Unsung Composers

Many, many thanks, Latvian, for uploading music by Shalva Mshvelidze.  Here again is another composer of whose name, let alone his music, I was completely ignorant.  The two symphonic poems are really first-rate, beautifully orchestrated and with a very strong profile. 

You're very welcome, dafrieze! I wish I had more of his music to share. Anyone else out there have anything?

Yes I have the Symphonic Poem "Zviadauri" by Mshvelidze.

I would be interested in the followings choral/orchestral works by Adolf Skulte, maybe you have them, I actually don't even know if the Riga and Echo cantatas were ever recorded :

Sakta of Freedom", ballet (1950)

"Riga", cantata for mixed chorus and symphony orchestra (1951)

Suite to the ballet "The Brooch of Freedom (Brivibas sakta)" (1956)

"The Forests Rustle (Mezi salc)", ballada for mixed chorus (1964)

"Thunderstorm in Spring", ballet (1967)

Echo (Atbalss)", cantata for mixed chorus and symphony orchestra (1969)

Overture for symphony orchestra (1987)

Thanks  lot for the Rainis anyway.

I have an LP with the Brooch of Freedom suite (together with the Rainis one) and can upload it in a few days (need to digitalize it).

Regards,
Holger

Sicmu, I have everything on your want list except the Riga cantata. Sakta of Freedom and Brooch of Freedom are the same work -- the suite was merely extracted later, and various discs of excerpts have appeared on Melodiya, but never the complete work. Except for Mezi salc, the other recordings I have are live performances, never having appeared on Melodiya.

I'll upload gradually, as time permits.

Thank you for these pieces by A.Skulte, it is a composer I really like. I myself doubt the complete ballet will be recorded in the near future : sadly, even Naxos never finished the Ivanovs Symphonic Cycle.

I fully agree with Sicmu, many thanks for the Skulte uploads from me as well. Ādolfs Skulte is definitely one of my favourite Latvian composers, he was great in creating atmospheres and moods, I like the rich colours and nuances of his music a lot. There is some kind of golden glance over his music from time to time which is absolutely fascinating in my view, in fact I also think there is a lot of nature in his works, even if this is not as directly pointed out in the title as in case of "Waves" or the Seventh Symphony.

Regards,
Holger

Sicmu and Holger, you're very welcome! I have more works which I'll upload when time permits. I agree with you, Holger, regarding the influence of nature. My favorite symphony of his is the 8th, which is influenced by the sea. Two Latvian folksongs dealing with the sea are directly quoted as well, and beautifully woven into the texture of the work.

Thanks for this music.  Do you know the performing artists for the Skulte piece called "Waves"?

QuoteDo you know the performing artists for the Skulte piece called "Waves"?

Sorry to take so long in responding to your query, Christopher! The recording is from a concert in New York City in 1981, with a pickup orchestra of local professional musicians, conducted by Andrejs Jansons.

Thank you for these further Skulte upload, I really like the Atbalss Cantata : it is beautiful music and reminds me of Delius in places ( as for the  CD with choral/orchestral works by his brother Bruno).

Many of the symphonies of Janis Ivanovs made it onto disc(Campion Classics and Naxos) but Nos. 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19  and 21 didn't.

I have a concert broadcast of Ivanovs No 21, finished by his pupil Juris Karlsons. If anyone is interested I will upload it.

Quote from: britishcomposer on Friday 09 September 2011, 23:57
I have a concert broadcast of Ivanovs No 21, finished by his pupil Juris Karlsons. If anyone is interested I will upload it.

Yes please :)

........and Thank You!!

Many years ago I had a Melodiya LP featuring a piece called "Shakespeare Music", by a Latvian composer called Pauls Dambis. At the time I thought it one of the most breathtakingly beautiful pieces of music I'd ever heard. Alas, somehow the LP got lost, but I've been keeping an eye out for the composer ever since - without success. Anyone here have anything else by him - I'd love to know if my early impressions have stood the test of time...?

WorldCat notes other recordings of works by Dambis including a 37-minute LP of 2-piano (I'm guessing) pieces called Spēles : divām klavierēm, and a big co-composed??? Konsert-Requiem.  (Musical :) ) scores of 5 string quartets are noted, too...

Latvian - the works by MEDIŅŠ are just so enjoyable. Yet another unjustly neglected Latvian composer! Thank you for sharing them.

Quotethe works by MEDIŅŠ are just so enjoyable. Yet another unjustly neglected Latvian composer! Thank you for sharing them.

You're welcome! More to come...

