The folk song, though it may have a simple melody and lyrics, has been a source of inspiration not just for listeners, but for musicians as well. Most every Latvian composer has written a folk song arrangement for choir, orchestra, solo instrument or for some sort of ensemble. Although the songs may be hundreds of years old, these arrangements more often than not sound fresh and compelling.

A case in point is the compact disc Dziesmiņās remdējos (Soothed by Songs). It is a collaborative effort among some of the most prominent Latvian musicians. The recording gathers countertenor Sergejs Jēgers, composer Raimonds Tiguls and the orchestra Sinfonietta Rīga, conducted by Māris Sirmais. The album features orchestral versions of Latvian folk songs, arranged by Tiguls. Also participating on the disc are pipe player Andis Klučenieks, Ieva Šablovska and Valdis Muktupāvels playing the kokle, and bagpipe and drum ensemble Auļi.

When I first heard about this CD and that it would feature arrangements by Tiguls, I was slightly apprehensive. Tiguls is best known for his slightly New Age and ambient instrumental arrangements. The albums Moonlight Sound Design and Bay Lounge were heavy on the keyboards and neither was particularly my cup of tea. However, my assumption was incorrect. These are beautiful arrangements that stay very close to the spirit of the original melodies, and the Sinfonietta Rīga orchestra is very prominent in the music.

Credit must go to Jēgers for being the key element of this project, as his soaring voice brings a poignant beauty to many of the songs, and a celebratory exultation to others. For example, in the folk song “Trīcēj’ kalni, skanēj’ meži,” the joyous vocals of Jēgers—with the swelling power of the orchestra alongside—bring a vibrancy to this Latvian ode to singing.

Jēgers also brings a deep tenderness to songs such as “Tumsa, tumsa, kas par tumsu,” a particularly delicate song about a man who is not worried about riding on a particularly dark night, as his bride has made him a blanket of stars. This is also exhibited in what is perhaps the most heartbreaking of Latvian folk songs, the orphan’s song “Tek saulīte tecēdama.” Jēgers emotionally sings the words, pleading with the sun to send warm wishes to the orphan’s recently departed mother.

That the arrangements are by Tiguls is still very much clear from the music, particularly in the arrangement of beloved folk song “Tumša nakte, zaļa zāle,” as well as “Aiz ezera augsti kalni,” which begins with an ambient musical introduction, and ends with an extended outro featuring an electric guitar solo.

A number of popular folk songs are performed here, including old favorites like “Rīga dimd” and “Aiz kalniņa dūmi kūpa,” with its interplaying trumpets, clarinets and drums, with the brass sound in particular giving the song an almost march-like feel. “Rīga dimd” also features slightly different lyrics than traditionally sung. Usually the song is about three brothers making a frightful racket in Rīga when forging a dowry chest for their sister, but now there are five brothers, so the din must be even louder! However, one moment in the song sounds slightly out of place: the brief bassoon burst at about the 3:07 mark is rather jarring.

Conductor Sirmais is also an integral part of the success of this CD. Though normally a choir conductor (conducting both the professional Latvian State Choir Latvija and the amateur choir Kamēr…) his talents for conducting, not too surprisingly, extend to orchestral conducting. This can be heard in the performance of the tender folk song “Pie Dieviņa gari galdi,” with its beautiful string performance in the introduction. Sirmais and Sinfonietta Rīga give Jēgers a foundation to make this song a particularly memorable one on the album.

The CD contains pictures of the musicians, and a very brief essay by Nora Ikstena. All text is also translated to English. However, it would have been nice to have the lyrics to the folk songs as well.

Jēgers, Tiguls, Sinfonietta Rīga and Sirmais have come together to create a memorable recording—one of the best collections of Latvian folk songs to be released. Unlike some other arrangements, which at times dilute their original beauty and simplicity, these celebrate and praise the folk songs. The album also gives these timeless melodies a modern sound, making this CD a joy to listen to and one of my favorites of 2009.

Besides leading the prestigious professional choir Latvija, the visionary Māris Sirmais also directs Kamēr…, generally considered to be the best amateur youth choir in Latvia. The choir’s accomplishments are stunning and include victories in several international competitions.

Founded in 1990, Kamēr… has worked directly with many distinguished composers and has released several compact discs.

A few years ago Kamēr… embarked on one of the most ambitious efforts in Latvian choir music history: the World Sun Songs project. The project was inspired by former President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, herself a researcher of Latvian folk songs and traditions, who mentioned to conductor Sirmais the great number of folk songs that reference the sun. That led to the idea of performing and recording a series of choir works about the sun by composers from around the world.

Seventeen composers from 16 different countries (from the United States to Uzbekistan, from South Africa to Japan) responded to the invitation, and the results were performed and released in 2008 on the two-disc World Sun Songs. 

To assemble, learn and perform 17 brand new works is a feat that few other choirs would be able to accomplish. To be sure, this collection is not for the faint of heart. This is modern choir music, which can often be a challenge to sing, not to mention listen to. But for those who endeavor to make the 95-minute journey, the reward is substantial, as you have a collection of choir music by some of the best international composers.

Latvia is the only country represented by two different works, which book-end the collection. “Grezna saule debesīs” by Raimonds Pauls (A Resplendent Sun in the Sky, text by Inese Zandere) begins the set, while the 10-minute opus “Piedzimšana” (Birth) by Pēteris Vasks (text also by Zandere) closes it out.

Pauls’ lyricism and excellent sense of melody shine through the brief (less than two minutes) “Grezna saule debesīs.” Not too surprisingly, given his background as a composer of popular music, the song is the most accessible on this collection.

That an amateur choir was able to commission a work by Vasks is notable, considering the fact that the composer is not very prolific.  True to Vasks’ style, “Piedzimšana” is ominous yet beautiful, with thundering drums performed by Rihards Zaļupe.

Uzbekistan’s Polina Medyulyanova provides the wordless vocal work “Ofiyat,” based upon “Yor-yor,” an Uzbek wedding song. The word ofiyat has multiple meanings, including “cleansing from sin,” “welfare” and “luck.” The work begins with pulsating melodies, featuring the women’s voices, that gradually expand to a crescendo with the men’s voices, then alternating lyrical melodies between the men’s and women’s voices.

Perhaps one of the most difficult works on the album is “Comme un arbuste” (Like a Tree) by Norwegian composer Bjorn Andor Drage, which begins with barely perceptible melodies and rhythms, which transform into a sombre middle, then an anxious and tense finale.

One of my favorites on this collection is “Imet loomas päikesele” (Creating a Miracle for the Sun) by Estonian composer Urmas Sisask. Influenced by astronomy, Sisask’s work combines both modern sounds with traditional Estonian melodies, to weave together a particularly beautiful musical tapestry.

Among other composers showcased on World Sun Songs are Giya Kancheli, John Taverner and John Luther Adams.

The packaging of the CDs contains copious liner notes, in English and in Latvian, both on the project itself as well as write-ups on each composer and the works they composed.

World Sun Songs is an extremely impressive collection not just of songs, but of performances by the amateur choir. Lyrical, melodic and captivating, these songs celebrating the sun from many different international perspectives are a worthy addition to the long list of the choir’s accomplishments.