New York Latvian Concert Choir (Ņujorkas latviešu koris) has released its latest Christmas themed CD, entitled Ziemassvētki laika vējos (or Latvian Christmas in the Winds of Time). Released by Albany Records (TROY1851, 2020), the CD collects works by Latvian composers Laura Jēkabsone, Mārtiņš Brauns, Andrejs Jansons, and Andris Sējāns.

The NYLCC has released many CDs, all containing original compositions dedicated to the choir. Other CDs released by the choir include Christmas in Latvia, Latvian Winterfest, and Christmas Joy in Latvia, a release that was profiled in Rolling Stone magazine, who also declared it one of the 25 best Christmas albums.

On the album, recorded in Latvia at the Latvian Radio Studio in January of 2020, the NYLCC is joined by several other choirs and ensembles – the youth choir Balsis, the women’s choir Balta, the chamber choir Fortius, and the Latvian National Opera Chamber Orchestra. All the works were conducted by the NYLCC artistic director Laura Padega Zamura.

For further information, please visit the New York Latvian Concert Choir Facebook page and the Albany Records website.

Track listing:

1. Ziemassvētku kantāte “Gausi nāca, drīz aizgāja” – Laura Jēkabsone
   Ziemassvētku cikls Ņujorkas latviešu korim – Mārtiņš Brauns
2. Vienīgais
3. Bērna lūgšana
4. Egles
5. Sniedziņš
6. Uguntiņa
   Ziemassvētku kantāte – Andrejs Jansons
7. Ziema nāk
8. Šupuļdziesma
9. Ķekatu dziesma
10. Svētceļnieku dziesma
    7 O Antifoni – Andris Sējāns, Dabas koncertzāle
11. O Sapientia
12. O Adonai
13. O Radix Jesse
14. O Clavis David
15. O Oriens
16. O Rex Gentium
17. O Emmanuel

The Vidzeme Concert Hall in Cēsis, Latvia, completed in 2014, has attracted many distinguished performers and soloists to its stage.

A notable festival that regularly takes place at the Hall is the cello festival Cello Cēsis. To document some of the performances that have been held at the hall, the Latvian national music label Skani released a compilation of performances that feature the cello and orchestra. Also entitled Cello Cēsis, the collection gathers five performances of soloists and the chamber orchestra Sinfonietta Rīga, and was released in 2018.

Recorded from 2015 to 2017, the set includes live performances by both Latvian and international cellists and violinists.

The CD booklet also includes an interview with Inese Zagorska, artistic director of the Cēsis Concert Hall, in both Latvian and English.

For further information, please visit the Skani website and the Cēsis Concert Hall website.

Cello Cēsis

Skani, 2018

Track listing

1. Pēteris Vasks • Cello concerto No. 2 “Presence” – III Adagio (featuring Marko Ylönen, cello)

2. Johannes Brahms • Concerto for Violin and Cello, Op.102 – I Allegro (featuring Boris Brovtsyn, violin and Kristīne Blaumane, cello)

3. Franz Schubert • Cello Concerto in D minor (Arpeggione Sonata, D.821) I Allegro moderato  (featuring Mario Brunello, cello)

4. Antonio Vivaldi • Concerto for 2 Cellos in G minor, RV 531, II Adagio (featuring Gunta Ābele, cello and Kārlis Klotiņš, cello)

5. Anitra Tumševica • Sun Music for Cello and Symphony Orchestra (featuring Ēriks Kiršfelds, cello)

The Latvian traditional and folk music label Lauska, in cooperation with the German music label CPL Music, have released a two CD sampler of Latvian folk music performances. Titled Folk & Great Tunes from Latvia, the set was released in 2018.

Over the course of 41 songs, the compilation reveals the many facets of Latvian folk music, from traditional to modern interpretations.

The collection includes many well-known Latvian artists, such as Auļi, Tautumeitas, Iļģi, ImantaDimanta, Raxtu Raxti, among many others.

The CD booklet also includes a few words from Christian Pliefke from CPL Music and Daina Zalāne from Lauska in both German and English.

For further information, please visit the CPL website and the Lauska website.

Folk & Great Tunes from Latvia

Various artists

Lauska

Track listing

CD 1

1. Auļi un Tautumeitas – Dzied papriekšu, brāļa māsa
2. JJO – Jauno Jāņu Orķestris – Laumas meita
3. ImantaDimanta – Tautiešami roku devu
4. Austrumkalns – Rūtij bite rūtoj saule
5. Raxtu raxti – Rakstu rakstus
6. Zari – Rāmi rāmi
7. Lata Donga – Sastdiņ guoju
8. ZeMe – Sidraba lietiņš lija
9. Kanisaifa – Melni vērši
10. Tautumeitas – Dai citas meitas
11. Iļģi – Acis veras
12. Vētras saites – Rīga paliek
13. Trejasmens – Miesmeti melnaci kam nāci agri
14. Ilža – Dzīduot muoku, doncuot muoku
15. Lāns – Es brāļiem viena māsa
16. Saucējas – Kiokuj, uoru zagiuzeite
17. Laima Jansone – Pavasara grīslis
18. Daba San – Debesu kalējs
19. Rāva – Baltaitiņa
20. Auļi – Metens

CD 2

1. Tautumeitas – Pāde
2. Zari – Arājiņš (bastalāvis)
3. JJO – Jauno Jāņu Orķestris – Dziesminja
4. Raxtu Raxti – Mēness sauli dancī veda (bastalāvis)
5. Auļi – Pieguļā
6. Lāns – Aug magonīte
7. Lata Donga – Jānīt`s sēde
8. Rāva – Bāliņš
9. ZeMe – Bumbulēt
10. Daba San – Dienvidus
11. Valdis Muktupāvels – Kurzemes zvani
12. Austrumkalns – Aiz kalniņa dūmi kūpa
13. Rahu the Fool – Saimniekdēli
14. ImantaDimanta – Skanēt skana
15. Iļģi – Istabā
16. Kanisaifa – Vilki deja
17. Trejasmens – Tur karoja karavīri
18. Saucējas – Sešas peles mīgu vylka
19. Vētras saites – Lauztās Priedes
20. Ilža – Radzu, muote īt vacumā
21. Tarkšķu mandolīnisti – Runča deja