Between Two Sounds: Arvo Pärt's Journey To His Musical Language by Joonas Sildre, Translated by Adam Cullen

(Thank you to Plough Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book: (from Goodreads)

Between Two Sounds follows the life of world-famous composer Arvo Pärt from his birth in Estonia in 1935 through 1980, when the Soviets forced him to emigrate because of the nonconformist and religious nature of his music.

Based on years of research and close collaboration with Arvo Pärt himself, Joonas Sildre paints an atmospheric portrait of a restless artist who does not shy away from confronting state control or his own internal contradictions. 

Arvo Pärt stormed Soviet-occupied Estonia's music scene in the 1960s as a brash young man pushing the limits of avant-garde modernism. Then he fell silent, no longer able to express what he felt through the musical language he had inherited. When he reemerged a decade later, he had found, in that silence between sounds, a new musical language inspired by ancient sacred music, the basis of his distinctive tintinnabuli technique. This graphic novel will appeal not just to fans of Arvo Pärt’s music but to anyone who has known the struggle to remain true to oneself whatever the cost.

my thoughts:

My knowledge about composers and Estonia are both nil, which is rather disappointing considering this wonderful book I had the privilege of reading. I was given an early copy of Between Two Sounds: Arvo Pärt's Journey To His Musical Language by Joonas Sildre and translated by Adam Cullen.  Then again, my ignorance turned out to be for the best, because I was able to learn so much about a talented composer and his life's story, which made for an exciting reading adventure. 

So, why did I fall in love with this book? Well, first off, I loved the title of the book - it immediately intrigued me. Secondly, the books' cover - oh, my! I loved it! It had me wanting to grab a copy of the book straightaway. And, third, it was a graphic novel - I love graphic novels! How could I resist reading this book, right? Plus, it was about a new-to-me topic, the composer, Arvo Pärt. I love learning new things and learning about a composer sounded like fun. It really did, especially given that it would be in graphic novel form - anything with illustrations will make learning a thrill. Suffice it to say, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book - it was eye-opening and fascinating. Learning about Arvo Pärt's journey is amazing - you can't help but get carried away in his story and the history - plus, the visuals add a layer of depth. Oh, and his music - what he composed was just brilliant! I found myself looking it up and listening to it as I read his story. Talk about an excellent soundtrack!

All in all, Between Two Sounds is a definite must- read! I enjoyed every second I spent with this book and would definitely recommend it to everyone - make sure to check it out!

Thank you to Plough Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book!