Latvian music

[Wiktorio30Poland]

Yes indeed, Jurjans' Symphonic Allegro is a riveting work! I'd certainly like to hear more of his music :)

I have the March of Song Festival, Latvian Dances, Concerto for Cello and Funeral March (Mel 3819)  the other LP I have is Melo C10 26679 with Cantata "to Fatherlands"  and Sym study "Emancipation of the Latvian People and Cantata "Sing Ligo..."

I also have Latvian Dances, but maybe with 4 seconds pause..., I don't have the March and Sym Study "Emancipation..., which I have searched for a long time. The others You have mentiones I also have from Youtube and Radio Broadcasts. I have also Cantata Gariga (Sacred Cantata) and Jaunu Songs for Chorus.

Yesterday I prooved upload these pieces which I have on mediafire, but there was some mistake with my internet. I am sorry for that. I will be uploading as soon as possible, but I am not sure, if it ends with success. But if I don't make it, than I can send these pieces in mp3 format to somebody from this forum, and this person could upload it or sen via emails.

[Wiktorio30Poland]

Fortunately I have upload 3 works of Jurjans, maybe some day I upload more. Sorry for my non professionalism.

I have now some questions to those people who are listening to latvian classical music.

1. What do You think about the symphonies and orchestral music of Janis Ivanovs in comparision
- to latvian romantics music for orchestra
- to the symphonies of Adolfs Skulte, and Arturs Grinups
- to the symphonies of Estonian Composer Eduard Tubin

2. Could somebody say, which were the relations between such composers as Janis Ivanovs and
Adolfs Skulte ? Maybe somebody knows what one was thinking about the other ?

Greetings

[kyjo]

I hope I can answer some of your questions, Wiktor:

First of all, I believe Tubin was a greater composer than any of the Latvians. He was a born symphonist (not to say Ivanovs wasn't) and his music has great staying power. His earlier symphonies (1-5) exude a sweeping, epic air and the Fourth is one of the most beautiful orchestral works of the 20th century. The later symphonies are darker and show a deeply troubled soul at work, and are powerfully concise. What sets Tubin apart from many other "unsungs" is that he developed a deeply individual voice. You'll hear hints of Sibelius and perhaps Vaughan Williams here and there, but that's about it.

Ivanovs' large cycle of symphonies is, as is to be expected, rather variable in quality. While Ivanovs' individual voice shines through in parts, his music is more derivative (not that that's a crime ;D) than Tubin's. Most of the earlier symphonies are influenced by Tchaikovsky, Scriabin, and Miaskovsky and the later ones often carry the shadow of Shostakovich and occasionally Prokofiev. Like Tubin, Ivanovs was able to compose music of great lyric beauty, such as the melodically fecund VC or the impressionistic symphonic poem Rainbow. Also likewise to Tubin, Ivanovs turned to a darker, more modern language in his later years-from about 1960 onwards. His Eleventh Symphony is a powerful "transition work" (like Tubin's Sixth)-it retains the late-romantic "bigness" of sound from the earlier symphonies but is decidedly 20th-century in its musical language. Some of his later symphonies can be a bit enigmatic-Ivanovs likes contrasting spare textures with big, brash tuttis a la Shostakovich. His Twentieth is a haunting work, filled with a bittersweet reminiscence. But, overall, Ivanovs' music doesn't "stick" with me as well as Tubin's does.

Skulte, on the other hand, continued writing in a richly romantic style throughout his life. He's not a composer who set out to shake the world with his music-there's more lush beauty than shattering intensity in his music. His Fifth Symphony shows Skulte at the height of his powers-it's romantic without being overbearingly so. There's enough drama imbued in the music to make it a powerful symphonic statement. At times, Skulte's music could benefit from having more "grit" in it, but he's still a very fine composer all the same.

Grinups I'm not as familiar with, but he's definitely a force to be reckoned with. Based on what I've heard, I would place his stature as a composer just slightly below Skulte.

Oh, and many thanks for your Jurjans uploads :) :)

[cjvinthechair]

Oh, and many thanks for your Jurjans uploads :) :)

Agreed, Mr. Wiktor - much appreciated, thanks !

