Arvo Pärt writes für Alice

Arvo Pärt writes für Alice

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norman lebrecht

July 23, 2021

The Estonian sage has composed a Beethoven homage for the MS-afflicted German-Japanese pianist, Alice Sara Ott.

Not quite an earworm, but gripping.

Watch here.

 

Comments

  • Peter San Diego says:

    I read that DG are releasing her recording of the Chopin Preludes. I hope that means her MS is in remission or otherwise under control.

  • Luke says:

    Don’t understand this – on the link she is playing Fur Alina, which is his ‘breakthrough’ tintinabular piece from the mid 70s. Is Fur Alice a different work, or am I missing the point?

  • Eusebius says:

    This is Für Alina. Written in 1976 and could be considered standard rep

  • Alan says:

    Arvo Pärt wrote Für Alina in 1976 and dedicated it to a family friend, LIthuanian theatre scholar Irena Veisaitė (1928-2020) to comfort her on her daughter Alina’s emigration (after the parents’ divorce). There isn’t anyplace where Alice Sara Ott is claiming that it was written for her, but her promo video does say that it is a comfort to her as well in her coping with MS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heOhM4ketjE

  • schwiegundtanze says:

    Am I missing a joke here or something? The piece is titled Für Alina, not Für Alice, and was written and premiered in 1976. It’s one of the earliest examples of Pärt’s mature compositional style, and most certainly has nothing to do with Alice Sara Ott – in genesis or dedication – except appearing on a forthcoming album of hers. That you would make an entire story up out of thin air is truly headscratching, Norman.

  • Gustavo says:

    It’s for Alina, not Alice.

  • Interlude.hk says:

    So has Arvo Pärt really written a new piece titled “FÜR ALICE”?

    • norman lebrecht says:

      no.

      • Kairos says:

        And yet you write “The Estonian sage has composed a Beethoven homage for the MS-afflicted German-Japanese pianist, Alice Sara Ott.”

        Alice Sara Ott was minus 12 years old when Arvo Pärt wrote the piece.

  • Gustavo says:

    Credo.

  • Gustavo says:

    tabula rasa

  • Piano lover says:

    Nothing new on thie “composer”:a few notes here and there,many blanks..and now a lady waking up!I wonder why so much fuss is done on this “composer”

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