Now available for the first time on compact disc are the complete Dainas by Jānis Mediņš for solo piano.

Performed by pianist Jonathan Powell and released by the Toccata Classics record label, 24 Dainas (TOCC 0097) is a collection of piano works that Mediņš composed over the course of his career.

The CD booklet includes a lengthy biography of Mediņš in English. Mediņš (1890-1966), the brother of another famed Latvian composer Jēkabs, was one of the most significant Latvian composers in the first half of the 20th century, and among his works are the opera Uguns un nakts (1913-1919) and the ballet Mīlas uzvara (1934). After Soviet occupation, Mediņš resided in Sweden. One of the more amazing facts noted in the biography is that Mediņš carried the score for Uguns un nakts in his backpack for 10,000 km in his journey from Vladivostok to Latvia.

Jonathan Powell specializes in late Romantic composers, and is currently based in Poland. Powell has performed all over the world and has recorded a number of CDs and has worked with many well known orchestras and conductors.

The Tocatta Classics label has released a number of CDs of the works of Baltic composers, including works by Latvian Pēteris Plakidis, Estonian Veljo Tormis and Lithuanian Vytautas Bacevičius.

For further information, visit Jonathan Powell’s website at http://jonathanpowell.wordpress.com/ and the Toccatta Classics website at http://www.toccataclassics.com/. For further information on Jānis Mediņš, visit the website of the Latvian Music Information Centre, http://www.lmic.lv (information in Latvian and English).

Youth choir Kamēr… have released their latest CD entitled Mēness dziesmas (KCD012). The CD is a companion piece to their 2008 recording World Sun Songs, which gathered 17 new compositions from international composers, all of which had themes related to the sun.

Mēness dziesmas, as its title would indicate, collects songs about the moon. Unlike World Sun Songs, all of the compositions are by Latvian composers. The compositions on this CD were all premiered at two concerts at the University of Latvia earlier in 2012.

This is also the first CD released by Kamēr… since the departure of long time conductor Māris Sirmais – the choir’s artistic director Is now Jānis Liepiņš. The CD booklet contains lyrics for all the compositions, as well as brief descriptions of the songs and biographies of the choir and of Liepiņš. All texts are in Latvian and English. The Kamēr…website provides more information: http://www.kamer.lv

Track listing:

1. Tu esi mēness neredzamā puse – Raimonds Pauls

2. Selēnes zilie putni – Juris Karlsons

3. Mani mīl mākslinieks grēcīgs – Līga Celma

4. Mēnessnakts – Kaspars Zemītis

5. Mēnesnīcas noktirne – Arturs Maskats

6. Mēness vocalīze – Evija Skuķe

7. Moonlight Sound Design – Raimonds Tiguls

8. Mēnesī… – Rihards Zaļupe

9. The New Moon – Ēriks Ešenvalds

10. Pasaka ‘Mēnesim robs’ – Andris Sejāns

 

Latvia indie-rock band Astro’n’out have released their fourth album entitled Lauvas on the Latvian record label Avantis.

Lauvas, which follows Ģeometrija (2009) and Astro’n’acoustic (2008), and their debut album Kuš kuš (2006), features eleven compositions. Astro’n’out, who have been led since their formation in 2003 by guitarist/keyboardist/principal songwriter Māra Upmane-Holšteine, continue with the rock elements of Ģeometrija, and also add some electronic aspects to some of the songs.

Joining Upmane-Holšteine on the album are Juris Kalnišs on guitars, Mārtiņš Elerts on guitars and electronics, Mārtiņš Miļevskis on percussion and Toms Poišs on bass. Lauvas also features a number of guest musicians including Goran Gora (Jānis Holšteins, husband of Upmane-Holšteine), as well as DJ Rudd (Rūdolfs Budze).

For more information go to the Astro’n’out website – http://www.astronout.lv or find Astro’n’out on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/astronou or find Astro’n’out on draugiem.lv – http://muzika.draugiem.lv/astronout

Track listing:

1. Migla

2. Bong

3. Tūlīt

4. Tik viegli būt

5. Esi man klāt

6. Tuvāk

7. Lauvas

8. Oak Tree Eyes

9. Stari

10. Akvārijs

11. Vilnis