Latvian composer Andris Dzenītis has, throughout the past few decades, become one of the most respected and notable composers in Latvian academic music. His vivid and expressive works exhibit great creativity and talent, particularly his symphonic works.

To document his symphonic composing skills, the Liepāja Symphony orchestra, along with conductor and artistic director Guntis Kuzma and guest conductor Christian Lindberg recorded three of Dzenītis’ symphonic works – his Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2, as well as the symphonic fantasy “Vientuļā priede. Falsifikācija un epitāfija” (The Lonely Pine Tree. Falsification and Epitaph), which was released in 2025 by the Latvian national record label Skani.

Dzenītis describes his first symphony – titled ‘Mīlestība ir stiprāka’ (Love is Stronger) as ‘an observation of the planet we live on’ – and the work does have a kind of global scope to it. The single movement work, nearly thirty minutes in length, is crammed full of many ideas and emotions, from its quiet, trepid introduction through to its turbulent conclusion. Though the title of the work would seem to indicate a positive, hopeful message, there is little of that in the music, and the composer himself says that ‘love appears as the music fades away’ – perhaps then this music is meant to appear as a stark contrast to love. The orchestra and conductor Kuzma maintain the sense of uneasiness throughout the work, deftly handling the many tempo and mood changes.

Though Dzenītis normally eschews traditional melodies and melodic forms, ‘Vientuļā priede’ hearkens to a previous era, as Dzenītis endeavors to recreate (or perhaps reimagine) a symphonic work by beloved 20^th century Latvian composer Emīls Dārziņš – a work that Dārziņš almost completely destroyed (save for a few instrumental parts) due to its supposed similarity to a work by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Dzenītis skillfully melds the music of two centuries together in a work that both pays homage to Dārziņš beautiful and romantic music and imagines what Darziņš music might sound like via a 21^st  century prism, and conductor Christian Lindberg adds a picturesque touch to the performance.

Many Latvian composers have found inspiration in Latvian nature, and Dzenītis’ Symphony No. 2 – subtitled ‘Silts vējš’ (Warm Wind) originated from walks along the Latvian coast, and experiencing brief moments of warmth in an otherwise chilly autumn. The work is dramatic and forceful, and the listener can imagine different aspects of the Latvian shoreline throughout the composition. The orchestra and Kuzma adroitly navigate the various scenes and landscapes, highlighting the many nuances and layers in Dzenītis’ symphony.

The CD booklet includes detailed notes on the compositions from both musicologist Dāvis Eņģelis and the composer himself, and the composer’s words often are just as abstract as his music, for example characterizing his music as ‘the layering of dissonant fanfares in parallel dimensions of time over blissful internal harmony’.

Complex, challenging and often highly abstract, the symphonic music of composer Andris Dzenītis can be difficult to comprehend. However, the music’s many layers and nuances are vividly revealed by the skilled and talented Liepāja Symphony Orchestra and conductors Guntis Kuzma and Christian Lindberg. With his sonic paintings and soundscapes, often acting as a kind of music laboratory, Dzenītis has established himself as one of the leading creative forces in Latvian symphonic music.

For further information, please visit the Skani website and Andris Dzenītis’ website.

Andris Dzenītis. Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2

Liepāja Symphony Orchestra

LMIC/SKANi 177, 2025

Track listing:

1. Symphony No. 1  Mīlestība ir stiprāka
2. Vientuļā priede. Falsifikācija un epitāfija
3. Symphony No. 3 Silts vējš

2025 was a banner year for new heavy metal albums by Latvian groups. Notable releases included pagan metal group Skyforger’s first album in ten years – Teikas, as well as Latgalian Viking metal ensemble Varang Nord’s album Mygla. A further memorable album released at the end of the year is In the Shade of a Camphor Tree by Japanese folk metal band Yomi.

Yomi, though being from Latvia, find inspiration in Japanese legends and musical instruments, and they have been performing for more than a decade (this album being their fourth overall). The band’s name ‘Yomi’ is the name of the mythological Japanese underworld, and they describe themselves as a combination of “death/black riffs with traditional Japanese tunes”. From the limited biographical information available, the members of the band are Khurr on vocals/folk instruments, Andrey playing drums, Tom on guitar, bassist Misha and also Anton playing guitar.

According to their Bandcamp site, In the Shade of a Camphor Tree tells the 14^th century story of the battle between the rebellious Emperor Go-Daigo and Bakufu – the military government.

The music is often harsh and brutal, and Khurr’s vocals vary between a low growl and what sounds like painful howling. Though almost all the lyrics are in English, the band do also sing in Japanese, for example on Oedo Nihonbashi, with its traditional beginning, is one of the calmer moments on the album, and depicts a journey in ancient Japan.

Themes of battle and war are woven into many of the songs on the album, such as in the song ‘The Sun and the Moon’ with its occasionally violent imagery and lyrics like “banners torn, castles crushed, armies razed” while a traditional Japanese stringed instrument provides a steady, almost sinister melody. Similarly, in ‘The Eighth Gate of Kamakura’, the group’s dissonant and jarring music provides an appropriate backdrop to this song of battle.

