Arvo Part... Where have you been my whole life?

Bryon, I "discovered" Arvo Part's Tabula Rasa, (albeit 20 years ago), and then ended up getting pretty much the entire catalogue. Your question got me thinking and the closest thing to Part I ever heard is the achingly beautiful composition "Carmina" by Terje Bjørklund, performed by the trondheimsolistine on the 2L album Divertimento. This album also has some Britten and Barton and is worth getting.

I never heard any other Terje Bjørklund (apparently he is originally a Jazz guy), but there is a "music for strings" album by Bjorkland that may be worth looking into.

Being a long time choirister;I have had the opportunity to sing a lot of "modern" music including Part.The composer that I have always associated (in my mind)with Part is John Tavener. Perhaps it is because they seemed to appear on the scene at the same time. It could also be the fact that Tavener has a Byzantine tendency in his choice of liturgical texts. Indeed his "Ikon" is obviously so,and anyone that saw Lady Diana's funeral had to be blown away by Tavener's "Song for Athene".
Part is in most ways his own man. He has dark complex sounds that remind me of something like Howells but without the Anglican influence.Both are very difficult to sing and most choirs won't attempt. (thank god!)

Where has he been? Well, the Medieval era? : )