QuoteMany years ago I had a Melodiya LP featuring a piece called "Shakespeare Music", by a Latvian composer called Pauls Dambis. At the time I thought it one of the most breathtakingly beautiful pieces of music I'd ever heard. Alas, somehow the LP got lost, but I've been keeping an eye out for the composer ever since - without success. Anyone here have anything else by him - I'd love to know if my early impressions have stood the test of time...?

I have the disc -- I'll upload when I have a chance. The Sea Songs that are on the disc are among my very favorite choral works.

I was in a vinyl shop the other day at, for the grand sum of 50 roubles, bought an LP (Melodiya) called "Organ Music by Latvian Composers" ("Latviesu Komponistu Skandarbi Ergelem") - if anyone is interested I can digitalise and upload (once I am back in London)....

Contents:

Romualds Jermaks (b.1931) - Concerto for Organ and Chamber Orchestra
Indulis Kalnins (b.1918) - Water-Colours of the Lielupe
Margers Zarins (b.1910) - Fantasy of J.Poruk's theme
Jazeps Vitols (1863-1948) - Pastorale
Lucija Garuta - Meditation

Peteris Sipolnieks plays on the Grand Organ of Riga Cathedral (with the Latvian State Philharmonic Society Chamber Orchestra, conducted by T. Lifsics.

sounds interesting to me.

Quote from: eschiss1 on Sunday 25 September 2011, 02:58

As promised, all the symphonies (and some extra pieces!) of Jãnis Ivanovs (1906-1983). Cross-post from shostakovich.ning.com with big thanks to Oleg for the uploads. Unfortunately, it is not always clear where the recording is from and who are the performers. I will contact Oleg about it and edit this post with more information accordingly.

Over the past few years I posted a lot of soviet music to this website, including a number of symphonies by Ivanovs, for those who don't wan't to sign up to the soviet composers website I will add the other links to this one little by little .

erm- the coupling of
"Symphony No. 1 "Poema-Sinfonia"
Latgalian Landscapes
Symphony No. 2"
sounds a -whole- lot like the first volume of the Campion series as to its content, it does. Someone should compare the timings...

There in fact seems to be a few CDs in there -- one of the links is a direct link to a photo of a Marco Polo disc

Obviously a matter for our forum administrators. Methinks we are on dangerous ground!

Thanks, gentlemen, for the heads-up. Clearly this post shouldn't have been approved as it contains no confirmation of the sources, something which I have now asked Callipygian to provide.

With sincere apologies for posting! Since it was a cross-post from the Soviet music forum, where similar copyright rules apply, I assumed everything was OK with the links. I will check all the links and repost those that do not contain commerical recordings.

Thanks Callipygian. It's as much my fault for not properly checking your post before I approved it.

Volfgangs Dārzin̦š - 1906-62 - a son of Emils Dārzin̦š (1875-1910) - no luck here in figuring out what a pianist with a name like Zembergs might be either, at this time. (Latvian, so posting here rather than in the Russian & Soviet thread as originally. :) ) Emils Darzins with his 4 "simfoninius kūrinius" (from the Lithuanian Wikipedia article) (is that brief symphonies? symphonic poems? ... ... ) seems interesting too.

Re Sinaiski - wasn't his father a conductor who made Melodiya recordings also (and whose first initial also transliterates to "V." - making for some befuddlement...
or am I thinking of another famous father and son Soviet/ex-Soviet conducting pair- no, not the Järvi family)

And many thanks for the Ivanovs symphonies. Do you have also by any chance scans of the back covers of the LPs (I am asking for a lot I know) especially for 15 and 16 (I see the one for sym 18 :) :) ) where I find I seem to have been sent the recordings at one point but not the "track listings" which are not easy to find. (I have seen the score of sym. 9 at the New York Public Library- probably requires advance notice to see now like much else in their research division, unfortunately. Still a wonderful library, please don't mistake my opinion. They have a terrific open shelf "branch library" section too- nothing like open shelf for.. well, that's another topic (and a big part of my "biography", it seems. *g*))
(The 1975 recording of Rainbow- fairly sure it's the same one- -was- reissued in 1998 by Campion on their Volume 3, btw, though this might be NLA- again, I don't know.)

QuoteWolfgang Darzins
Piano Concerto #2

M. Zembergs, piano (?? hard to read)
Reins Latvian Academic Symphony Orchestra, conductor unknown

Not sure if this was from a broadcast or an old Melodiya Lp

Yes, the pianist is M. Zembergs and he is indeed Latvian (I don't remember his first name just now, but can look it up when I'm at home). The conductor on this performance is Imants Resnis. The performance is very much post-Melodiya LP era, probably from about 10 to 15 years ago.

