Arvo Pärt

Arvo Pärt (1935-present) [Estonian. Modern.]
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arvo_P%C3%A4rt

Orchestral Music. Pärt's music is intense and haunting in its simplicity. (Simplicity as in minimalism, not simplicity as in simplistic...) He once said "I could compare my music to white light which contains all colors. Only a prism can divide the colors and make them appear; this prism could be the spirit of the listener."

Summa for Strings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzSlmWQuHFw (Favorite! So beautiful.)

Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUcazplAc58

Pärt composed much music for film early in his career, though he dismisses that work now. One of his later works, though, has been used in a handful of movies, and might be familiar.

Fratres for Violin and Piano: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrnFF_WPg7A

Choral Music.

Pärt also wrote some choral music; it took me quite a few times through this one before I enjoyed it, but it's now one of my favorite pieces of his...

De Profundis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eSz2J3nS2o

See also Nunc Dimittis, Da Pacem Domine, Stabat Mater...

Extra Credit.

Spiegel im Spiegel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtFPdBUl7XQ (Warning: cheesy slideshow as background for this...)

Tabula Rasa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuFJout0j6c

There are so many other pieces, including Fur Alina, Te Deum, Magnificat...