Eternity lies behind the pause.
It is the concentration of all forces, the core of wisdom.
– Arvo Pärt
Tähe-Lee Liiv, an exceptional young pianist, is set to release her debut album featuring Arvo Pärt’s complete piano works on 11 November. The music recorded on this silver disc spans over half a century, composed or adapted for the piano from 1958 to 2010. The title track, Diagrams, which stands as the first aleatoric work in Estonian music, takes the spotlight for its significance and in shaping the album’s design. The chronological arrangement of the works provides a profound insight into the evolution of the composer’s style – a journey from neoclassicism and modernism to childlike sincerity and ultimately to the sheer perfection that is the tintinnabuli style.
“The launch of Tähe-Lee Liiv’s debut album is a truly remarkable milestone. She becomes the first pianist to compile all of Arvo Pärt’s solo piano works and piano duets on a single disc, approaching this task with youthful vigour and creative energy. I am confident that this record will open many doors for this talented young pianist, both locally and on the international stage,” enthused Michael Pärt, Chairman of the Council of the Arvo Pärt Centre.
Tähe-Lee Liiv shared her gratitude: “I am deeply thankful to Arvo and Nora Pärt, as well as the Arvo Pärt Centre, for their collaboration in exploring Arvo Pärt’s musical universe.”
Despite her youth, Tähe-Lee Liiv has received piano training at several esteemed music academies in Estonia, Finland, Italy, England and Germany. Renowned mentors such as Ivari Ilja, Dmitri Alexeev, András Schiff, Dmitri Bashkirov and Daniel Barenboim have contributed to shaping her musical perspective. Tähe-Lee Liiv’s list of competition victories is too long to enumerate, but her recent first prize at the prestigious Emilia and Elsa Gubitosi International Competition in Italy is particularly noteworthy.
Marrit Gerretz-Traksmann, one of Estonia’s most acclaimed interpreters of Arvo Pärt’s piano music, collaborates on the duets featured on the album.
Released by Estonian Record Productions (ERP), Diagrams will have its premiere at the Arvo Pärt Centre during a concert on Saturday, 11 November – a special day as it coincides with Tähe-Lee’s 20th birthday. Concerts presenting the album will continue at Viimsi Artium on 3 December and St. John’s Church in Tartu on 16 December.
The album was sound engineered by Tanel Klesment and designed by Angelika Schneider. The release of the debut album received support from Reet and Väino Kaldoja, as well as the Estonian Cultural Endowment.
For further information, visit: www.erpmusic.com/recordings/cd/arvo-part-diagrams