Powered by aggressive guitars, menacing vocals and ancient Japanese history and mythology, Yomi’s latest album In the Shade of a Camphor Tree is a worthy entry in the world of Latvian heavy metal. The Japanese themes, instruments, and even language, along with vivid and expressive lyrics, add distinct elements to the band’s music, and this story of a war between opposing forces in ancient Japan is brought vividly to life in the music of Yomi.

For further information, please visit the Yomi Bandcamp page and the Yomi Facebook page.

In the Shade of a Camphor Tree

Yomi

2025

Track listing:

1. Golden Dawn

2. Condemnation of the Eastern Rebels

3. The Last Arrow

4. Kasagi

5. Fire, Flood, Storm

6. Ashikaga

7. The Eighth Gate of Kamakura

8. The Sun and the Moon

9. Seven Lives for the Country

10. Of Great Peace

11. Oedo Nihonbashi

12. Silver Dusk

Latvian saxophonist Oskars Petrauskis, throughout his long career, has established himself as a distinguished and versatile musician, who has shown his skills in many music genres, including classical and jazz, and has worked with many different ensembles and composers.

Among his many notable collaborations is his work with renowned Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds. This partnership has resulted in many memorable musical moments, and the fruits of their efforts have been collected on the album Gratitude, released by the Prima Classic label in 2025.

Beyond Petrauskis’ saxophone, the album also features many other illustrious Latvian musicians, including soprano Marina Rebeka, organist Liene Kalnciema, and the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, which, on this album, is conducted by British conductor Douglas Bostock.

Ešenvalds has achieved success and international recognition for his choir music, and one of his most popular choir songs is ‘O Salutaris Hostia’. This album features two versions of the work, one arranged for solo saxophone and organ, while the second also includes vocals by Rebeka. Ešenvalds has exhibited an unparalleled skill in creating memorable choral works, and the original choir work stood out with its beautiful melodies and harmonies performed by two sopranos. In the version for organ and saxophone, Petrauskis’ saxophone ebbs and flows elegantly, and in the version with soprano, Rebeka’s soaring voice intertwines in harmony with the saxophone, resulting in an elevated, exalted performance.

Ešenvalds compositions are often of a sacred and spiritual nature, and one such work is ‘Adoremus in Aeternum’ for saxophone and organ, a meditative work which begins with Gregorian elements, as it gradually builds to a climax and a kind of spiritual awakening. Petrauskis’ gentle and flowing saxophone performance gives the work its spiritual core, and the saxophone interplay with the organ, performed by Kalnciema, gives the performance a rarefied atmosphere.

Themes of nature, and elements inspired by arctic climates and the northern lights also frequently appear in Ešenvalds’ music, and the composer has created many long form works with these themes, including the clarinet concerto Arctic Night Visions (2012) and the multimedia symphony Northern Lights (2015). To complete this trilogy, Ešenvalds composed the Saxophone Concerto: Visions of the Arctic. Sea. The work was developed in close collaboration with Petrauskis, and is performed here with the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Douglas Bostock. The expansive three movement concerto, features Ešenvalds’ inspired landscapes and imagery, is vividly performed by Petrauskis and the orchestra.

In an interview with both Petrauskis and Ešenvalds on Latvian Radio 3 Klasika, Petrauskis details the close interaction the two had when developing the album. For example, the idea of composing a saxophone concerto occurred when both were in a store. Also, Ešenvalds also mentioned his hope that this album will further raise awareness of Latvian music throughout the world, particularly the combination of the saxophone and the organ.

Gathering together many luminaries from the world of Latvian music, including organist Liene Kalnciema, soprano Marina Rebeka, and the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra conducted by Douglas Bostock, saxophonist Oskars Petrauskis presents an expansive and memorable collection of compositions by Ēriks Ešenvalds on the album Gratitude. Highlighting both Ešenvalds’ internationally well known talents with melody and musical imagery, and Petrauskis singular and expressive saxophone, along with organ, orchestra and vocals, the album will certainly raise the visibility of Latvian compositions throughout the world.

For further information, please visit Oskars Petrauskis’ Facebook page and the Prima Classic website and Ēriks Ešenvalds’ website.

Gratitude

Oskars Petrauskis

Prima Classic, PRIMA108, 2025

Track listing:

1. O Salutaris Hostia (Arr. for soprano saxophone and organ)

2. Adoremus in Aeternum (for soprano saxophone and organ)

3. Laudate Dominum (for alto saxophone and organ)

Saxophone Concerto: Visions of the Arctic. Sea:

4. 1st Movement

5. 2nd Movement

6. 3rd Movement

7. O Salutaris Hostia – Featuring Marina Rebeka (Arr. for soprano, soprano saxophone, and organ)