[Dundonnell]

Well done, Wiktor :)

[shamus]

I so much appreciate all these wonderful uploads, most recently from dhibbard and wiktorio (Witamy!), I have always loved almost everything I have heard by Latvian composers. I thought some of you might be interested to hear a concert by Latvian student composers that was broadcast on Latvian radio LR3 at 2100 hrs on Jan 8 2014. Below is the page of the program listing that should play for you if you click on the hour. I have noticed that the broadcasts on every Wednesday evening often present new works, not only by Latvians but by others, and provide an opportunity to hear things one can't find anywhere else.

http://ww0.latvijasradio.lv/program/3/2014/01/20140108.htm

Then here is an article on the concert itself that I used Google Translator to understand.

http://www.tvnet.lv/muzika/klasika/489438-dirigents_janis_liepins_un_dd_orkestris_koncerta_pieci

To me, they were all interesting, with some very beautiful passages, and for me that is what I need from music. I can't begin to "analyze" music nor would I if I could--I am fuddy-duddy enough to think that I can enjoy the sounds without knowing which passage, chord or sonority was influenced by which arcane predecessor, apparently thereby allowing someone with advanced "musical taste" to declare the music derivative or unoriginal! Good grief, the old fart is going into a rant!!! To me, my guess is that most music evolved from bird songs so it should be safe to write whatever kind of music you want to, and I can listen to the pieces that make me happy without shame. Thankfully, I think many young composers in many countries are composing excellent works that don't require a computer, an abused bass clarinet, or four helicopters in four different places, (i.e., MUSIC more than noise) and that is why this old fuddy-duddy is still a hopeless addict to all kinds of classical music from Bach to now. Oops, Buxtehude to now.

Anyway, hope someone finds these pieces by young Latvians of interest, I certainly did, and am heartened for the future. Again, thanks to all you faithful Latvian uploaders! Jim

[BrianA]

Well put, Shamus!  From one old fart to another!

[guest224]

Hello Wiktorio30Poland and thank you VERY much for the Jurjans uploads - I am really looking forward to hearing them!

Christopher

[Wiktorio30Poland]

Thank You all for Your great posts.

I will upload some other works maybe today or tomorrow.

I have heard in last days Symphonies no 1 and no 5 by Janis Kepitis. Really interesting. I recommend to hear
the works of him.

[Wiktorio30Poland]

I am preparing a good upload with some interesting works, please be patient.

[guest377]

Just uploaded onto Mediafire the LP5 of Latvian Music... Sights of Latvia, et at.  by Janis Medins
Didn't know for sure if Maris had uploaded that so just to be sure, I added it to the list.  Recently acquired it.

[shamus]

Bravo DHibbard and Wiktorio!!! Thanks, Jim

[calyptorhynchus]

Thanks for the link to the Vasks Symphony No.3. I enjoyed it greatly, as I do all of Vasks works.

This one seems to have a very strange structure, it is composed in a series of blocks, each about 1-2 minutes long, as the symphony progresses we get a preludial series of blocks (sounding like a choral prelude, like the opeining section of Simpson's Symphony No. 9), scherzo type sections, a funeral march, and other sections of differing moods, ending quietly with an alto flute solo. However, the blocks treat the same thematic material which is varied and eveloped throughout,, so the danger of a stop-start sort of music, and lack of momentum is avaoided.

I was amused by the evil harpsichord in some of the scherzo sections, but I though the piano glissandi about 3 minutes from the end were a mistake (as are all glissandi IMHO  ;D).

[BrianA]

Latvian,

I have recently been listening to (and enjoying) your uploads of the music of Janis Medins.  I am, however, a bit confused as to the identity of some of the selections.  Aria, Latvian Dances, Luteklite, and The Triumph of Love are pretty straightforward, but what is included in the file identified as "Medins-jan-peer"?  Is this additional selections from Luteklite or Triumph, or is it something else?

Many thanks!

[Wiktorio30Poland]

To the opera case, but Latvian opera.

I have recorded these operas (whole and extracts)
 
1. Janis Medins - Uguns us nakts (whole)
2. Janis Medins - Luteklite (extracts)
3. Janis Kalnins - Hamlets (whole)
4. Janis Kalnins - Uguni (extracts)
5. Arvids Zilinskis - Zelta Zirgs (whole)
6. Alfreds Kalnins - Salinieki (extracts)
7. Alfreds Skulte - Princesa Gundega (extracts)
8. Bruno Skulte - DVD Heiress (?) of Vilkaci (whole)

I want to upload them for all of You in some time, but I have a quite problem. My computer doesn't work correctly, and after 5 or 6 hours he is disconnected. Some opera files are quite large, from 250 to 450 Mb and 5 hours could be to short time for uploading probably such one file. The other problem is that, that some of these operas are in one file with comments in latvian. I don't have time to catalogized these works to act 1, or scene 1. If somebody is interested I proove upload them in other programm than mediafire, so please tell me, where I can upload them, where the uploading process take less time, than this on mediafire. I can also send some of these works by email, than also contact me please.


I upload maybe tomorrow some other works of Jurjans and Garuta, and than some latvian operas and Eugen Suchon works (Slovakian). Hope You will enjoy them.


If somebody could help me with my problem, I will be gratefull.

Greetings to All of You
Wiktorio30Poland