For nearly thirty years, Latvian folk ensemble Laimas muzykanti have been active and energetic performers and interpreters of Latvian folk songs. Founded in Daugavpils in 1995 by multi-instrumentalist Artūrs Uškāns, the group perform songs in Latvian and Latgallian both in a traditional style, as well as with modern instruments and arrangements. Their latest album – Turu buru ­– was released in 2023.

Laimas muzykanti have always stood out with their unusual and interesting arrangements, and, according to Uškāns, in recording Turu buru, many of the ensemble members participated in arranging the music, resulting in even more diverse sounds – hard rock, Latin, bluegrass, as well as traditional elements can be heard in the songs on the album.

The arrangements on the album span the full spectrum from traditional to modern. More traditional and sparser arrangements can be found in songs like “Kokle”, which, unsurprisingly, features the Latvian kokle as the lead instrument. The tender, heartbreaking song is about a girl who falls into a river, but whose soul can be found in the wood of a linden tree which is then used to make a kokle that has a beautiful sound, and the tragedy in the folk texts is enhanced by the enthralling vocals by Baiba Ērgle.

Laimas muzykanti have an eclectic repertoire as well as unusual arrangements, and one example on the album is ‘Viejeņš pyute’, which begins as a harsh, discordant waltz, then includes traditional elements, and then concludes with hard rock elements.

A Celtic atmosphere is created on ‘Lakstīgala’, a song about a nightingale that sings so beautifully, that a young man spills his wine glass (resulting in the hostess calling him a drunk). The song also features a lovely musical interlude between guitarist Armands Varslavāns and mandolinist Ilze Fārte.

More hard rock elements can be heard in ‘Jūras māte’, an appropriately stormy song about a quarrel between the Sea Mother and the Wind Mother.

The group is joined by Latvian singer Ieva Akurātere and Etnozoom to create the atmospheric, trance-like ‘Putni’. Akuratere’s expressive and soaring vocals are joined with electronic music to create an immersive performance.

Well into their third decade of performance, Laimas muzykanti have not lost the youthful and boisterous energy that have been a hallmark of their recordings. Turu buru continues their melding of Latvian folk songs with more modern elements in unique, distinctive arrangements, resulting in another satisfying collection of songs.

For further information, please visit the Laimas muzykanti Facebook page.

Turu buru

Laimas muzykanti

2023

Track listing:

1. Bandenieka rudzi
2. Cauri guoju
3. Lakstīgala
4. Viejeņš Pyute
5. Kaņepītes
6. Laiva
7. Kokle
8. Vasariņa
9. Meitas Mala
10. Dzaltoneite
11. Jūras Māte
12. Putni – feat. Ieva Akuratere feat. EtnoZoom

Early 20^th century Latvian composer Alfrēds Kalniņš (1879–1951) was one of the founding fathers of Latvian classical music. He is the composer of Baņuta, considered to be the first Latvian opera, as well as several choral songs and solo songs.

Kalniņš was also a proficient organist and was quite possibly the most famous concert organist in Latvia during his time. Such was his talent and renown that he had the opportunity to spend many years in the late 1920s and early 1930s in New York City, where he also worked and performed.

Consequently, among Kalniņš’ many contributions to Latvian classical music are his broad and extensive list of compositions for the organ. Recognizing his contribution to this field, the Latvian national record label Skani release a 2 CD collection of Kalniņš’ organ music in 2023, simply entitled Ērģeļmūzika (Organ Music), performed by distinguished Latvian organist Aigars Reinis on the world famous Rīga Cathedral organ.

The opera Baņuta is Kalniņš’ magnum opus, and this collection includes the author’s organ transcriptions of two pieces from the opera – “Svinīgs ievads” (The Stately Overture) and “Sēru maršs” (Funeral March). The overture is resplendent and celebratory, while the march is tragic and somber, and Reinis adeptly moves between these sharply contrasting moods, bringing forth the needed emotional weight in his performance.

Kalniņš time in New York City was a particularly enriching experience and the many artists he met and collaborated with there (including virtuoso organist Samuel Baldwin) inspired several compositions. The CD booklet includes a humorous note about how Kalniņš would take a portable table to Central Park and compose there. Among the works composed there were “Introduzione et Allegro”, a dramatic and lyrical work that concludes in a flurry of activity, perhaps influenced by the constant motion of the city. This contrasts with another work of that time, “Klostera idille” (Cloister Idyll), a work with a sacred mood, contemplative and reflective.

