Arvo Pärt Recomposed - Fratres

2021

Fratres Recomposed is a work that challenges the conception that pieces that are technically demanding for the instrumentalist are difficult enough and should not be tampered with. Deleuze et. Guattari (1977) suggest that 'All Classical Music can be transformed into Electronic Music and vice versa' and over the past twenty years, we have seen fine examples of this - only with accessible well-known classical music. Fratres is the perfect example to challenge this conception - its opening, although highly virtuosic, resembles beautiful white noise, which acts as the 'polystyrene' for electronically carving out something that is beautifully interesting. Pärt's tintinnabuli technique is present throughout this study of sound and acts as excellent harmonic grounding for layering and looping, especially towards the end of the original work with the artificial harmonics and the A-E drone. Pärt drew sketches for each of his compositions, but not for Fratres. I decided that for my recomposition I would draw one that best represents his work - 8 spokes on the wheel for 8 figures of music with the final section (the artificial harmonics) holding central to the complete work. This sketch appears as the pad sequence on the controller, where its symmetrical properties are used explicitly and implicitly - all inspired by Pärt's love for symmetry in structure.