Part: Alina

Sitting in awe; Spiegal Im Spiegal playing in the background as I write this: I find it very hard not to be moved by this beautiful song, no matter how many times I've heard it. This is simplicity in itself - a lone piano playing just three notes in each chord, with a violin playing one sustained note over each triplet. I never knew heaven existed in such a form. There is something awe-inspiring about the piano playing in this, a lightness and warmth of touch that manages to envelop the heart like an old friend.

Fur Alina - I can not do this justice. A single piano playing triplets that reach deep within the soul; an exercise in sublime purity. I've never heard a pianist exhibit such a delicate touch, and probably never will do again.

There are three versions of Spiegel im Spiegel, and two of Fur Alina. But don't let that confuse you or put you off - if anything by the time this album is over you'll wish there were more.

I'm not sure why I bought this album - I'd never heard of Arvo Part before seeing it in the record store. The cover was very understated, an emotional shade of blue, inviting and pure, but I asked to listen to it in the shop and within the first few bars I bought it. When I finally got home to listen to it I was moved to tears. I didn't understand -and still don't, I suppose- why no one had ever created something like this before. There is a certain degree of introspection that one has to do before they can reach such a depth of "vision" or inspiration to create such a masterpiece. But Arvo Part is surely such a man, and this album is proof of it.