Pärt, Bach and the Bees

Abstract

Wenn Bach Bienen gezüchtet hätte … (If Bach Had Been a Beekeeper …, 1976) is the most enigmatic composition from the formative year of Arvo Pärt’s tintinnabuli style and creates an intriguing conflict with the common narrative depicting Pärt’s oeuvre. The piece combines Pärt’s compositional methods from contrasting stylistic periods and challenges the position of Credo (1968) as the watershed between avant-garde and tintinnabuli. The polarity of the opposing styles in this piece still resembles the aesthetics of his collages; Pärt’s last connection with Bach’s original music sheds new light on his earlier compositions as well as on the complexity of composer’s creative search of the year 1976. Until now Wenn Bach …, which could be considered a transitional work alongside Credo and Symphony No. 3, has not received the reception it merits.