Pärt: Fratres for Violin, Strings & Percussion

“Telarc's Fratres-Fest proves beyond doubt that good basic material can be reworked almost adinfinitum if the manner of its arrangement is sufficiently colourful. This sequence is particularly imaginative in that it alternates two varied pairs of Fratres with atmospheric original string pieces, then separates the last two versions with the sombre pealing of Festina Lente. The first Fratres opens to a low bass drone and chaste, ethereal strings: the suggested image is of a slow oncoming processional – mourners, perhaps, or members of some ancient religious sect – with drum and xylophone gradually intensifying until the percussive element is so loud that it resembles Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man.
One envisages aged figures who have been treading the same ground since time immemorial, whereas the frantically propelled, arpeggiated opening to the version for violin, strings and percussion leaves a quite different impression.
Still, even here the music does eventually calm and Peter Manning provides an expressive solo commentary.
Next comes the gentle cascading of Pärt's Cantusin Memory of Benjamin Britten, with its weeping sequences and lone, tolling bell. The eight-cello Fratres uses eerie harmonics (as does the cello and piano version that ends the programme), whereas Fratres for wind octet and percussion is cold, baleful, notably Slavonic-sounding and occasionally reminiscent of Stravinsky. The alternation of Summa (for strings) and the quartet version of Fratres works nicely, the former more animated than anything else on the disc; the latter, more intimate.
The performances are consistently sympathetic, and the recordings are excellent.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010