Arvo Pärt turns 91: The composer who translated his Orthodox faith into musictranslated

Estonian composer Arvo Pärt turns 91 on Friday. His artistic career is deeply connected to the Orthodox faith, which he translated into music through works inspired by religious literature and the spiritual tradition of the Church.

Born on September 11, 1935, in Paide, Estonia, Arvo Pärt is one of the most acclaimed contemporary composers. He studied composition at the Tallinn Conservatory and established himself in the 1960s as one of the figures of the Eastern European musical avant-garde.

His first creations quickly attracted public attention, but came into conflict with the cultural demands of the Soviet regime. After a long period of personal and artistic crisis, during which he almost stopped composing, Pärt returned in 1976 with a new musical language, called "tintinnabuli" (which in Latin means "little bell").

He converted to Orthodoxy This stage of his creation was influenced by his closeness to faith, religious literature, Gregorian chant, medieval polyphony and the Orthodox musical tradition. During the same period, the composer discovered the writings of Saint Siluan the Athonite and converted to Orthodoxy.

In 1980, Arvo Pärt and…