The Christian faith of Arvo Pärt - the Estonian composer exiled for his faith
By 
Derek Walker2025-09-11T14:44:00
Arvo Pärt, the world’s most-played living composer, is 90 today. Derek Walker explores how his deep Christian faith shaped his globally celebrated compositions - and why his influence endures across cultures and generations
It would be one thing to be the most-played living composer for a year but, remarkably, Arvo Pärt held that record continuously from 2012 to 2018, only dropping to second (behind John Williams) in 2019 before regaining the top spot again in 2022.
It is even more remarkable, considering that Williams’ fame has come about largely through his work on globally successful movies including Star Wars, E.T, Jurassic Park and the Harry Potter series.
This month, the classical music world is celebrating Pärt’s 90th birthday, not just at the BBC (as composer of the week, and at The Proms), but in cities across Europe.
One reason behind the Estonian composer’s success is his Orthodox faith, which comes through in the “signature blend of purity, stillness, and profound spirituality” of his instrumental pieces, and his choral work, which is based predominantly on Christian texts. Yet that faith has been severely tested over the years.
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