专辑简介

Fratres is a composition by the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, exemplifying his tintinnabuli style of composition. The first version was written in 1977, and was followed many others scored for a wide variety of instrumentations.

Structurally, Fratres consists of a set of eight or nine chord sequences separated by a recurring percussion motif. The chord sequences themselves follow a clear pattern, and while the progressing chords explore a rich harmonic space, they nevertheless appear to have been generated by means of a simple formula. The first version for string quintet and wind quintet (early music ensemble) was written by Pärt in 1977. Further versions were written over the years leading up to about 1992. It exists most prominently in its versions for solo violin, string orchestra, percussion, and for violin and piano. The similarity between versions varies: for instance, the versions for viola and piano, or cello and piano, are almost exactly the same as that for violin, whereas the version for string quartet is more similar to the cello version.