Though Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks has achieved success and fame with compositions for solo instruments, string quartets, orchestras, piano, among many other instruments, some of his most powerful and memorable works are his choir songs. The addition of text and language (particularly the Latvian language), in combination with the exceptional skill of the world-class Latvian Radio Choir, make his choir songs particularly haunting and emotionally affecting.

This is clearly evidenced on Plainscapes, a 2012 release by Finnish label Ondine, featuring the Latvian Radio choir performing a number of Vasks’ secular choir works, conducted by Sigvards Kļava – an album that is, in my opinion, destined to be one of the best and most significant Latvian classical music releases of 2012.

The Latvian Radio Choir, an ensemble that distinguishes itself by its focus on modern repertoire – both Latvian and international – is well familiar with the works of Vasks. In fact, Plainscapes could be considered a spiritual continuation of the work they already recorded on Māte saule (BIS records, BIS-CD-1145, released in 2000), also predominantly secular compositions. Vasks has worked closely with the Radio Choir throughout the years, and having direct access to the composer himself gives the choir unique insight into the composer’s precise vision when realizing these works.

Though Vasks’ choir work “Zīles ziņa” (The Tomtit’s Message) was composed in 1981 (with lyrics by Uldis Bērziņš), originally for women’s choirs, it has enjoyed a notable rise in popularity over the past few years. A number of choirs have performed the work – one can hear the youth choir Kamēr… interpretation of it on their 2007 CD Veltījumi, as well as the mixed choir Sōla providing their interpretation on their 2008 CD Pūra dziesmas. Broadly, the song is about the apprehension over one’s brother going to war and the fact that he will most likely not return. As with many Vasks songs, it has an ominous feeling about it – a quiet beginning, a driving, almost galloping middle section (perhaps appropriate, as the lyrics at that moment are about the brother riding his horse), leading to the intentionally exaggerated howls of laughter of the warlord. The song finishes with a quietly rising tension as the choir sings ‘paiet gadu daudz’ (many years pass). This tour de force by both composer and choir makes this work and performance one of the most memorable Vasks choir interpretations.

The longest work on the album, “Līdzenuma ainavas” (Plainscapes) features Sandis Šteinbergs on violin and Guna Āboltiņa on cello, providing accompaniment while the choir vocalizes (the song has no lyrics). Though more than sixteen minutes, the performance is never dull as the choir interplays with the instruments, providing the listener with an imaginative wander through the plains and fields of Zemgale.

Of course, Vasks is not always gloom and doom. Vasks, directly and indirectly, ensures that there is something of Latvia in his compositions – he makes it clear that he is truly a Latvian composer. For example in the very brief work “Mazi, silti svētki” (A Moment of Celebration) composed for women’s choirs with lyrics by Jānis Baltvilks, there is a positive view on Latvia, that “Gabaliņš Latvijas ir atkal sakopts” (A piece of Latvia is tidied up again), making this a particularly personal, not to mention hopeful, composition.

Originally performed by Kamēr… on their World Sun Songs collection, “Piedzimšana” (Birth), lyrics by Inese Zandere, closes off the album. It is another longer performance, at more than twelve minutes, and the poetry of Zandere is almost in a Latvian folk song style, as it evokes images of the sun as the giver of life and soul, as a sort of goddess of Latvian folklore.

The CD booklet also contains a lengthy, insightful interview in English with the composer by Ināra Jakubone of the Latvian Music Information Centre, revealing a number of interesting details about the compositions, particularly about the song “Mūsu māšu vārdi” (Our Mothers’ Names), lyrics by Māris Čaklais, discussing why the poet gives the mothers the names of birds.

Perhaps it is no surprise that when you combine one of the best Latvian choirs (if not world choirs) with one of the best Latvian composers you get an exceptional result. Under the direction of conductor Sigvards Kļava, the Latvian Radio Choir has once again proven that they, unquestionably, belong among the ranks of the best choirs in the world. Due to their unique and singular access and collaboration with the composer himself, they are in a position to truly present the works as Vasks intended them to be heard. As a result, Plainscapes, beyond being a testament to the abilities of the choir and the compositional talent of Vasks, is one of the most significant, not to mention enjoyable and emotionally affecting, choir recordings in recent memory.

One of the best known Latvian musicians internationally, with a career spanning multiple decades, soprano Inese Galante (known as Inessa Galante internationally) has turned to sacred music on her latest 2011 release – The Soul of Rīga. Recorded at the Rīga Cathedral, the two CD collection features the Cathedral’s world famous organ performed by organists Aivars Kalējs and Mattias Wager.

This expansive collection, running almost two hours, covers a broad range of vocal music (as well as two solo organ works, one performed by Wager and a second work, composed and performed by Kalējs). The repertoire ranges from early baroque works to late romantic era pieces. The bulk of the songs are sacred, but there are also a number of secular works in this collection.

Galante has been performing for decades, both as a solo singer (frequently performing in London, with other performances worldwide), as well as in a number of operas – particularly the operas of Puccini and Verdi. A long-time recording artist for Campion records, she has recorded more than 10 CDs, with her CD Debut a particularly popular recording. She has also received the Latvian Order of the Three Stars, as well as the Great Music Award.  Galante is also the patroness of and performs at the yearly Summertime Music Festival in Jūrmala, Latvia.

At the heart of the collection are a number of renditions of “Ave Maria”, including two of the best known – the first by Giulio Caccini (which opens the first CD), as well as Franz Schubert’s version (which opens the second CD). These timeless classics are given a new life by the warm voice of Galante, as well as the hearty sound of the Rīga Cathedral organ.

