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Fratres

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Fratres, meaning “brothers” in Latin, is a composition by the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt exemplifying his tintinnabuli style of composition.[1] It is three-part music, written in 1977, without fixed instrumentation — a “mesmerising set of variations on a six-bar theme combining frantic activity and sublime stillness that encapsulates Pärt’s observation that ‘the instant and eternity are struggling within us’.”[2]

Structure and versions

Structurally, Fratres consists of a set of eight or nine chord sequences separated by a recurring percussion motif. The sequences themselves follow a pattern, and while the progressing chords explore a rich harmonic space, they appear to have been generated by means of a simple formula.[3] Authorized versions of Fratres are as follows:

  • Three-part music with solo variations: 1980 for violin and piano
  • Three-part music with solo variations: 1989 for cello and piano
  • Three-part music with solo variations: 1992 for violin, strings and percussion
  • Three-part music with solo variations: 1993 for trombone, strings and percussion
  • Three-part music with solo variations: 1995 for cello, strings and percussion
  • Three-part music: 1982 for 4, 8, 12 cellos
  • Three-part music: 1983, rev. 1991, for strings and percussion
  • Three-part music: 1985, rev. 1989, for string quartet
  • Three-part music: 1990 for wind octet and percussion
  • Three-part music with solo variations: 2000 for guitar, strings and percussion
  • Three-part music with solo variations: 2002 for saxophone quartet
  • Three-part music with solo variations: 2003 for viola and piano
  • Three-part music with solo variations: 2006 for 4 percussion players
  • Three-part music with solo variations: 2008 for viola, strings and percussion
  • Three-part music: 2004 for wind band
  • Three-part music: 2007 for chamber ensemble
  • Three-part music: 2009 for 3 recorders, percussion and cello (or viola da gamba)

Among these, the most prominent are: for strings and percussion (1983/1991); for string quartet (1985/1989); and, especially, for violin and piano (1980). The versions for viola and piano (2003) and cello and piano (1989) are almost exactly the same as that for violin and piano, whereas the version for string quartet is close to the version for cellos (1982).

In film

In other compositions

Jazz pianist Aaron Parks incorporated elements of Fratres into his composition "Harvesting Dance," heard on his album Invisible Cinema and on Terence Blanchard's album Flow.[4]

References

  1. ^ Rade Zivanovic (2012). "Arvo Part's Fratres and his Tintinnabuli Technique" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-04-30.
  2. ^ Arvo Pärt, Sinfini Music website
  3. ^ Linus Åkesson (2007-12-03). "Fratres". Retrieved 2007-12-03.
  4. ^ Frank J. Oteri (2014). "Aaron Parks: Make Me Believe A Melody". Retrieved 2014-06-17.
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