The Journal of the American Viola Society’s Summer 2025 issue features a significant and contemplative contribution to the instrument’s scholarly repertoire. Xue Ding’s article, “A Mirror of the Soul: The Viola in Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel,” offers a thoughtful exploration of a work that is often described as deceptively simple. Ding goes beyond a standard formal analysis, providing instead a comprehensive examination that weaves together music theory, performance practice, spiritual philosophy, and historical context to shed light on the intricate relationship between the violist and Pärt’s iconic composition.
The central thesis of Ding’s work is that the viola in Spiegel im Spiegel is not simply a melodic voice but can be seen as a “contemplative agent” and a “vessel of stillness and grace.” This argument is carefully developed across the article’s sections, each adding new layers of insight. The piece is presented not as a vehicle for virtuosic display, but rather as a metaphysical framework—a sacred space where the performer’s role is to step aside, allowing for a larger expression to be seen and heard. This establishes a compelling perspective that encourages performers to rethink their approach to the work.
One of the article’s strengths lies in its in-depth examination of the music’s architecture as a reflection of its spiritual theme. Ding decodes the “mirror within mirror” concept, demonstrating how it is embedded in the viola’s very phrases. The analysis shows how the melody is constructed around a series of inversional pairs, such as an ascending motion (F–G–A) mirrored by a descending one (C–Bb–A). This creates a symmetrical, “mirrored” architecture that is both aesthetically pleasing and spiritually resonant. The structure gradually expands from the central pitch of A4—the concert A—which Ding recontextualizes not merely as a tuning note but as a “spiritual center” and a “symbol of unity.” This note becomes the “home” to which every phrase, and by extension every spiritual search, returns.
Ding’s discussion of modality is especially insightful. While the piece is notated in F major, the article suggests that it functions in a liminal, modal space—”both ancient and timeless.” The analysis traces the viola line’s evolution through A Dorian and Bb Lydian, connecting this modal flexibility to Pärt’s extensive study of medieval chant and sacred polyphony during his seven-year creative silence. Ding argues that the viola line can be seen as a “modern monody—a solo chant voice,” connecting the performer to an ancient tradition of devotional utterance. This is not just a historical reference but an aesthetic that encourages a more introspective, vocal quality from the instrument.
Perhaps the most transformative section for any performer is Ding’s meditation on rhythm and time. The article reframes the viola’s dotted whole notes not as a metric challenge but as a “sacrament.” This duration, lasting three full measures, invites a deep stillness that mirrors the expansive time found in liturgy or contemplation. Ding offers practical, almost spiritual exercises for the violist: replacing the metronome with a pulse bell to highlight resonance over precision, learning to breathe with the three-measure phrase, and cultivating a bow control that comes from meditative long tones. This guidance transcends traditional technical advice, urging performers to cultivate an inner quietness (Kenosis or holy silence) to align with the music’s outer stillness.
The harmonic analysis enhances this perspective. Ding moves beyond the surface-level simplicity of the piano’s tintinnabuli patterns, showing how a world of gentle tension and theological symbolism is embedded within. The use of second-inversion and seventh chords creates a subtle propulsion in an otherwise calm texture. Perhaps most notably, Ding suggests a Trinitarian interpretation of the texture: the deep bass (Father), the tintinnabuli triad (Son), and the viola melody (Holy Spirit), all interacting peacefully as a “twofold single entity.”
The article also incorporates modern theoretical tools like Neo-Riemannian theory and set theory to explain the non-functional, yet coherent, harmonic logic and the symmetrical pitch structures. This demonstrates that the piece’s profound effect is achieved not merely by accident, but through a deliberate precision in its construction.
In conclusion, Xue Ding’s article is an essential and rewarding read. It offers performers the intellectual and spiritual tools needed to approach Spiegel im Spiegel with the depth it requires and deserves. For scholars, it provides a nuanced, multidisciplinary framework for understanding Pärt’s work. Ultimately, Ding argues that in the hands of a mindful violist, the piece transforms into more than just a score—it becomes a sacred space for reflection, a ritual of sound and silence, and a true mirror for the soul.