The first CD concentrates mainly on Baroque composers – almost all of the best known Baroque composers are represented here – Antonio Vivaldi, Georg Friedrich Handel, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Henry Purcell.  Particularly memorable is Galante’s performance of G. F. Handel’s “Lascia ch’io piango”, bringing a notable tenderness and sadness to this tragic song. The CD concludes with Wager’s solo performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Fantasia in G minor.

The second CD, continuing chronologically into the classical and romantic periods, features composers such as Georges Bizet, Edvard Grieg, and Antonin Dvorak. The second CD concludes with Kalējs’ solo performance of his own composition – the Toccatta on the Choral “Allein Gott in der Höh’ sei Ehr’”.

Perhaps one of Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg’s best known vocal works is “Solvejg’s Lied”, and Galante’s performance of this timeless song is one of the highlights of the second CD in this collection. Moving from somber verse to an almost playful chorus, Galante’s talent for dramatic performance shines through.

This release contains biographical information on Galante, Kalējs, and Wager, as well as a history of the Rīga Cathedral Organ, in Latvian, English and Russian.

Ably assisted by organists Aivars Kalējs and Mattias Wager, performing on the legendary organ of the Rīga Cathedral, Galante reaffirms her status as one of the premiere singers in the world today. At nearly two hours over the two CDs, containing a wide variety of works from Baroque to modern, this is a thorough and engrossing recording. Bringing richness and texture to works both recent and centuries old, Galante has made a memorable document of both her singing as well as the magnificent organ, which is truly the soul of Rīga.

For more information on this CD, go to Inessa Galante’s website or theHerman Braun Foundation website.

A cappella music, although often awe-inspiring for listeners because of the vocal talent of the singers, can at times be undermined by the excessive falsetto and slightly overwrought style of singing. Surprisingly enough, Latvian Voices’ latest album Tā kā taka can easily become a favorite.

A number of Latvian groups in the a cappella (vocal music without instrumental accompaniment) genre have risen to prominence over the past years in Latvia. Perhaps the best known is male ensemble Cosmos, who achieved great success and fame with their arrangements of songs, both Latvian and international, as well as their original works. With the success of Cosmos, it is perhaps no surprise that other a cappella ensembles have popped up. Though the achievements of these groups have not quite matched those of Cosmos, there is one fairly new ensemble that might very well have the chance to do so – female group Latvian Voices.

As their name seems to indicate, from their inception Latvian Voices are intent on succeeding on the world stage. Their first album, Waving World Wide, released in 2010, focused more on an international repertoire (with both sacred and traditional songs), and their second album, Seventh Heaven, released the same year, was a Christmas-themed album, featuring songs in English and German, among other languages. However, for their third album, Tā kā taka, released in 2011, they have recorded in their native language featuring both arrangements of Latvian folk songs as well as new compositions.

The group is made up of seven female Latvian singers – Elīna Šmukste, Nora Vītiņa, Zane Stafecka, Andra Blumberga, Laura Leontjeva, Laura Jēkabsone, and Karīna Kaminska.

Though they have waited until their third album to focus on their Latvian repertoire, it is this repertoire that makes this album exceptional – being Latvian themselves, and native Latvian speakers, not to mention knowledgeable about Latvian culture and songs makes for this material being closer to the singers than their other material has been. These songs have an energy and vitality that starts with the first song – “Ar dziesmiņu ciemos eju” (lyrics by Ojārs Vāczemnieks, arranged by Laura Jēkabsone), a lively song that is, rather appropriately, about singing itself. The harmonies and interplay between the various singers makes this a particularly enjoyable arrangement.

Among the Latvian folksongs they perform include “Es gulu, gulu” (arranged by Nora Vītiņa), one of the sadder Latvian folksongs about a girl who sees her beloved ride away in a dream, “Rūtoj’ saule” (arranged by Vītiņa), a song once again about singing, as two sisters who have not seen each other in years still sing to each other from their respective farms. A favorite is their charming and playful performance of the song “Zvejnieks mani aicināja” (arranged by Jēkabsone), a song about a girl who meets a fisherman who invites her onto his boat, but the girl demurs, considering the boat (and the fisherman himself) to be a bit shabby.

The highlights of the album are the original songs – particularly title track “Tā kā taka” (lyrics/music by Vītiņa) as well as “Lietus” (lyrics/music by Jēkabsone), as the singers through their interplay conjure rain in this romantic song.

Spanish beatbox (percussive sounds made by voice) artist Lytos joins the group in “Kuito” (words/music by Jēkabsone), a performance that was inspired by the Cosmos song “Vindo”. Lytos’ percussive elements add a new dimension to this song which is, if I’m not mistaken, in a made-up language (much like “Vindo” was). The exceptionally realistic drumbeats that Lytos conjures up give the song a dynamic rhythmic foundation.

The CD booklet is quite detailed, containing a number of photographs with brief write-ups on each of the singers, some commentary on each of the songs presented, as well as a history of the group, with all text appearing in Latvian, German, and English.

Tā kā taka was an enjoyable surprise – their interpretations of these Latvian songs are both engaging and memorable. The group seems destined for wider success – at the time of this writing they had just won at an a cappella competition in Leipzig. Though the group performs frequently, it is telling that so far in 2012 they have only performed in Latvia twice – the rest of their performances have been at festivals and competitions all over Europe. This collection of both ancient Latvian folksongs, as well as new songs, is a truly enchanting work.