The following elements apply to Pärt's "new" style and for the most part do not apply to compositions written prior to 1976. If you are interested in learning more about Pärt's earlier works and experimentation with neoclassicism, serialism, collage technique, etc. please read the biography page.

• Slow tempi
  
• Use of silence
  
• Long rhythmic values
  
• Pandiatonicism
  
• Use of church modes
  
• Little or no use of chromaticism
  
• Use of medieval rhythmic devices (hocket) and rhythmic modes
  
• Use of medieval tonal devices (drones, chant, organum)
  
• Frequent use of minor tonalities
  
• Controlled use of dissonance
  
• Tintinnabulation creates harmonic tension and release
  
• Homophonic and homorhythmic writing
  
• Textural contrasts
  
• Mirror form
  
• Form determined by text (in choral works)
  
• Text creates arsis and thesis of phrases
  
• Declamatory delivery of text
  
• Close proximity contrasted with open spacing between voices
  
• Use of short motives
  
• Stepwise melodic motion
  
• Decreased activity preceding a cadence
  
• Individual voices enter and exit independently of one another
  
• Exploitation of color and tessitura in each voice type
  
• Sustained sonorities
  
• Philosophy of extended time
  
• Static harmonic activity
  
• Repetitive patterns