New York Latvian Concert Choir releases Christmas CD

New York Latvian Concert Choir (Ņujorkas latviešu koris) has released its latest Christmas themed CD, entitled Ziemassvētki laika vējos (or Latvian Christmas in the Winds of Time). Released by Albany Records (TROY1851, 2020), the CD collects works by Latvian composers Laura Jēkabsone, Mārtiņš Brauns, Andrejs Jansons, and Andris Sējāns.

The NYLCC has released many CDs, all containing original compositions dedicated to the choir. Other CDs released by the choir include Christmas in Latvia, Latvian Winterfest, and Christmas Joy in Latvia, a release that was profiled in Rolling Stone magazine, who also declared it one of the 25 best Christmas albums.

On the album, recorded in Latvia at the Latvian Radio Studio in January of 2020, the NYLCC is joined by several other choirs and ensembles – the youth choir Balsis, the women’s choir Balta, the chamber choir Fortius, and the Latvian National Opera Chamber Orchestra. All the works were conducted by the NYLCC artistic director Laura Padega Zamura.

For further information, please visit the New York Latvian Concert Choir Facebook page and the Albany Records website.

Track listing:

  1. Ziemassvētku kantāte “Gausi nāca, drīz aizgāja” – Laura Jēkabsone
    Ziemassvētku cikls Ņujorkas latviešu korim – Mārtiņš Brauns
  2. Vienīgais
  3. Bērna lūgšana
  4. Egles
  5. Sniedziņš
  6. Uguntiņa
    Ziemassvētku kantāte – Andrejs Jansons
  7. Ziema nāk
  8. Šupuļdziesma
  9. Ķekatu dziesma
  10. Svētceļnieku dziesma
    7 O Antifoni – Andris Sējāns, Dabas koncertzāle
  11. O Sapientia
  12. O Adonai
  13. O Radix Jesse
  14. O Clavis David
  15. O Oriens
  16. O Rex Gentium
  17. O Emmanuel

Egils Kaljo is an American-born Latvian from the New York area . Kaljo began listening to Latvian music as soon as he was able to put a record on a record player, and still has old Bellacord 78 rpm records lying around somewhere.

Voting by post to be made available to those voting abroad in Latvian municipal elections

On Thursday, 17 December, the Saeima adopted in the final reading amendments to the Law on Elections of the Republic City Council and Municipality Council, allowing voters abroad to participate in municipal elections by post. 

According to the explanatory note to the amendments, the changes aim to promote the participation of eligible voters in municipal elections, to support the civic and political participation of the diaspora, and to engage as many members of the diaspora as possible in municipal processes, thus maintaining their ties with Latvia and the Latvian identity. 

Voting by post was proposed in view of the fact that until now, voters abroad could not participate in municipal elections as voting was only organised in person and in the territory of Latvia. 

To vote by post, voters abroad will have to apply prior to the elections. Applications will be accepted on-line via the public administration services portal www.latvija.lv, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs website, or in person in Latvian embassies and representative offices. Alternatively, applications may be submitted to the Central Election Commission (CEC) by using the official electronic address, or sending the application by post. The application shall indicate the voter’s e-mail address, to which a website address, containing voting materials, will be sent. 

The amendments stipulate that voters may submit their applications to vote by post 70 days before to the day of elections, but no later than 42 days prior to the day of elections. 

Upon receiving an application to vote by post, the CEC will verify whether the applicant is eligible to vote in the respective council elections, and then register the applicant in the Voters’ Register, as well as send a link, containing voting materials, to the e-mail address indicated by the applicant.     

The voter is required to print out the voting materials, select the relevant ballot paper, and make an appropriate mark. The ballot paper is than placed in an envelope, the envelope is sealed, and placed in a separate registration envelope, which the voter sends to the election commission of the relevant city council or municipal council. There, the envelopes are to be registered and stored unopened until the counting of votes commences. 

According to the data available to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, over 370 thousand Latvian nationals reside abroad permanently, and most of them left their homeland during the last 10 years. 

Saeima Press Service

Recording of five cantatas by modern Latvian composers reaffirms range of Latvian choral works

It is well known that choir music is an essential aspect of Latvian culture, deeply ingrained into the national consciousness and psyche. Most every Latvian composer has written works for choir, since, besides the extensive choir tradition, there are also many talented choirs that would be ready to perform the work.

The Soviet occupation of Latvia also had its impact on choir music, mainly on the kinds of works that could be permitted – what would be allowed by the authorities. Sacred choir works were frowned upon, and any work that even hinted at Latvian patriotism was unlikely to be performed. Also, unsurprisingly, works composed by exiled Latvian composers were summarily ignored within Soviet occupied Latvia.

