Besides being one of Latvia’s most beloved composers of popular music, Imants Kalniņš has also composed many well-known works in the field of Latvian classical music. Kalniņš has shown himself to be a master of melody, and his flowing and expressive style has resonated with listeners for decades. Among his many compositions – choir arrangements and cantatas, symphonic works, among others – perhaps his best known work is his Symphony No. 4, composed in 1973. The work combines classical elements with modern, rock elements to create a dramatic and compelling symphonic fusion.

Recognizing the significance and importance of this work in the history of Latvian symphonic music, the Latvian Music Information Centre released the album Sound of Freedom (Brīvības skaņa) in 2015, featuring Kalniņš’ Symphony No. 4 (and his earlier Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, from 1963) on their Skani record label as part of the Centennial Series (celebrating the best works in Latvian classical music in preparation for Latvia’s centennial in 2018), as performed by the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Atvars Lakstīgala.

As the work is one of the most popular Latvian symphonic works, there are already at least three released versions, so one may ask if there was a need to release yet another version of the work. In this release, there is actually a very significant artistic choice made by the performers that distinguishes this recording and it makes Sound of Freedom a particularly interesting and worthwhile release.

Kalniņš’ Symphony No. 4’s first movement already displays elements that distinguish the work – particularly the bass guitar (performed by Aivars Meijers) and drums (performed by Vilnis Krieviņš), elements that led to this symphony being given the Rock nickname. The quiet and deliberate performance, full of tension and agitation, gradually builds to a crescendo involving the entire orchestra, as the relentless build reaches its pinnacle. However, after this climax, the tension recedes as the music fades away.

The calm at the end of the first movement then flows into the second movement, a more tranquil work, even playful. The almost childlike introduction transforms into a heavier, weightier theme, featuring the horns of the orchestra, giving it an almost military feel, which then transforms into a dreamy dance to close out the movement.

The third movement is at once celebratory and ominous, with its slowly ascending melody. Beginning with a mournful melody on the horns, the melody then transforms into a triumphant and exulting theme.

The major change in this performance is in the fourth movement, which normally includes a vocalist singing the words of American poet Kelly Cherry. However, when the work was first performed, the Soviet censors objected to the English text, and the part of the vocalist was instead performed by the horns and the strings. On Sound of Freedom, the record features the censored, instrumental version. To some that are more familiar with the vocal performance, this version may be jarring, however, without the vocals, the orchestra is more in the forefront. Additionally, Cherry’s poetry could be, at times, a bit maudlin for some listener’s tastes – pithy lyrics like ‘when you left, I cried’. At the very least, the orchestral version allows for a much different experience, and leaves the meaning of the music more up to the listener to decide.

The cello concerto, Kalniņš first symphonic opus, is a single movement work composed in the 1960s, and is more in line with the artistic demands of the Soviet authorities. One can almost feel Kalniņš constrained by the oppressive Soviet regime, as well as being a young composer searching for his voice (the work was composed while Kalniņš was still a student). The work, at times drab and even colorless, is perhaps more a historical curiosity than a work of art, and the nature of the work is a bit jarring with the Symphony. Still, it shows how Kalniņš grew and evolved dramatically as a composer in a decade’s time. Distinguished Latvian cellist Marta Sudraba brings the right touch of melancholy and emotion to the solo sections, elevating this work that otherwise might have remained overly academic and formal.

The title of the album – Sound of Freedom – might seem strange to some, especially considering that during the time the works were composed – the 1960s and 1970s, deep in the Soviet occupation of Latvia – freedom was one of the last things on the minds of Latvians – a practically unrealistic dream. Though, perhaps, that is the point – the Latvians never gave up hope, even during these dark times, and Kalniņš music gave them hope – that they could express their desires and yearning through music. The nature and tone of the work was a contrast to the standard Soviet symphonic composition, and deeply affected many Latvian listeners.

The CD also includes extensive notes on Kalniņš and his works, as well as brief biographies of the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra and Atvars Lakstīgala, by composer Imants Zemzaris in both Latvian and English

Sound of Freedom is yet another excellent and noteworthy release by the Skani label, another testament of the unique and individual nature of Latvian music, as well as the skill and talent of the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra and conductor Atvars Lakstīgala. As Latvia approaches its centennial, this CD is an apt reminder of both the fears and hopes of Latvians in the darkest times in their history.

