Sounding Silence The Presence of the Inaudible in Arvo Pärt’s “Silentium”

Abstract

“Silentium”, the second movement of Tabula rasa, is one of the compositions from the intensive creative period which marked the end of Arvo Pärt’s long, self-imposed silence. The apparent paradox of silence being broken with silence is inherent in the concept, since in the strict sense there is no silence at all but only sound below the audibility threshold. In this sense, in “Silentium” Pärt makes audible what is typically inaudible. In the philosophical concept of Tabula rasa, which can be traced back to Aristotle, the human soul resembles a blank slate. Perceptions lead to impressions on the slate. “Silentium” thus reflects the experience of silence.