician whose music I don't listen to but the pages of which gave me a clear impression of how it must sound.
(Best of 2024 Project: I'm reading all the graphic novels that made it onto one or more of these lists:
• Washington Post 10 Best Graphic Novels of 2024
• Publishers Weekly 2024 Graphic Novel Critics Poll
• NPR's Books We Love 2024: Favorite Comics and Graphic Novels
This book made the NPR list.)
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: Prologue -- I. Credo -- II. Silentium -- III. Tabula Rasa -- The Cast -- The Setting -- Afterword -- Thanks
September 7, 2020
Natuke veider on juba pärast esimest lugemist oma arvustust kirjutada. On tunne nagu peaks raamatut veel paar korda läbi lugema, lubamaks igal sõnal täielikult endasse imenduda. Absoluutselt vajalik on ka lugemise kõrvale antud muusikateoste kuulamine. Spiegel im Spiegel on mulle varasemast tuttav (ja eriline üllatus oli kuulda seda ABC hittsarja Good Place viimases episoodis! Kes veel seda tähele pani?), ent muu oli uus kuulamine. Arvo Pärt on tõeliselt meie kaasaja geenius ja on ainult õnn, et ta on pälvinud (kasvõi hilinenult) selleks sobivat tunnustust. Raamatu pean küll raamatukokku tagasi viima, kuid ei imesta kui ühel hetkel leiab raamat tee mu isiklikule raamaturiiulile, et saaksin jälle Pärti kuulata ning Pärdist lugeda.
March 27, 2024
Pasirodo, muziką galima labai įtaigiai nupiešti, gal net imsiu tikėti, kad įmanoma pašokti apie architektūrą. :)
Tai mano antra komiksų knyga ir vėl palikusi netikėtai stiprų įspūdį. Dažnai pagalvoju kaip gaila, kad taip mažai išmanome savo kaimynų kultūrą, todėl labai džiaugiuosi gavęs progą susipažinti su estų kompozitoriumi Arvo Pärt, taip bent šiek tiek užpildant žinių spragas. O toks netikėtai įdomus formatas šauniai perteikė ne tik jo biografiją, bet ir istorinį kontekstą, mąstymo šablonus ir patirtus jausmus.
Tai mano antra komiksų knyga ir vėl palikusi netikėtai stiprų įspūdį. Dažnai pagalvoju kaip gaila, kad taip mažai išmanome savo kaimynų kultūrą, todėl labai džiaugiuosi gavęs progą susipažinti su estų kompozitoriumi Arvo Pärt, taip bent šiek tiek užpildant žinių spragas. O toks netikėtai įdomus formatas šauniai perteikė ne tik jo biografiją, bet ir istorinį kontekstą, mąstymo šablonus ir patirtus jausmus.
November 2, 2024
I'm not very familiar with contemporary classical or classical music in general, had definitely never heard of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, and don't remember how I came across this book about him - but I'm glad I did! It's an intriguing look at spiritual creativity, the life of an artist under censorship, and the search for new forms of expression, and a graphic novel is the perfect medium for it. I will likely spend a lot of time this autumn and winter laying on my couch, gazing out the window, being moved and carried by Pärt’s music. I also really want to visit Estonia now lol
September 6, 2020
FB Lugemise väljakutse
LV. 37 Konkursi "25 Kauneimat raamatut" raamat viimase 2 aasta teoste seast.
Pam Pam Pam - kuidas joonistada muusikat? Kuidas joonsitada jumala otsinguid? Kuidas joonistada enim-mängitud elava helilooja kasvamist? Joonas Sildre ütleb järelsõnas, et lugu on tema versioon, üks paljudest, subjektiivne pilguheit. See on väga ilus lugu, see pildikeel, need suured ja väikesed pildid, valjud ja vaiksed helid, suured ja väikesed südamed. Nii ilus. Nii liigutav, helistab hinge ja sobib kokku selle muusikaga, mida Pärt kirjutanud on.
Mina oleks ehk tahtnud näha ka seda, et Pärdil on neli last, kõik neli oleks võinud mahtuda raamatusse. Ja järge ootan ka - loodan, et lugu sellest, kuidas on elada eksiilis tuleb ka ja väga tore oleks, kui selles formaadis veel elulugusid ilmuks.
