Born in Paide, Estonia in 1935, Arvo Part lived and developed in a complex social milieu that is difficult to understand, much less explain.  A deeply religious man, he ran afoul of the occupying Soviets - eventually evolving a distinctive compositional style known as tintinnabuli.  He is generally considered to be a minimalist, similar in some ways to John Tavener.  His exquisitely ethereal choral works were recorded by ECM, resulting in world-wide exposure and acceptance by musical cognoscenti in many countries.