"There were several possible ways to name the music hall dedicated to Arvo Pärt. One of them is popular and appealing to many – the name Ukuaru, which has its roots in Veera Saar's work and has a strong emotional charge in Estonian culture," said Kaljuste. "The second option focuses on architecture and space: a church with two towers as a visual and spiritual image, where the towers act as brothers – and from there, a natural connection opens up to one of Arvo Pärt's most famous works, Fratres (Latin for brothers)."
Kaljuste believes that the naming committee at the time thoroughly considered these possibilities and made its decision. "But it is perfectly logical that the new leaders feel that the church's large hall cannot be called Ukuaru. Something else, something more universal, resonates there. So it is only natural that the large hall will be named Fratres."
Kaljuste suggested that the chamber hall could also have a personal and meaningful name. "For example, Linda – the name of Arvo Pärt's mother. As we know, she is buried in Rakvere City Cemetery, and this would give the chamber hall a local and human dimension."
Tõnu Kaljuste is also the godfather of the market square sculpture "Young Man Listening to Music on a Bicycle."
Why name the halls at all, when you could just stick with "large hall" and "small hall"? "That would be possible, of course, but Arvo Pärt's music house Ukuaru – Fratres Hall sounds much better to me than 'Ukuaru Large Hall'," said Kaljuste.
What does the name Fratres mean to Tõnu Kaljuste? "First and foremost, it refers to Arvo Pärt's beautiful work, which has inspired many different arrangements and interpretations," shared the conductor. "But the word 'brothers' also has a much broader and warmer meaning: coming together, listening, mutual support. When you look at the two spires above the Fratres hall, the name fits the architecture very elegantly and naturally."
