Arvo Pärt - Double Concerto?

[britishcomposer]

Sorry, Pärt is of course one of the most sung composers of our time but I have this early 90s recording of a concerto for violin, cello and strings. The performers are Saschko Gawriloff, Ulrich Heinen and the RSO Saarbrücken, conducted by the Spanish avant-garde composer Christobal Halffter. This is however not an early modernist work by Pärt but one of his early pieces in tintinnabuli style. I couldn't trace it in Pärt's official worklist. Perhaps he has withdrawn it? I am not even sure about the title: my inscription on the cassette says 'Doppelkonzert'  - I suppose I took this title from a radio journal. The announcer at the end didn't give any details but said something like: You have listened to Concerti Grossi by Alfred Schnittke and Arvo Pärt.

The movements are:
1. Adagio - attaca
2. Allegro - attaca
3. Largo

Now, what is this piece? When did Pärt write it?
I may upload it - despite Pärt's status as a sung composer - if you like.

[violinconcerto]

What you have there is a recording of the withdrawn "Italian concerto" by Pärt.
Here you can find my the information on my site: Italian concerto by Pärt
(I was so free to add your movement titles to my site, I did not find them out before)

Best,
Tobias

[Christo]

Being `unsung' can also be a progressive development then.

[Lionel Harrsion]

Sorry, Pärt is of course one of the most sung composers of our time but I have this early 90s recording of a concerto for violin, cello and strings. The performers are Saschko Gawriloff, Ulrich Heinen and the RSO Saarbrücken, conducted by the Spanish avant-garde composer Christobal Halffter. This is however not an early modernist work by Pärt but one of his early pieces in tintinnabuli style. I couldn't trace it in Pärt's official worklist. Perhaps he has withdrawn it? I am not even sure about the title: my inscription on the cassette says 'Doppelkonzert'  - I suppose I took this title from a radio journal. The announcer at the end didn't give any details but said something like: You have listened to Concerti Grossi by Alfred Schnittke and Arvo Pärt.

The movements are:
1. Adagio - attaca
2. Allegro - attaca
3. Largo

Now, what is this piece? When did Pärt write it?
I may upload it - despite Pärt's status as a sung composer - if you like.

Since Pärt is one of the very few contemporary composers who floats my boat, I'd be very grateful if you would upload this, moderators willing!  Thanks.

[britishcomposer]

Thank you, Tobias!

Has the recording which you mention been released commercially? Does it really play 26 minutes? My recording takes just 16!   
I will upload it so you can compare the two versions if you like.

I was still in school when I recorded this and was so enthusiastic about it that I asked my music teacher if we could listen to it. (I was the only person whom he allowed to do so.  )
However, he was an avant-gardist hardliner and felt almost insulted. He had never heard of Arvo Pärt before and tried to look him up in the old MGG - without success; which qualified him to dam Pärt outright. ('Mere triads! Vivaldi did this 300 years back!') He then played us an LP of Alfred Schnittke's 2nd Violin Concerto to demonstrate that at least something worthwhile was written in the former USSR. 

[violinconcerto]

Nice story! You listened Schnittke in school? OK, I only had the basic music lessons, but we only listened to the German standard school music - which is in my memory only "The Moldau" (Vltava) by Smetana. Whatever.
I will listen to your version as well and compare it to mine, which is not commercially released. The work was never released commercially to my knowledge and yes, my recordings lasts 26 minutes. I will check the differences. I like the work very much, therefore I am looking forward to it.

Best,
Tobias

[JimL]

My only reservation is that the composer suppressed the work and he is still alive, so far as I know.  Can he take action against the Forum if he gets wind that we have a download of a withdrawn work in our collection?

[britishcomposer]

My only reservation is that the composer suppressed the work and he is still alive, so far as I know.  Can he take action against the Forum if he gets wind that we have a download of a withdrawn work in our collection?

This makes sense, Jim. Perhaps I should remove it out of respect for the composer?

[Mark Thomas]

I assume that Pärt holds the copyright, too, so on both counts you'd better take down the upload, I think.

[JimL]

Perhaps he has forgotten about the work.  This might be an interesting opportunity to contact him and remind him about it to see what he thinks about it now.  It could be that he wanted to tinker around with the score and reissue it.  We may be able to get his blessing to put it back up, even, especially if he hears britishcomposer's story.

[britishcomposer]

I have removed the post. Bad conscience. 

[Mark Thomas]

No need for the conscience, but a wise decision I think.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Perhaps the thing to do is ask Part's permission to make the recording available to members of this forum only.

[JimL]

Like I was saying.

[britishcomposer]

Perhaps the thing to do is ask Part's permission to make the recording available to members of this forum only.

I would love to do so, however he is difficult to trace. Couldn't find an email address or an 'official' website. Maybe I should aks his publisher, Universal Edition?