The fifth installment of the Sviests folk music collection – entitled Sviests V (Lauska CD043) has now been released. Every other year, a CD containing new recordings by Latvian folk musicians and collectives is released by the Lauska label, giving listener an insight into the varied aspects of modern Latvian folk music.

Featuring songs by both established Latvian groups such as the pagan metal band Skyforger, as well as drum and bagpipe ensemble Auļi, as well as newcomers such as sulA, Vējam kabatā, and Los Daugavas nens, the collection displays Latvian folk music in various forms and interpretations.

The CD booklet contains a brief write-up of each group and song in both Latvian and English.

A number of the artists on the CD appeared July 27th at the ‘Ethno-Eco Festival’ in Cēsis.

For further information, please visit the Lauska website at http://www.lauska.lv or the Radio Oira (Latvian Folk Radio) website at http://www.radiooira.lv

Track listing:
1. Lineņi, muni lineņi – Lata Donga
2. Kalnā kāpu lūkoties – Skyforger
3. Lietus dziesma – sulA
4. Blusa – Tarkšķi
5. Klipu klapu kaimiņ Janka – Māsas Dimantas
6. Aiz kalniņa dūmi kūp – Vētras saites
7. Taidu olu padareju – Rūžupis veiri
8. Saules deja – Vējam kabatā
9. Māras dziesma – Vecpilsētas dziedātāji
10. Brāļu gabals – Pērkonvīri un Skaistkalnes pūtēji
11. Gaismeņa ausa – Pulsa efekts un Leila Alijeva
12. Psihopāta Mihaela deja – Nepieradinātā folka orķestris
13. ‘Kur tu teci’ pusčetros no rīta – Laima Jansone, Artis Orubs, Andris Grunte
14. Ik rītiņi saule lēca – Lāns
15. Zīmogs sarkanā vaskā – Auļi
16. Krustceles – Andris Diržininkas
17. Kas kaitēja nedienēt – Los Daugavas Nens
18. Tumša tumša tā eglīte – Otava Yo

One of the most popular Latvian films of all time has finally been released on DVD. A Midsummer time tradition, Limuzīns Jāņu nakts krāsā (A Limousine the Colour of Midsummer’s Eve), directed by Jānis Streičs and originally released in 1981, the film is considered to be among the best Soviet era Latvian films.

The comedy revolves around scheming family members, who, upon hearing their elderly relative in the countryside has won a new car in the lottery (a major and rare event in those days), all descend upon her homestead (after virtually ignoring her in the past) to flatter her with the hopes of inheriting the car when she passes on.

Featuring many well-known Latvian actors such as Lilita Bērziņa, Olga Dreģe, Uldis Dumpis, Gundars Āboliņš, and Romualds Ancāns, the film also features songs by Raimonds Pauls, including hits like ‘Valodzīte’ and ‘Muļķe sirds’.

The PAL DVD, released by SIA Kinoklubs, can be played in all regions and provides both English and Russian subtitles for the film. There are also bonus materials, including Filma kā dziesma, a new documentary on the making of the film, as well as PSRS Tautas skatuves māksliniece Lilita Bērziņa, a 1969 profile of the actress, as well as a photo gallery from the making of the film.

For further information on the DVD, as well as other recently released Latvian films, please visit http://www.bestbaltic.lv/

The Swedbank Choir, conducted by Artūrs Ancāns, have been making a name for themselves in recent years, becoming one of the leading amateur mixed choirs in Latvia. Just in time for the 2013 Song Festival, the Choir undertook the ambitious task of recording (almost) all of the songs that will be performed by the massive Song Festival Choir on July 7th.

For the few that were able to get tickets, and for the many more that weren’t, the CD – Dziesmu svētki 2013 – Noslēguma koncerta “Līgo!” programma (released by Micrec) will provide a thorough introduction to the songs in the closing concert – albeit performed by a much smaller choir.

Note that the collection does not include composer Uģis Prauliņš’ ‘Jāņu nakts mistērija’ (perhaps due to the work being completed only recently), nor does it include Ilze Arne’s ‘Daugavas krastā’, which was removed from the repertoire due to a conflict between the composer and the poet Andris Ritmanis.

The Swedbank Choir, founded in 2003, has won awards in competitions in Spain, Estonia, Lithuania, Croatia, Italy, and elsewhere, and were judged to be the third best amateur mixed choir in Latvia in the 2013 choir review.

Swedbank choir website: http:/www.swedbankkoris.lv

CD 1

1. P.Barisons, A.Skalbe “Dziesmai šodien liela diena”

2. K.Baumanis “Dievs, svētī Latviju!”

3. Z.Liepiņš, K.Dimiters “Svētī debesīs šo zemi”, solo Elīza Evalde

4. P.Plakidis, J.Peters “Ar dziesmu dzīvībā”

5. P.Barisons, J.Akuraters “Latvijā”

6. J.Vītols, K.Barons “Upe un cilvēka dzīve”

7. E.Dārziņš, Rainis “Senatne”

8. J.Vītols, L.Paegle “Ziemeļblāzma”, solo Andris Gailis

9. I.Kalniņš, K.Skujenieks “Lūgšana”

10. J.Mediņš, V.Plūdons “Tev mūžam dzīvot, Latvija!”

11. R.Tiguls, N.Ikstena “Dod, Dieviņi”, solo Ilze Ārniece

12. Latvian folk song arranged by I.Ramiņš “Pūt, vējiņi!”, solo Liene Palkavniece

CD2

1. Latgallian folk song, arranged by I.Rupaine “Gaismeņa ausa”

2. Latvian folk song arranged by Ā.Šķepasts “Līgo!”, solo Liene Palkavniece

3. S.Mence, Latvian folk song texts “Neba maize pate nāca”

4. Latvian folk song arranged by J.Ustinskovs “Kālabadi galdiņami”

5. Latvian folk song arranged by I.Rupaine “Saule brida rudzu lauku”, solo Ieva Zemīte

6. U.Prauliņš, Latvian folk song texts “Kas dziedāja Jāņu nakti”, solo Ilze Ārniece

7. E.Melngailis, Latvian folk song texts “Jāņuvakars”, solo Ginita Lībe, Mārtiņš Klišāns

8. V.Pūce, A.Neibarts “Augu nakti”

9. Latvian folk song arranged by R.Skulte “Līgo saule vakarā”

10. A.Maskats, Latvian folk song texts “Jāņu dziesma”