Silouan's Song

Silouan’s Song is one of Pärt’s instrumental works based on a religious text in Russian. The text was written by St. Silouan (1866–1938), a Russian monk from Mount Athos, whose other text became the basis of one of Pärt’s most important works in recent years, Adam’s Lament. Silouan’s thoughts have been compiled and published as a book by his spiritual son, the Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov, 1896–1993), with whom the composer has also had personal contact. The work composed for string orchestra, with the subtitle My soul yearns after the Lord…, was also dedicated to the Archimandrite Sophrony, founder of the Monastery of St John the Baptist, in Essex, England.

The music, both the melody and rhythm, is based on a text. This is characteristic of Pärt…

Silouan’s Song is one of Pärt’s instrumental works based on a religious text in Russian. The text was written by St. Silouan (1866–1938), a Russian monk from Mount Athos, whose other text became the basis of one of Pärt’s most important works in recent years, Adam’s Lament. Silouan’s thoughts have been compiled and published as a book by his spiritual son, the Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov, 1896–1993), with whom the composer has also had personal contact. The work composed for string orchestra, with the subtitle My soul yearns after the Lord…, was also dedicated to the Archimandrite Sophrony, founder of the Monastery of St John the Baptist, in Essex, England.

The music, both the melody and rhythm, is based on a text. This is characteristic of Pärt's tintinnabuli works, so that this music could also be sung. The message of this sincere poetic text is conveyed using extremely ascetic and reduced sound.

Silouan’s Song premiered in Rättvik, Sweden in July 1991 at the “Music at Lake Siljan” Festival, where Arvo Pärt was the festival composer that year. Another version, for eight cellos, was completed in 2012.