Algo P\"art: An Algorithmic Reconstruction of Arvo P\"art's Summa

TL;DR

This paper analyzes Arvo Pärt's Summa, demonstrating it is largely algorithmic, and presents an algorithmic reconstruction that matches over 93% of the original score.

Contribution

It introduces an algorithmic formalization of Summa, revealing the highly structured, almost fully reconstructible nature of Pärt's composition style.

Findings

Algorithm reconstructs over 93% of Summa's notes.

Only 3.5% of mistakes need correction for faithful reproduction.

Summa is shown to be largely algorithmic in composition.

Abstract

Arvo P\"art is one of the most popular contemporary composers, known for his highly original tintinnabuli style. Works in this style are typically composed according to precise procedures and have even been described as algorithmic compositions. To understand how algorithmic P\"art's music exactly is, this paper presents an analysis by synthesis: it proposes an algorithm that almost completely reconstructs the score of Summa, his "most strictly constructed and most encrypted work," according to P\"art himself in 1994. The piece is analyzed and then formalized using so-called tintinnabuli processes. An implementation of the resulting algorithm generates a musical score matching Summa in over 93% of the notes. Due to interdependencies between the voices, only half of the mistakes (3.5%) need to be corrected to reproduce the original score faithfully. This study shows that Summa is a largely algorithmic composition and offers new perspectives on the music of Arvo P\"art.