"FUR ALINA" by Arvo Part (1976, All Rights Reserved)
TAB by John Grunwell
Capo @ 2nd Fret
This is an amazing piece. It's beautiful on electric guitar with a clean,
reverb-drenched tone, approximating a piano with its sustain pedal engaged almost
throughout the the
entire piece*. The composer suggests that it be performed "peacefully, in an elevated
and introspective manner."
The bottom voice always articulates a B minor chord, except for one musical moment. The
higher voice outlines a B minor scale. Alone, each voice is quite neutral, but when
played together (and each grouping should be played simultaneously) they have quite a
magical effect.
It would be helpful to listen to a pianist's recorded performance of this piece,
particularly the version out of the ECM label, which is where I tabbed this transcription.
There exists on YouTube a classical guitar arrangement in A minor, which is excellent.
I've chosen to TAB this song in its original key, B minor.
There is no time signature, and it should be played very freely. However, think of each
phrase as comprised of quarter notes, ending with a long-sustained whole note.
As I indicated above, you should capo at the 2nd fret. The fret numbers on this tab are
absolute, not relative to the capo, e.g. any 2's are open strings at the capo. Enjoy.
Don't rush it.
--------------------------------9---10--------------12----14----14-----|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
--------------------------------9----9--------------12----12----12-----|
--2-(decays naturally)-------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/a/arvo_part/fur_alina_tab.html ]
--12----10---9--------------------14---12---14--10--12---|
---------------------12----------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------|
--12----9----9--------------------12--12---12---9---12---|
---------------------9-----------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------|
-------------9--------------------12--10-------9--14--10--12---|
---------12--12--12------------------------12------------------|
--7--11--11------11--7-----------------------------------------|
--9--12--------------9------------12---9-------9--12---9--12---|
-------------------------------------------9-------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------------|
-------10---9----------------------------10--12-----9--10--9--12-|
-------12--12--12--------7---8--10---------------12--------------|
--11-----------11--------7--11--11-------------------------------|
--12------------------9------------------9---12-----9--9---9-----|
----------------------9--------------------------9------------9--|
-----------------------------------------------------------------|
--17--15--17---------9--14-------15----- 12--14--14--|
-----------------12------------------15--------------|
---------------------------------11------------------|
--16--16--16---------9--12---------------12--12--11*-|
-----------------9-------------------14--------------|
-----------------------------------------------------|
*this C# at the 11lth fret is the only time the lower voice breaks out of a basic B
minor triad. On the piano score, it indicates that it is the only note to be sustained from
the preceding phrase, so it's a key moment in the piece.
--------------------------------------------------------9-------|
--15--12------------------------------15--12--------12------12--|
----------------9-----------------------------7-----------------|
------------12------------------------------------------9-------|
--14--9-----2---------------2---9-----14---9--------9-------9---|
----------------10----------2---10------------7-----------------|
