Strong links between East and West

Arvo Pärt’s “Adam’s Lament” will have its Finnish premiere Dec. 7

Arvo Pärt’s impressive composition “Adam’s Lament” will be heard for the first time in Finland in Turku. The premiere will take place in the St. Michael’s Church on 7 December, with Arvo Pärt present as the guest of honour.

The piece is for choir and string orchestra. In Turku, it will be performed by the Musicians of the King’s Road with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir led by the renowned Estonian conductor Tõnu Kaljuste.

“Pärt is one of the most highly regarded composers of our time, and this performance in Turku of his piece on cultural capitals is an important event in the Finnish music calendar,” says Cay Sevón, Executive Director of the Turku 2011 Foundation.

The idea of commissioning “Adam’s Lament” for Istanbul was born in the mind of Mikko Fritze, former director of the Tallinn Capital of Culture year, when he first visited the famous mosque of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

“As soon as I stepped into that masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, Arvo Pärt’s music began playing in my head. I discussed the idea over many nights with Estonian musicians. Pärt soon became excited about it and began composing a work that would bring together the world’s three big religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam,” says Fritze, who nowadays leads the Goethe Institute in Helsinki.

“Adam’s Lament” was commissioned by the European Capitals of Culture Tallinn (2011) and Istanbul (2010), and its world premiere took place in Istanbul’s Hagia Irene concert hall in June 2010. The premiere was considered one of the most important concerts of the cultural capital year 2010. It has since been performed in Tallinn.

“Adam’s Lament” has attracted attention all around the world

“It is a question of honour for the European Capitals of Culture to commission a piece from a major contemporary composer. It is wonderful that Turku is participating in imparting this work’s message of the strong links between East and West,” says Fritze.

Since its premiere in 2010, Pärt’s “Adam’s Lament” has swiftly attracted attention all around the world. The Musicians of the King’s Road consider this an outstanding addition to the composer’s collection of extensive works for choir and orchestra.

“It is an honour for the Musicians of the King’s Road to be involved in the Finnish premiere towards the end of Turku’s year as the cultural capital. ‘Adam’s Lament’ is a prime example of Arvo Pärt’s individual and unique, powerful musical expression,” says Markus Yli-Jokipii, Artistic Director of the Musicians of the King’s Road.

The Musicians of the King’s Road are a professional orchestra based in Turku, established in late 2008. They perform around Finland in collaboration with city and municipal councils, congregations and other cultural bodies. In Pärt’s “Adam’s Lament”, the orchestra uses modern instrument.