Perhaps the saddest event in the Latvian music world in 2012 was the death of composer Uldis Stabulnieks on September 27 at the age of 66.

Best known for his popular songs, particularly the song ‘Tik un tā’ (lyrics by Māra Zālīte), the composer, who was also a pianist and singer, had a career that spanned decades.

Latvian record label MicRec has released Stabulnieks’ final recordings on the collection Es mīlu dzīvi skaisto (MRCD 496). Recorded from 2005 to 2007, the recordings feature Stabulnieks singing and playing the piano, with compositions based upon the lyrics of many well-known Latvian poets, including Ojārs Vācietis, Imants Ziedonis, Aleksandrs Čaks, among others. The CD booklet includes a brief biography of Stabulnieks in Latvian by music journalist Daiga Mazvērsīte.

Micrec also released a collection of Stabulnieks’ most popular songs in 2002 entitled Tik un tā (MRCD 189).

Track listing:

1. Es mīlu dzīvi (J. Rokpelnis)

2. Kā ūdens nemitīgs (J. Ziemeļnieks)

3. Mazs putniņš (V. Belševica)

4. Melodija (O. Vācietis)

5. Mežs (I. Ziedonis)

6. Par sliedēm (J. Peters)

7. Sieru dziesma (G. Godiņš)

8. Tango (J. Peters)

    Piecas variācijas par Jāņa Sudrabkalna tēmu “Tāls vakars”

9. Variācija #1 (J. Sudrabkalns)

10. Variācija #2 (J. Sudrabkalns)

11. Variācija #3 (J. Sudrabkalns)

12. Variācija #4 (J. Sudrabkalns)

13. Variācija #5 (J. Sudrabkalns)

14. Vecā Rīga (A. Čaks)

15. Zviedru vārti (Ē. Ādamsons)

16. Kāds smilšu graudiņš (J.Sudrabkalns)