LV. 37 Konkursi "25 Kauneimat raamatut" raamat viimase 2 aasta teoste seast.
Pam Pam Pam - kuidas joonistada muusikat? Kuidas joonsitada jumala otsinguid? Kuidas joonistada enim-mängitud elava helilooja kasvamist? Joonas Sildre ütleb järelsõnas, et lugu on tema versioon, üks paljudest, subjektiivne pilguheit. See on väga ilus lugu, see pildikeel, need suured ja väikesed pildid, valjud ja vaiksed helid, suured ja väikesed südamed. Nii ilus. Nii liigutav, helistab hinge ja sobib kokku selle muusikaga, mida Pärt kirjutanud on.
Mina oleks ehk tahtnud näha ka seda, et Pärdil on neli last, kõik neli oleks võinud mahtuda raamatusse. Ja järge ootan ka - loodan, et lugu sellest, kuidas on elada eksiilis tuleb ka ja väga tore oleks, kui selles formaadis veel elulugusid ilmuks.
July 1, 2020
Eestis ei ole graafiliste romaanide ega koomiksite lugemine eriti hinnatud. Loodetavasti graafiline romaan Arvo Pärdist suudab seda muuta - pilt ja tekst hakkavad koos mängima, andes teistmoodi kujutluse kui lihtsalt tekst, eriti oli tunda seda muusikateoste esitamise ajal, mida anti edasi üksnes pildina, kuid lehti ei saanud lihtsalt edasi lapata, vaid muusika hakkas just piltidel helisema.
Raamat ise räägib Arvo Pärdi elust sünnist kuni 1980. aastani. Nõukogude aeg ei olnud kerge kellelegi, eriti keeruline oli see aga loomeinimestele.
See oli võimas lugemiselamus. :)
Raamat ise räägib Arvo Pärdi elust sünnist kuni 1980. aastani. Nõukogude aeg ei olnud kerge kellelegi, eriti keeruline oli see aga loomeinimestele.
See oli võimas lugemiselamus. :)
June 12, 2019
Sügisel Arvo Pärdi keskust külastades juba sirvisin seda raamatut, aga osta siiski tollal ei raatsinud. Nüüd mõtlen, et oleks võinud küll, see raamat on täiega väärt üht aukohta mu raamaturiiulis.
Jah, see on koomiks. Kvaliteetseid jutukoomikseid on ju teisigi, näiteks eesti keeles on ilmunud ka Marjane Satrapi "Persepolis", mis räägib elust islamirevolutsioonijärgses Iraagis läbi 10-aastase tüdruku silmade (soovitan).
Sildre "koomiks" Pärdist on eriline, sest tal on õnnestunud visualiseerida muusikat ja selle saamislugu. Lisaks saame muidugi palju teada ka Pärdist endast. Aga kujuta näiteks ette, kuidas kirjeldada uue teose esitamise peaproovi, mis ebaõnnestub täielikult, ja siis esmaesitust, mis seevastu igati õnnestub. Või seda, kuidas leida usk? Või kuidas joonistada tintinnabuli? Lehekülgede kaupa joonistusi. Ja igav ei hakka, hetkekski, oled lihtsalt lummatud. Ja Pärt ja tema muusika saab lähedasemaks, armsamaks. Saad aru, miks kogu maailmas teda armastatakse.
Eeldus ei ole, aga kasuks on kindlasti, kui Pärdi muusikat natukenegi enne lugemist tead. Või siis loed, hakkad tema muusikast huvituma ja loed pärast uuesti. Ja kes veel pole jõudnud Laulasmaale Arvo Pärdi keskust külastama, siis väga soovitan. Muuhulgas saab seal vaadata ka autori joonisfilmi Pärdist. See käib ka tegelikult raamatuga kokku.
Jah, see on koomiks. Kvaliteetseid jutukoomikseid on ju teisigi, näiteks eesti keeles on ilmunud ka Marjane Satrapi "Persepolis", mis räägib elust islamirevolutsioonijärgses Iraagis läbi 10-aastase tüdruku silmade (soovitan).
Sildre "koomiks" Pärdist on eriline, sest tal on õnnestunud visualiseerida muusikat ja selle saamislugu. Lisaks saame muidugi palju teada ka Pärdist endast. Aga kujuta näiteks ette, kuidas kirjeldada uue teose esitamise peaproovi, mis ebaõnnestub täielikult, ja siis esmaesitust, mis seevastu igati õnnestub. Või seda, kuidas leida usk? Või kuidas joonistada tintinnabuli? Lehekülgede kaupa joonistusi. Ja igav ei hakka, hetkekski, oled lihtsalt lummatud. Ja Pärt ja tema muusika saab lähedasemaks, armsamaks. Saad aru, miks kogu maailmas teda armastatakse.
