Spiegel im Spiegel

Arvo Pärts Spiegel im Spiegel for violin (here for violoncello) and piano, written in 1978, illustrates his creative principles: above a permanent flow of chords on the piano, the cello unfolds acantilena in long note values, which grows out of succinct steps. This cantilena spins out sweeping, chorale-like arches and spreads itself out more and more. It thus gives rise to a new architectonic configuration which, like a mediation chapel, stimulaties reflection, prayer or the desire for redemption.
Jürgen Köchel