Cappella Amsterdam & Daniel Reuss - Arvo Pärt: Kanon Pokajanen (2016) [Official Digital Download]

„Cappella Amsterdam has performed something extraordinary!“ – Leidsch Dagblad wrote after the performance of Arvo Pärt's Kanon Pokajanen in 2015. The minimal side of his music places Pärt in a kind of meditative scope of composers who arouse deep emotions via slow movements and soft intensity.

The extensive Penitential Psalms for fourpart choir a cappella is a deeply religious question for forgiveness, written in Church Slavic. 'Inspired conductor and musicians, who interpret Pärt's music beautifully', one of the 160 fans wrote who donated to enable the production of a cd with this music.

Pärt's modern sacral music is balm for the soul and very popular, not only amongst singers. In this concert we are singing parts of his Kanon Pokajanen that is seldomly performed outside Estonia. The text of these Penitential Psalms is close to Pärts heart: “When I first came in contact with the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church I stumbled upon a text that made a great impression on me, even though I did not understand it then. It were the Penitential Psalms. Since then I have read and reread these verses, slowly and dedicatedly searching for their meaning.”

Tracklist:

Arvo Pärt (1935- )

01. Kanon pokajanen: Ode I
02. Kanon pokajanen: Ode III
03. Kanon pokajanen: Ode IV
04. Kanon pokajanen: Ode VI
05. Kanon pokajanen: Kontakion
06. Kanon pokajanen: Ikos
07. Kanon Pokajanen: Ode VIII
08. Kanon pokajanen: Ode IX
09. Kanon pokajanen: Prayer after the canon

Personnel:
Cappella Amsterdam
Daniel Reuss, direction