Compositions by Kalniņš released as part of Latvian Centenary collection

Egils Kaljo | 

Latvian composer Imants Kalniņš, throughout his long career, has composed many beloved songs and melodies. Though perhaps slightly better known for his popular songs, performed by groups like Menuets and Turaidas roze, many of his symphonic works have had enduring appeal and remain in the public consciousness. His 4th symphony, with its rock inspired rhythms and arrangement, has long been a defining work in Latvian academic music.

Beyond his 4th symphony, Kalniņš has composed many noteworthy and memorable symphonic works. Recognizing this, the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, along with conductor Atvars Lakstīgala, as well as guest conductor Māris Sirmais, recorded a number of Kalniņš’ orchestral works, both past and recent compositions. The two disc collection, simply entitled Imants Kalniņš, was released in 2018 by the Latvian national music label Skani as part of their Latvian Centenary collection. The album includes Kalniņš’ 5th and 7th symphonies, his Oboe Concerto, and the orchestral work entitled ‘Santa Cruz’.

‘Santa Cruz’, conducted by Māris Sirmais, was composed in 2015 and includes many of the elements that have endeared Kalniņš to many listeners. This brief orchestra miniature, with its gently flowing melody in the sounds of the plucked strings, manifests a musical landscape with picturesque scenery.

Kalniņš has also composed for theater and film, and many of the dramatic elements from those mediums can be heard in his 5th symphony, composed in 1979. The first movement is full of tension, with the strings in constant motion, and then this tension transitions to a slower, more ominous theme, before the agitation returns towards the end, with pointed horn bursts to accentuate the drama. The work comes to a harmonious end in the fourth movement, with expands to a triumphant, celebratory theme, punctuated with cymbal crashes and a percussive rhythm, and then a slow fade continues all the way to the end of the work, and the somber melody dissipates into silence. Conductor Lakstīgala accentuates the dramatic in this work to great effect, creating a truly cinematic interpretation of Kalniņš’ composition.

The Oboe concerto, composed in 2012, is one of Kalniņš more playful and joyful works. This performance features oboist Pēteris Endzelis, and his adept and vivid interpretation results in a memorable rendition of this composition. The first movement, with its almost dainty melody, presents a mystical song of conjuring, which may remind some of Kalniņš’ popular music, which often had mystical and mythological lyrical themes. The calm and hopeful beginning of the second movement gives way to Kalniņš’ trademark undulating strings, setting the stage for the dance that begins the final movement, which ends on a reassuringly hopeful note.

Kalniņš’ most recent symphony, his seventh, was composed in 2015, has sentimental and nostalgic elements. Pastoral elements fill the first movement, perhaps suggesting a rural landscape of childhood. However, there are still elements of foreboding throughout the work, as things reach a climax in the third movement, where elements of conflict appear in the horns and percussion, almost like an alarm. The military-like beginning of the final movement, with its deliberate rhythm and relentless advance, continues with clocklike precision with the help of Sirmais’ exact conducting.

Imants Kalniņš, for many decades, has been a leading and defining figure in Latvian music. His signature style can be heard throughout the performances on this album, and are given vivid textures and rich colors, aided by the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra and conductors Atvars Lakstīgala and Māris Sirmais. These recordings display Kalniņš’ acute sense of melody and dramatic abilities, and provide for an engrossing and enjoyable journey through Imants Kalniņš’ symphonic works.

For more information, please visit the Skani website and Liepāja Symphony Orchestra website.

Imants Kalniņš

Liepāja Symphony Orchestra

Skani 067, 2018

Track listing

CD 1

1. Santa Cruz (2015)

Symphony No. 5 (1979)

2. Allegro appassionata

3. Sostenuto dolce

4. Allegretto festivo

5. Largo con grazia

CD 2

Oboe Concerto (2012)

1. ♩= 120

2. ♩ = 60

3. ♩.= 80

Symphony No. 7 (2015)

4. Allegro

5. Andante

6. Allegro

7. Grave

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.

Folklorists Rūta and Valdis Muktupāvels tour North America

Egils Kaljo | 

Latvian folklore duo Rūta and Valdis Muktupāvels are performing throughout the United States and Canada, and one of their stops included a performance at the Latvian Lutheran Church in Yonkers, New York, on Saturday, November 16th, as part of the Latvian independence celebration event.

Their performance included Latvian folk songs from all the historical regions of Latvia, including Kurzeme, Vidzeme, Latgale, Zemgale, as well as Selonia (Sēlija). Additionally, the duo performed songs from throughout the Baltic region, including songs from Lithuania, ancient Prussia and Yotvingia.

Rūta and Valdis Muktupāvels perform in a very traditional and authentic style, singing either unaccompanied or with a single instrument. The repertoire was varied, with folk songs of many styles and themes, from wedding songs to dances to children’s songs. The duo incorporated many different instruments in their performance, including the kokle, vargāns (Jew’s harp), guitar, bagpipes, among others.

They were joined by the students of the Yonkers and New Jersey Latvian schools for three songs – two Latvian folk songs ‘Ar vilciņu Rīgā braucu’ and ‘Maza, maza ābelīte’, as well as an original work by Valdis Muktupāvels, ‘Mīl katrs baltu maizes riku’ (words by Imants Ziedonis).

This concert and the duo’s tour were made possible by the Latvian Cultural Society TILTS, with support from the World Federation of Free Latvians (PBLA), the Latvian Ministry of Culture, as well as the American Latvian Association (ALA).

For further information, please visit the TILTS website.

Photo: Kristina Rathode

Rūta Muktupāvela and Valdis Muktupāvels at the Latvian Lutheran Church in Yonkers, NY with the New Jersey and Yonkers Latvian Schools’ combined children’s choir.

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.

Valsts prezidenta Egila Levita apsveikums Valsts svētkos

Egils Levits | 

Mīļie latvieši visā pasaulē!

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Latvietības fenomēns ir tas, ka daudzi, dzīvojot ārpus Latvijas robežām, vēlas saglabāt piederību Latvijai un latvietībai – pat vairākās paaudzēs un visapkārt pasaulei. Saiti ar Latviju mūsdienās varam uzturēt neatkarīgi no tā, kur pastāvīgi vai uz laiku dzīvojam. Esmu par to spilgti pārliecinājies visās pasaules daļās, kur pats esmu dzīvojis vai ticies ar latviešiem.

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Kas tagadnes un nākotnes Latvijai ir visvairāk nepieciešams?

Latvietības kā vērtības apzināšanās. Cieņa pret mūsu vēsturi, rūpes par mūsu valodu un kultūru, lepnums par savu valsti. Radošums un uzdrīkstēšanās modernas latvietības stiprināšanā caur inovācijām un izcilību gan sabiedriskajā darbā, gan zinātnē, uzņēmējdarbībā, gan mākslā un sportā. Sabiedrības solidaritāte kā lielās, tā šķietami sīkās lietās. Godīgums pret saviem līdzpilsoņiem un savstarpēja uzticēšanās. Palīdzība tiem, kam klājas grūtāk.

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Sirsnīgi sveicu jūs mums visiem kopīgajos Latvijas valsts svētkos!

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