tintinnabuli
Latin composer
Definition
Pärt's self-invented compositional technique first used in 1976, named after the Latin word for 'little bells'. Each passage consists of two voices: a melodic (M-voice) moving stepwise and a tintinnabuli (T-voice) restricted to the notes of a tonic triad. The two voices move together as an inseparable whole.
Interpretive Guidance
Allow the long sustained resonances of the piano to ring fully. Avoid rushing — the silence between notes is as important as the notes themselves. The pedal is essential to let overtones accumulate.