Upon renewal of Latvian independence in the early 1990s, musicians both in and beyond Latvia looked to reestablish the links of Latvian music and culture worldwide. One of these initiatives was by renowned Latvian American conductor Andrejs Jansons, who, along with several talented choirs and musicians, recorded multiple Latvian cantatas both by composers who lived in Latvia during the occupation, as well as exiled composers. Though recorded in 1993, the recordings were only recently released by Albany Records in the collection entitled 5 Latvian Cantatas.

Jansons gathered multiple choirs – the chamber choir Versija, the Latvian Radio Choir, the chamber choir Consum, as well as soloists from and the orchestra of the Latvian National Opera.

The first cantata is by exiled Latvian composer Imants Mežaraups and is the single movement ‘Sērdienītes dziesma’. The work, which weaves together Latvian folk songs about orphans, has both lighthearted moments as well as more tragic sections. The work also makes extensive use of traditional instruments, such as the stabule (recorder) in the somber introduction, as well as the Latvian kokle. Though there are many mournful moments throughout the work, it ends on a celebratory note – the orphan girl finds a rich husband. The choirs, along with soloists, present Mežaraups’ engrossing journey with a vivid, layered performance.

Pēteris Aldiņš’ ‘Pavasara Cikls’ is a collection of works with vernal and pastoral themes, also taken from Latvian folk songs. The playful ‘Rūtoj’saule’ leads in to the atmospheric ‘Ganīdama saganīju’ and then ‘Rotājies, tu, saulīte’ which is at times dance-like, but later majestic. The cycle concludes with the brief, but celebratory ‘Man patika miežu druva’. The work is vibrant and active, and conductor Jansons inspires the needed energy and vitality throughout the cycle.

The weighty and solemn ‘Bēru dziesmas’ by Longīns Apkalns uses Latvian folk songs about death and burials to create a melancholy mood. Occasionally discordant, but at times almost restless, like in the rhythmic ‘Gausi brauca vedējiņi’, the immersive work shows Apkalns’ skill with instrumentation, and the instrumentalists provide for a particularly affecting performance.

Composer Imants Kalniņš is one of the most beloved Latvian composers, both for his work in popular music, as well as his academic and choir music, and his contribution to this collection is ‘Brāli, mans brāli’ a cantata with texts by Latvian poet Rainis. The work begins with Kalniņš’ trademark syncopated and unusual rhythms, and Kalniņš turns Rainis’ expressive poetry, full of themes of standing up to oppression and dreams of freedom, into equally expressive music, particularly in the performance by bass soloist Aivars Krancmanis.

The fifth and final cantata in this collection is Haralds Berino’s ‘Dvēseļu kalnā’. The majestic work of seven individual movements is, in contrast to the other works on the CD, a sacred cantata. The soaring singing of soprano soloist Līga Drozda, is a particular highlight of this recording. Berino, who, during exile, lived in Canada, wrote extensively for choir, particularly sacred works, and his skill in this genre is evident in this cantata, at times meditative, other times exulting, and the performance of the choir elevates this work.

Though it has taken nearly thirty years for these recordings to be released, it was well worth the wait to once again reveal these works to audiences, since it is likely many listeners will be hearing these for the first time. Albany Records has been very supportive of Latvian music and has released many recordings from the archives which would have otherwise been likely forgotten. 5 Latvian Cantatas reaffirms not just the broad and diverse range of Latvian choir works, but also the skill of Latvian performers, particularly conductor Andrejs Jansons who not only made this recording possible, but also inspired vivid and stirring performances.

For further information, please visit the Albany Records website.

5 Latvian Cantatas

Albany Records, TROY 1804

Track listing

  1. Sērdienītes dziesma – Imants Mežaraups

Pēteris Aldiņš – Pavasara cikls

  • Rūtoj’ saule
  • Ganīdama saganīju
  • Rotājies, tu, saulīte
  • Man patika miežu druva

Longīns Apkalns – Bēru dziesmas

  • Jūdzat bērus, jūdzat raudus
  • Gausi brauca vedējiņi
  • Es visu viesiņu gaidītāja
  • Ko mēs labi pārnesām

Imants Kalniņš – Brāli, mans brāli

  1. Zēniņa dziesma
  2. Nabaga brālis
  3. Karaļmeita

Haralds Berino – Dvēseļu kalnā

  1. Dvēseļu kalnā
  2. Dievs ir gaisma
  3. Klusuma koks
  4. Debesu lāses
  5. Lūgšana dievnamā
  6. Laipnais vārds
  7. Spožums tam sāp

Egils Kaljo is an American-born Latvian from the New York area . Kaljo began listening to Latvian music as soon as he was able to put a record on a record player, and still has old Bellacord 78 rpm records lying around somewhere.