"People like Arvo Part would not have been taken seriously 20 years ago"

This quote by Gavin Bryars is referring to the Estonian author Arvo Part and the acknowledgment he has gotten in the past twenty years. 20 years back, Part's music was not widely known or valued. His compositions were considered too experimental and progressive for mainstream audiences. However, in the last 20 years, Part's music has gotten a great deal of acknowledgment and gratitude. His works have actually been performed by some of the world's leading orchestras and ensembles, and he has been awarded various awards and honors. This quote is a testimony to the progress that has been made in the music world in the last twenty years, and how composers like Arvo Part have actually had the ability to break through the barriers of traditional music and be taken seriously.