Between Two Sounds is a moving graphic look at experimental composer Arvo Pärt’s musical path from his Estonian childhood to his eventual emigration due to his refusal to change his music to fit the political landscape. The book examines the role musicians played in Estonia’s national identity, while exploring the role religion and philosophy played in Pärt’s personal life. The illustrations are grey-toned and sparse, and adequately convey the bleakness of the mid- twentieth century political environment. They also, impressively, help to translate Pärt’s musical achievements into visual cues, allowing the reader to differentiate between noise and silence. An excellent tribute to the man who gave us Für Alina, a hauntingly beautiful example of his tintinnabuli sound.
-Sarah, Reference
