Recently, the Kronos Quartet began a commission process for composers under the age of 30, in the hope of bringing some of the talented young composers of our day to light.
Kronos specializes in new music and has a long history of commissioning new works. In fact, over 850 works have been created for the Kronos Quartet. They have worked with many minimalist composers including Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Terry Riley and Kevin Volans.
Kronos has collaborated with composers from diverse countries such as Franghiz Ali Zadeh from Azerbaijan and Osvaldo Golijov from Argentina. Golijov is a MacArthur Fellow who has done compositions and arrangements for Kronos CDs such as Caravan and Nuevo.
Kronos covers a very broad range of musical genres: Mexican folk, experimental, pre-classical early music, movie soundtracks (Requiem for a Dream), jazz and tango. Kronos has even recorded adaptations of Purple Haze, Flugufrelsarinn, Marquee Moon, and Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals.
Composers aside, Kronos has teamed up with artists from around the world, including the legendary Bollywood "playback singer" Asha Bhosle; the American soprano Dawn Upshaw; Mexican pop-rockers Cafe Tacuba; and the Romanian gypsy band Taraf de Haidouks.
Kronos has performed live with the likes of the late poet Allen Ginsberg, Modern Jazz Quartet, David Bowie, and Bjork, and has appeared on recordings with such diverse talents as singer-songwriters Dave Matthews, Nelly Furtado, Rokia Traore, Joan Armatrading, and Texas yodeler Don Walser.
Their official site is www.kronosquartet.org
Fratres
Kronos Quartet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lux nos defendit
Post tenebras lux
Sub dio fortitudo et fides
Alea iacta est
Luctor et emergo
Ad vitam aeternam
Salva veritate pro memoria
Lux et veritas
Pactum serva
Ad vitam paramus
In memoria vita
Lux nos defendit
Aequitas enim lucet vita nos defendit
Ex igne pertinacia
Lux nos defendit
Constantia fortis juvat
Luctor et emergo
Lux et veritas
Pactum serva
Ad vitam paramus
In vertu te pax
Vita nos defendit
Constantia fortis juvat
Age quod agis
Præmonitus, præmonitus
Sit tibi terra levis
Ex igne pertinacia
Lux nos defendit
Post tenebras lux
Sub dio fortitudo et fides
Lux et veritas
Pactum serva
Pax vobiscum
Ad vitam paramus
In vertu te pax
Pro memoria
Lux et veritas
Pactum serva
The Kronos Quartet's song Fratres is a mix of Latin words that are poetically joined together to create an image of strength, perseverance and devotion. The repeated lines "Ex igne pertinacia, lux nos defendit" translate to "From the fire of stubbornness, light defends us." The idea of stubbornness being the fire that ignites us and the light being the defense against that fire is a beautiful contrast that can be interpreted in many ways. It can be seen as the light of learning, of enlightenment or even of love that protects us against the destructive nature of our own stubbornness.
The rest of the lyrics follow along the same theme, weaving together ideas of perseverance ("Luctor et emergo" meaning "I struggle and emerge"), truth ("Salva veritate pro memoria" meaning "Save the truth for the memory"), and the power of light and truth ("Lux et veritas pactum serva" meaning "Light and truth keep the covenant"). The song is a beautiful example of how music can convey complex emotions and ideas even without using any words that are easily understood. The repetition of the Latin phrases creates a haunting effect that is both beautiful and meaningful.
Line by Line Meaning
Ex igne pertinacia
Through stubbornness, we emerge from the flames.
Lux nos defendit
Light protects us.
Post tenebras lux
After darkness, there is light.
Sub dio fortitudo et fides
Under the sky, there is strength and faith.
Alea iacta est
The die is cast.
Luctor et emergo
I struggle and emerge.
Ad vitam aeternam
Toward eternal life.
Salva veritate pro memoria
Save the truth for memory.
Lux et veritas
Light and truth.
Pactum serva
Keep the pact.
Ad vitam paramus
We prepare for life.
In memoria vita
In memory, there is life.
Aequitas enim lucet vita nos defendit
For justice shines and protects us in life.
Constantia fortis juvat
Steadfastness helps the strong.
Age quod agis
Do what you're doing.
Præmonitus, præmonitus
Forewarned, forewarned.
Sit tibi terra levis
May the earth be light for you.
Pax vobiscum
Peace be with you.
In vertu te pax
In virtue, there is peace.
Pro memoria
For memory.
Writer(s): Arvo Paert
Contributed by Jasmine K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.