Eeldus ei ole, aga kasuks on kindlasti, kui Pärdi muusikat natukenegi enne lugemist tead. Või siis loed, hakkad tema muusikast huvituma ja loed pärast uuesti. Ja kes veel pole jõudnud Laulasmaale Arvo Pärdi keskust külastama, siis väga soovitan. Muuhulgas saab seal vaadata ka autori joonisfilmi Pärdist. See käib ka tegelikult raamatuga kokku.
December 3, 2018
Tegemist on graafilise romaaniga. Kusagilt jäi kõrvu, et Joonas Sildrel kulus 5 aastat selle tegemiseks.
Raamat algab Arvo sünniga ning jutustab tema elust hetkeni (1980. aasta jaanuar), mil ta lahkus Eestist.
Väga põnev teos. Minu jaoks oli ka palju üllatavat. Näiteks oli Pärdil tervis juba üsna noorena kehv. Ma olen teda televiisorist näinud intervjuusid andmas ja poleks arvanudki, et tal on tervisega suured probleemid olnud. Samuti ohkasin, kuidas andekatel inimestel ei lastud Nõukogude Liidus vabalt tegeleda loominguga. Sisule lisaks on raamatus eriline ka vorm. Ma selle ühe raamatu põhjal ei julge öelda, et mulle sellised vormid meeldivad, aga vahelduse mõttes meeldis kindlasti. Jäin teosega väga rahule ja unistan, et Sildre käe alt tuleks ka edasine elulugu.
Soovitan selle raamatu kätte võtta. Korra vaatamisest saab märkamatult lugemine ja õige pea ka raamat läbi.
Raamat algab Arvo sünniga ning jutustab tema elust hetkeni (1980. aasta jaanuar), mil ta lahkus Eestist.
Väga põnev teos. Minu jaoks oli ka palju üllatavat. Näiteks oli Pärdil tervis juba üsna noorena kehv. Ma olen teda televiisorist näinud intervjuusid andmas ja poleks arvanudki, et tal on tervisega suured probleemid olnud. Samuti ohkasin, kuidas andekatel inimestel ei lastud Nõukogude Liidus vabalt tegeleda loominguga. Sisule lisaks on raamatus eriline ka vorm. Ma selle ühe raamatu põhjal ei julge öelda, et mulle sellised vormid meeldivad, aga vahelduse mõttes meeldis kindlasti. Jäin teosega väga rahule ja unistan, et Sildre käe alt tuleks ka edasine elulugu.
Soovitan selle raamatu kätte võtta. Korra vaatamisest saab märkamatult lugemine ja õige pea ka raamat läbi.
December 10, 2018
Vau. Milline elamus.
Soovitus muusikavõhikult - ilmselge küll - kuulata kõiki lugusid, kui neid raamatus mainitakse. Lõpetasin Spiegel im Spigeliga.
Soovitus muusikavõhikult - ilmselge küll - kuulata kõiki lugusid, kui neid raamatus mainitakse. Lõpetasin Spiegel im Spigeliga.
January 2, 2020
Graafiline romaan on huvitav ning annab sisu mõistmiseks lisaks tekstile juurde ka muid tasandeid. Huvitav lugemine.
July 24, 2019
Väga tore lugemiselamus. Tõesti hea on näha, et Eestis graafilisi romaane ikka tekib.
Kohati muhedalt naljakas, kohati tõsine, kohati väga filosoofiline - lõppkokkuvõttes aga igati lugemist väärt raamat.
Kohati muhedalt naljakas, kohati tõsine, kohati väga filosoofiline - lõppkokkuvõttes aga igati lugemist väärt raamat.
February 3, 2020
Ma just neelasin selle imelise teose kiirelt alla, kugistasin naudinguga. Seedin veidike ja alustan puhtalt lehelt (tabula rasa, eks!) otsast peale. Muusika kuulamine on kohustuslik element selle raamatu lugemisel.
June 21, 2020
Antud teos võttis keeletuks jättes sõnatuks. Hästi ülesehitatud teksti ja kõnekate, kuid samas minimalistlike piltide sümbioos tegi sellest loost tõelise kunstiteose.
May 18, 2024
3.5 stars
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