Between Two Sounds: Arvo Pärt's Journey to His Musical Language | 
pickI knew only Tabula rasa by Pärt when I came across this graphic novel at the library and knew nothing about his life. The black and white drawings, lines and notes capture the sound of his minimalist techniques. I enjoyed learning about Pärt‘s background, beliefs and dissent and the composers and music that influenced his later compositions. It makes me want to listen to more music he wrote.
pickI know very little about Estonia or the majority of composers out there. Between Two Sounds introduces you to a bit of both in a simple yet engaging way. Being a graphic novel allows it to focus more on how events shaped & affected Arvo Pärt rather than his trajectory as a composer getting lost w/in historical events (WWII, Soviet rule). I paired reading this w/ listening to some of his pieces which I felt enhanced both the writing and the music.
