Arvo Part: Kusskuss, Kallike / Weihnachtliches Wiegenlied

Description

The two beautiful miniatures are Kusskuss, kallike (otherwise known as Estnisches Wiegenlied or Estonian Lullaby) and Weihnachtliches Wiegenlied (Christmas Lullaby). According to Pärt, lullabies are like little pieces of lost Paradise: "A small consolation combined with the feeling of profundity and intimacy. I wrote these two lullabies for adults and for the child within every one of us."

The recording is in aid of the Music Fund (www.musicfund.eu), a humanitarian project that supports musicians and music schools in conflict areas and developing countries.

The Goeyvaerts String Trio was founded in 1997 and focuses exclusively on 20th and 21st century repertoire. It owes its name to the late Flemish composer Karel Goeyvaerts (1923-1993) who played a key role in the fundamental changes in European new music. The programmes performed by the trio are chiefly constructed around the extensive and extraordinary repertoire for string trio. In its performances the trio aims for authenticity, seeking out the advice of such eminent composers and musicians as Alexander Ivashkin, Giya Kancheli, Henk Guittart, Sofia Gubaidulina and Alexander Knaifel. For this special single, they were in close contact with Arvo Pärt during the recording session.

Personnel: Goeyvaerts String Trio (Kristien Roels, violin; Matthynssens, viola; Pieter Stas, cello), Zsuzsi Tóth (soprano), Barnabás Hegyi (countertenor), Olivier Berten (tenor)