Lesiëm is a German musical project created in 1999 by the producers Sven Me… Read Full Bio ↴Lesiëm is a German musical project created in 1999 by the producers Sven Meisel and Alex Wende. The project’s music combines elements of rock, pop, electronica, new age, enigmatic and ambient music, as well as Gregorian chant and other choral music. It is frequently compared to French project Era and the Norwegian artist Amethystium. Lesiëm’s web site makes extensive reference to the group’s mystical/spiritual influences.

The project is formed by the following people:
Alex Wende – composer, producer
Hennig Westland and Jäcki Reznicek – musicians
Thomas Pflanz – author of the Latin lyrics;
Diana Lasch, Kira Primke, Lawrence Sihlabeni, Maggie Reilly and Tom Cunningham - session soloists
The "Carl Maria von Weber" choir on the albums Mystic. Spirit. Voices. and Chapter 2
and Chor Der Deutschen Oper Berlin ("Choir of the German Opera, Berlin") on the album Times.

Lesiëm released its debut album, Mystic, Spirit, Voices, in 2000. The songs Fundamentum and Indalo (recorded with Lawrence Sihlabeni) were taken in rotation of German radio stations and were later released as singles in January and June of 2000. Soon after this, the album was re-released in more than 50 countries all around the world. When the album was released in the United States in 2002, it climbed to no. 7 on the U.S.

Lesiëm’s second album, Chapter 2, was released in 2001 in Europe, Initially, a limited pre-edition was released in March of 2001, followed a month later by the official release, with all tracks re-arranged. In some countries the first, limited, edition was released as official. The album was release in the U.S.A. in 2003 under the title Illumination.

The ethnic theme (which first appeared in Indalo from "Mystic. Spirit. Voices") was continued in the track Africa (released as a single in March 2001). The vocals on this track are performed by Lawrence Sihlabeni. During creation of "Chapter 2" the musicians used ethnic musical instruments, for example the doudouk (in the track Aureus) and the great highland bagpipe (for the track Britannia) and operatic parts (e.g. Susanne Kirchbaum's soprano part in "Aureus"). However, there were no hits like Fundamentum in this album.

The first two albums were a sort of prelude for the pop-opera Times, which was Lesiëm’s 3rd album (released as Auracle in U.S.A. in 2004). The musicians started their work in March 2002 and finished it in the end of July. The single Caritas (feat. Maggie Reilly and Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin) was presented in December 2002 on the philanthropic TV-show of Jose Carreras “Carreras Gala”.

In 2001, Lesiëm presented a huge show with lasers and pyrotechnics, called "Leipziger Feuerzauber". It took place at the Völkerschlachtdenkmal near Leipzig. More than 200,000 people visited it; a few millions of Germans watched it on the TV.

Aureus
Lesiëm Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Aureus. Dupondius.
Aureus. Non serviam.
Lapillus Denarius.
Lapillus. Non serviam.
Il tuo odio dopo l'oro non ci farÃ� felici
Il tuo odio dopo l'oro non ci farÃ� amici
Aureus. Dupondius.
Aureus. Non serviam.

Lapillus Denarius.

Lapillus. Non serviam.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Lesiem's "Aureus" are quite cryptic, as they feature Latin phrases and ambiguous sentences that can be easily misinterpreted. However, it seems that the song is about the corrupting influence of money and power, and how they can drive people to betray their values and principles. The repetition of the phrases "Aureus. Dupondius. Aureus. Non serviam. Lapillus Denarius. Lapillus. Non serviam" suggest a ritual or a mantra that reinforces the rejection of material wealth and the commitment to a higher purpose. "Aureus" and "Dupondius" refer to Roman coins of gold and silver, respectively, which were symbols of the Roman Empire's economic and political dominance. However, the phrase "Non serviam," which means "I will not serve" in Latin, implies a rebellion against such dominion, as it was famously uttered by Lucifer when he defied God's authority and became a fallen angel.

The following verses add more layers of meaning to the song, as they seem to address an individual who is trying to manipulate or deceive the singer: "Il tuo odio dopo l'oro non ci farà felici/ Il tuo odio dopo l'oro non ci farà amici," which means "Your hate after the gold won't make us happy/ Your hate after the gold won't make us friends." This could be interpreted as a warning to the person who values money above all else, or as a reminder that true friendship is not based on material exchanges. Consequently, the last repetition of "Lapillus. Non serviam" could signify the final rejection of the person or system that promotes greed and corruption.

Overall, Lesiem's "Aureus" is a song that explores the themes of rebellion, integrity, and authenticity through a mixture of Latin and Italian lyrics and an atmospheric, medieval-inspired sound.

Line by Line Meaning

Aureus. Dupondius.
A golden coin. A small, silver Roman coin.

Aureus. Non serviam.
Gold isn't everything. I will not serve it.

Lapillus Denarius.
A small piece of rock. A silver Roman coin.

Lapillus. Non serviam.
A small stone. I will not serve it.

Il tuo odio dopo l'oro non ci farÃ� felici
Your hatred, even after gaining gold, will not make us happy.

Il tuo odio dopo l'oro non ci farÃ� amici
Your hatred, even after gaining gold, will not make us friends.

Aureus. Dupondius.
A golden coin. A small, silver Roman coin.

Aureus. Non serviam.
Gold isn't everything. I will not serve it.

Lapillus Denarius.
A small piece of rock. A silver Roman coin.

Lapillus. Non serviam.
A small stone. I will not serve it.

Contributed by Owen E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.