December 20, 2009
A sizable collection of vinyl records donated by the Latvian Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto—a total of around 200 LPs—went on display Dec. 16 in the Latvian National Library in Rīga.
The exhibit, “Trimdas ritmā,” is a Christmas present from the library to its readers, according to Zane Grosa, head of the audiovisual section of the library’s Music and Audiovisual Department.
“We only had a few records in the library from the émigré collections to date, so we are very thankful to have received this donation as it shows the diverse cultural life of the émigré Latvians,” Grosa said.
The collection contains music of different genres from the 1960s and 1970s. All the LPs were produced outside Latvia during the exile years. Among them are recordings by Ilmārs Dzenis, Trīs no Pārdaugavas and Čikāgas piecīši, as well as LPs with Latvian soldiers’ songs, theatrical productions, and choir and song festival performances.
The collection can be viewed in the exhibition hall of the Latvian National Library, Barona iela 14, Rīga, daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Jan. 30.
Daina Gross is associate editor of Latvians Online.
Zane Grosa of the National Library of Latvia poses with the exhibit of vinyl recordings issued in the exile. (Photo by Ligita Ieviņa)
