Composer

:

Arvo Pärt

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

1992

Average_duration

:

9:32

"And One of the Pharisees" is a choral work composed by Arvo Pärt in 1990. The piece is based on a biblical text from the Gospel of Luke, in which a Pharisee invites Jesus to dine with him and is criticized by a woman who washes Jesus' feet with her tears and anoints them with oil. The work is written for mixed choir a cappella and is approximately 7 minutes in length. The piece is divided into three movements. The first movement begins with a slow and solemn introduction, with the choir singing in unison. The text is sung in a chant-like manner, with the melody moving in a stepwise motion. The second movement is more lively and rhythmic, with the choir singing in a homophonic texture. The text is sung in a more declamatory style, with the melody moving in larger leaps. The final movement returns to the solemn mood of the first movement, with the choir singing in a more complex polyphonic texture. The text is sung in a more melismatic style, with the melody moving in a more ornate and decorative manner. The characteristics of "And One of the Pharisees" reflect Pärt's signature style of composition, which he calls "tintinnabuli". This style is characterized by a simple and transparent texture, with a focus on the interplay between melody and harmony. The piece is also notable for its use of silence, with pauses and rests used to create a sense of space and contemplation. The text is set in a way that emphasizes the meaning of the words, with the music serving to enhance the emotional impact of the text. "And One of the Pharisees" premiered in 1990 at the Festival of Sacred Music in Fribourg, Switzerland, performed by the Hilliard Ensemble. The piece has since become a staple of the choral repertoire, and is widely regarded as one of Pärt's most powerful and moving works.

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