Latvian music

[Jolly Roger]

Thank you very much, rkhenderson, for the Latvian uploads of music of Juris Karlsons. These works were all new to me.

I have found Karlsons music to be of consistently high quality and extremely  enjoyable. He is probably lesser known
only because he is in the midst of so much great Latvian talent. Thanks for making his music more available to everyone..

[ttle]

Thanks, RK, for the Janis Kalnins Violin Concerto. I am a big fan of Latvian music and was unaware that this recording existed.

Frank

Kalnins is a very interesting and somewhat enigmatic composer for me
I have found his music to be quite uneven, but when he is good he is great..The Volin concerto is a wonderful work..

I finally acquired the CD of his Symphony of the Beatitudes (originally composed with texts in English, and later adapted for a Latvian version), with "The brethren cemetery" and the better-known New Brunswick Rhapsody. The symphony's originality is not immediately striking, however it is certainly worth investigating in more depth.
Actually, Jānis Kalniņš, from the only few works I've heard of his, puzzles me less than the much better-known Imants Kalniņš, whose music includes some very striking moments (in his frontal, almost provocative directness) alongside many whose substance I still fail to grasp.

[Jolly Roger]

Thanks, RK, for the Janis Kalnins Violin Concerto. I am a big fan of Latvian music and was unaware that this recording existed.

Frank

Kalnins is a very interesting and somewhat enigmatic composer for me
I have found his music to be quite uneven, but when he is good he is great..The Volin concerto is a wonderful work..

I finally acquired the CD of his Symphony of the Beatitudes (originally composed with texts in English, and later adapted for a Latvian version), with "The brethren cemetery" and the better-known New Brunswick Rhapsody. The symphony's originality is not immediately striking, however it is certainly worth investigating in more depth.
Actually, Jānis Kalniņš, from the only few works I've heard of his, puzzles me less than the much better-known Imants Kalniņš, whose music includes some very striking moments (in his frontal, almost provocative directness) alongside many whose substance I still fail to grasp.

Imants Kalniņš violin concerto is an awesome and highly original work..

[fr8nks]

Sorry, Roger, Imants Kalnins didn't write a Violin Concerto. You must mean Janis Kalnins.

[Toby Esterhase]

Sorry, Roger, Imants Kalnins didn't write a Violin Concerto. You must mean Janis Kalnins.

Perhaps Alfreds Kalnins? Are they relative?

[Jolly Roger]

Sorry, Roger, Imants Kalnins didn't write a Violin Concerto. You must mean Janis Kalnins.

Perhaps Alfreds Kalnins? Are they relative?

sorry for causing the confusion..I need to get the last name right.
let me check to see what I have but I think it was from CBC.

[Greg K]

If indeed CBC you're likely thinking of the Violin Concerto by Talivaldis Kenins recorded on that label.

[Jolly Roger]

If indeed CBC you're likely thinking of the Violin Concerto by Talivaldis Kenins recorded on that label.

Yes..that's it thanks for the correction

[ttle]

Concerning Jānis Kalniņš's violin concerto, it is clear from the recording that its tonality is F sharp minor rather than F minor.

[Leea25]

Hi all,

I wanted to utilise your knowledge to answer something that has been bugging me for years. I've just read through the whole Latvian Music thread again and I don't think it's been covered already.

The Campion CD 'Ivanovs Vol 7.' with the piano concerto and 10th symphony. also included a short track which they labelled as the Andante for Cello Ensemble. It's obvious it's actually a piece for string orchestra. When I asked Campion many years ago, they decided that they actually had no idea what it really was. I know it's not a string orchestra arrangement of the Andante, as I have the score for the cello ensemble piece and they are not the same. I also think I'm right in believing I can't post the recording here because it was available commercially. My question, as you may have guessed, is, does anybody know what that piece actually is? It's a lovely piece and I'd like to track down a score and/or parts and perform it.

Thanks a lot,
Lee

[christopher]

When I was in Riga earlier this year I bought an LP called simply "Latvian Music". It has the following symphonic pieces on it, consisting of music by Latvian composers, or by other composers but performed by Latvian artists:

Lavry, Marc (1903-1967) - Kas tie tādi
                                  - Lāčplēšiem
                                  - Dzimtene

Verdi, Giuseppe (1813-1901) - Trubadūrs
                                        - Traviata

Jurjāns, Andrejs (1856-1922) - Nevis slinkojot un pūstot

Mediņš, Jāzeps (1877-1947) - Baudi zaļo jaunību (Enjoy the green youth)
                                       - Meldermeitiņa

Šancbergs, Pēteris (1841-1923) - Es dziļi glāzē ieskatījos

Gounod, Charles (1818-1893) - Fausts

Zommers, V. - Vai gudrās dabas mājiens
                   - Laiks Steidzas Prom (Time rushing away)



...I can't find any info on the last composer, V. Zommers.  Full name, dates, nationality....does anyone know anything of him?

[Leea25]

Hi Christopher,

Could it be this chap?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladim%C3%ADr_Sommer

Lee

[madis]

These compositions seem to be Latvian student songs, likely traditional in origin, maybe Zommers arranged them at some point. I doubt he was a professional composer.

"Vai gudrās dabas mājiens" appears to be also known as "Cik pulkstens nositis", Googling these titles I found 78 rpm performances by one Ādolfs Kaktiņš (some opera numbers in Latvian there as well), the label of the shellac disc lists the composer only as "student song".

[christopher]

As far as I can tell, Kaktins is the conductor.

[Elroel]

I don't think this Zommers is the same as Vladimir Sommer. Maybe our ember Latvian can enlighten us?