by Arvo Pärt: Te Deum RM Associates Documentary Performance Film.
45
minute documentary filmed primarily at the Niguliste Kirik (St.
Nicholas Church), Tallinn, Estonia in August 1999. First known
broadcast was in 2000 on the European Arte TV channel. Chief
Cameraman:Jari Pollari; Director:Aarno Cronvall; A Reiner Moritz
Associates Production. Co-Producers: ETV, YLE and ZDF Arte.
Composition by Arvo Pärt (1935-)
Te Deum (1984-1986)
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra / Tõnu Kaljuste
Aside from a complete Te Deum
concert performance, this film also contains rehearsal and interview
footage with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, the Tallinn
Chamber Orchestra, Tõnu Kaljuste and Arvo Pärt.
Commissions, Dedications and Awards
Te Deum was commissioned by Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Köln and is dedicated to Alfred Schlee (Chairman of Universal Edition Wien).
Music Publishers
The score of Te Deum is published by Universal Edition Wien.
Other Points of Interest and Links
1.
There was an article that appeared in the Eesti Ekspress (Estonian
Express) weekly newspaper during the time of filming which can be seen here. (available in the Estonian language only)
2.
An article that appeared in a further edition of Eesti Ekspress
contained an interesting anecdote about the filming of the concert
performance of Te Deum which is translated as follows: “Last summer,
director Aarno Cronvall had his filming plan for Arvo Pärt’s Te Deum
ready well before the rehearsals by Kaljuste’s choir in the Niguliste
Church had even begun. The camera positioning, the framing placements,
the lengths of takes – everything. Director Cronvall sat through
several rehearsals and totally revised his plan the night before the
first filming was to take place. “Let us shoot more of Kaljuste”, said
the director to the chief cameraman. Because Kaljuste’s lively facial
expressions and sensitive movements conveyed Pärt’s music better than
the planned shots of the audience, the choir and the orchestra. If
Kaljuste leaves, from where would there be found another conductor whom
directors would want to endlessly film? The musical community says that
in Estonia there isn’t any other such person.”