For further information, please visit the Skani website.

 

Odradek Records, a classical and jazz musical label founded in 2012, considers itself a “democratic, non-profit, artist controlled cooperative label” that determines what to release based on the process of “democratically evaluating anonymously submitted demos”. As a result, the selections released by the label are an eclectic group, and the label has also turned its attention to Latvian artists and compositions.

The first such release focusing on Latvian artists is 2015’s Kurland Sounds, collecting symphonic works by three Latvian composers who originally hailed from the Kurzeme area of Latvia – Vilnis Šmīdbergs, Ēriks Ešenvalds, and Pēteris Vasks. All the works are, appropriately, performed by an orchestra from the Kurzeme region – the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Atvars Lakstīgala. The city has nearly a century and a half of history with symphonic music — the first Baltic symphony orchestra was founded in 1881 in Liepāja.

The first work presented on the CD is composer Vilnis Šmīdbergs’ “Merry-Go-Round” for symphony orchestra. Šmīdbergs, originally from Ventspils, though musical for his entire life, only became a full-fledged composer later in life, though he did dabble in art rock in the 1960s with the group Katedrāle and initial forays into composition with smaller scale chamber and symphonic works in the 1970s/1980s. Now, in the 21st century, Šmīdbergs is an active composer, and his music is described as “harsh and sometimes stinging” but “refreshing”. “Merry-Go-Round” is such a work – presenting the titular carnival ride as a wheel of life, reflecting many different emotions, but with the tragic undertone that we only go in circles – humanity still continues to repeat the same mistakes in terms of war and destruction. In fact, though the merry-go-round is a children’s ride, it can turn into something quite frightful – the work may remind listeners of the out-of-control carousel in the climax of Alfred Hitchcock’s film “Strangers on a Train”. Šmīdbergs presents a vision that is at once humorous and terrifying.

Ēriks Ešenvalds, originally from Priekule, though perhaps best known for his choir works, is also an adept composer of symphonic music. His contribution to this collection is the 4th Liepāja concerto “Visions of Arctic: Night”. Many of Ešenvalds’ works have been inspired by the Northern Lights, and, as per the composer himself, this work includes both elements from Kurzeme and from the Arctic. The clarinet is performed by renowned Latvian clarinetist (and former Latvian Minister of Culture) Ints Dālderis. The windy city of Liepāja and the remote yet beautiful area above the Arctic Circle are presented in dreamy, thoughtful musical language – the first movement concludes with a quiet and light wind symbolizing the city. The second movement presents a picture of the Arctic, though cold and desolate, a place of great wonder and beauty. The third and final movement, a dramatic and stormy journey, brings this journey to a close, with Dalderis bringing the right amount of mystery and wonderment to this expansive landscape. The work is labeled as the “4^th Liepāja concerto” as there is an ongoing effort to compose and record twelve concertos by different composers on the theme of the city of Liepāja (and Odradek Records has committed to release all of them when ready).

The album concludes with Pēteris Vasks’ (originally from Aizpute) monumental Symphony No. 2. From its dramatic opening, the work also displays themes of Latvian nature and imagery. Much of Vasks’ music is full of foreboding, about the fragility of life and Latvian flora and fauna, but still some glimmers and rays of hope that it is not too late to preserve all that has been created. The middle section of the symphony, which seems to present a musical view of dawn in the forest, with birds chirping and streams flowing, is a particularly engrossing performance, which then rapidly increases in dramatic tension as the landscape comes under threat. The Liepāja Symphony Orchestra proves to be an exceptional interpreter of this large-scale work, being at once dramatic and reserved, and presents a compelling performance of Vasks’ vivid vision.

The CD booklet has extensive notes on the composers, the works, and the performers in English, German and Latvian, as well as pictures of all of the orchestra members.

Kurland Sounds is a remarkable achievement by the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra and conductor Atvars Lakstīgala. Providing memorable performances of these disparate works, the Orchestra shows its versatility and flexibility. Odradek Records is to be thanked and praised for ensuring that these performances are available for a larger audience, as these composers from Kurzeme confirm that the music of Latvian composers, in the hands of such talented musicians as the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra and Atvars Lakstīgala, is unparalleled in its beauty and creativity.

For further information, please visit the Odradek Records website at  and the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra website.

Kurland Sounds

Liepāja Symphony Orchestra
Odradek, ODRCD319, 2015