Among Kalniņš’ contemporaries was perhaps the most significant composer of the era of Latvia’s first independence – Jāzeps Vītols. During World War II, Vītols went into exile in Germany, while Kalniņš remained in Latvia during the Soviet occupation and became the rector of the Latvian State Conservatory. As one of his final compositions, Kalniņš composed a series of variations on a theme by Jāzeps Vītols. As musicologist Arnolds Klotiņš explains in the CD booklet, this was an especially provocative move by Kalniņš, as not only was Vītols considered to be persona non grata by the Soviet authorities, Kalniņš took it a step further by using a sacred theme by Vītols – “Jēzu, saule mana” (Jesus, my Sun) – a pointed message to the atheistic communist regime. This defiant gesture at the close of his career and life reinforced Kalniņš’ reputation as a truly Latvian composer. The variations, full of reverence for his colleague, have a celebratory and joyful mood about them, and organist Reinis skillfully uses the expansive sounds of the organ of the Riga Cathedral to imbue the performance with a rich resonance.

Over these two CDs of organ music, the listener will appreciate not just Alfrēds Kalniņš’ compositional skill, but also his significant contribution to the development of the Latvian organ music repertoire. Kalniņš wove together the traditions of the 19^th century (and earlier) with the more modern approaches of the early 20^th century to create a collection of works that provided a solid foundation for Latvian music in the decades beyond. Organist Aigars Reinis, using the full capabilities and sonic range of the organ of the Riga Cathedral, provides lush and resonant performances of these works, reaffirming Kalniņš’ place as one of the great Latvian composers.

For further information, please visit the Skani website.

Alfrēds Kalniņš – Ērģeļmūzika

Aigars Reinis, organ

LMIC/SKANI 149, 2023

Track listing:

CD 1

1. Fantāzija

2. Pastorāle nr. 1

3. Introduzione et Allegro

4. Cloister Idyll

5. Scherzo

6. Christmas Lullaby

7. Kāzu maršs

8. Procesija

9. Variācijas par Jāņa Kalniņa tēmu

CD 2

1. Agitato

2. Svētvakars

3. Svinīgs ievads no operas Baņuta

4. Sēru maršs no operas Baņuta

5. Prelūdija

6. Pastorāle nr. 2

7. Variācijas par Jāzepa Vītola tēmu

8. Himna manai dzimtajai zemei

Over the past two decades, drum and bagpipe ensemble Auļi have become one of the best known and most visible musical groups from Latvia. Their energetic, even thunderous, recordings and live performances have attracted listeners from all over the world.

To celebrate their twentieth birthday in 2023, Auļi released a best of compilation entitled Deviņvīru spēks, which translates literally to ‘strength of nine men’, but is also the Latvian name for the mullein plant (Verbascum Thapsus), used in a number of Latvian folk remedies. The collection includes eighteen tracks from throughout their history.

This is Auļi’s second ‘best of’ compilation, the first one being Dižducis, released in 2013 to celebrate their first decade.

Latvian folk traditions and beliefs have inspired many of Auļi’s songs, and the group has expanded their sound throughout the years with new kinds of drums and bagpipes, to further diversify their sound palette. They have released albums with songs inspired by the Jāņi, or Midsummer, festival such as ‘Līgo lauki, līgo pļavas’, and songs about the ķekatas (mummery) tradition, such as ‘Laid, māmiņa, istabā’.

Auļi have also extensively collaborated with not just other Latvian musicians, but with many international musicians, and many of the tracks on Deviņvīru spēks are such collaborations. From Latvia, Auļi have performed with the group Tautumeitas on the song ‘Dzied’ papriekšu, brāļa māsa’, and assembled a large group that included Suitu sievas, Vilkači, Tarkšķi and others, to perform the song ‘Ozoliņi’.

Auļi have also worked with many artists worldwide, such as ‘Tāltālu’ with singer Kilema from Madagascar, ‘Maijodler’ with yodeler Albin Paulus, and ‘Orbina’ with Sami joik singer Kai Somby. One of their most popular songs (whose video has reached more than seven million views) is ‘Hunnu Guren’, performed with Mongolian throat singer Batzorig Vaanchig.

The CD booklet includes some brief biographical notes and a few words about every Auļi album, and the notes are in both Latvian and English.

For further information, please visit the Auļi website.

Auļi – Deviņvīru spēks

Lauska CD102, 2023

Track listing:

1. Sūda dziesma
2. Auļos…
3. Liftilugu
4. Ozols
5. Diņķis
6. Tāltālu
7. Metens
8. Dzied’ papriekšu, brāļa māsa
9. Maijodler
10. Orbina
11. Hunnu Guren
12. Alšvangas dūdu meldiņš
13. Ozoliņi
14. Jūra
15. Perkons brauca pār debesi
16. Līgo lauki, līgo pļavas
17. Laid, māmiņa, istabā
18. Man bij’ kaltis kumeliņis