Volfgangs Dārziņš fled Latvia in 1944 when the USSR occupied the Baltic states. He spent the last ten years or so of his life in Seattle, Washington, as a highly respected piano pedagogue. His music also became more experimental during this time, though he continued to produce lovely, idiomatic Latvian folk song settings as well, both for solo piano and solo voice and piano.

Volfgangs Dārziņš was one of a group of Latvian composers who fled the Soviet occupation in WWII and made their way abroad. Prominent musicians in independent Latvia between the two world wars, they were unable to reestablish themselves abroad with as much success -- Volfgangs Dārziņš, Bruno Skulte, Helmers Pavasars, and numerous others.

During the Soviet Latvian period, the music of these composers was forbidden to be performed or recorded. For many years, even the mention of their names could land one in deep trouble with the government in Soviet Latvia. They were completely "non-persons." Sometime I'll post some further anecdotes...

QuoteRe Sinaiski - wasn't his father a conductor who made Melodiya recordings also (and whose first initial also transliterates to "V." - making for some befuddlement... or am I thinking of another famous father and son Soviet/ex-Soviet conducting pair- no, not the Järvi family)

Eric, I believe you're thinking of the Jansons family -- father Arvīds, and son Mariss. The other Jansons (who is based in New York), Andrejs Jansons, is not related to them, at least not directly. Jansons is a fairly common name in Latvia.

QuoteDo you have also by any chance scans of the back covers of the LPs

I own copies of all the Ivanovs symphonic recordings issued by Melodiya. I can provide whatever detail you need.

QuoteDuring the Soviet Latvian period, the music of these composers was forbidden to be performed or recorded. For many years, even the mention of their names could land one in deep trouble with the government in Soviet Latvia. They were completely "non-persons."

I should clarify... their music was forbidden in the Soviet Union, specifically Soviet Latvia. It was performed and recorded frequently abroad, though usually only within Latvian emigre circles. Most of it never made much of an impact outside the Latvian community.

And of course Talivaldis Kenins (1919 Liepaja - 2008 Toronto). I have some of his chamber music on CD and have heard part of one of his symphonies (also from a Canadian Centrediscs CD set.)

QuoteAnd of course Talivaldis Kenins

How could I forget! He certainly made a strong impression outside the Latvian community, especially in Canada.

Another name I should mention in this regard is Jānis Kalniņš (1904-2000), son of composer Alfrēds Kalniņš. He also attained a substantial reputation in Canadian music, though not to the extent that Ķeniņš did, and more as a conductor and teacher rather than as a composer.

Hi Latvian,

what do you think about Longīns Apkalns? I know several of his works, among them two of his symphonies, but I have to admit that I am not convinced of them. What makes him interesting is that he wrote a book on Latvian music (in German) whose statements about composers like Jānis Ivanovs and Ādolfs Skulte are rather doubtful in my view (he speaks about their symphonic output in a rather derogatory way). On the other hand, he uses to emphasize the backwardness of Soviet Latvian composers in contrast to his own output - which is really astonishing because none of the pieces I know by him is about what I would call modern! It all seems rather strange in my view.

I checked Oleg's links to the Ivanovs symphonies. I traced Oleg's links to the following sources:

Symphony No. 1 "Poema-Sinfonia"
Latgalian Landscapes
Symphony No. 2

Campion Imants Resnis/Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (rec. 1980, 1982, 1981) CAMPION CAMEO 2008 (1997). Volume 1 in the Ivanovs series

Symphony № 3 (1938)
Cello concerto (1938—1945)
The Cloudy Mountain, Symphonic Poem.

Imants Resnis/Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (rec. 1982)
CAMPION CAMEO 2009 (1997) Volume 2 in the same series

Symphony № 4 / Rainbow

Vassily Sinaisky/Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (rec. 1986)
CAMPION CAMEO 2007 (1997) Vol. 3 in series

Symphony No.5
Symphony No.12

Dmitri Yablonsky/Latvian National Symphony Orchestra
MARCO POLO 8.223332 (1996)

Symphony No.6

UNCLEAR, might be USSR Radio Symphony Orchestra or Latvian Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by either Leonids Vigners or Edgars Tons. All sources do agree on Melodiya 1965, maybe someone can help me out here? ;/

Symphony No.7

Leonids Vigners/Latvian Radio Symphony Orchestra
MELODIYA D-3920-1 (LP) (1957)


Symphony № 8 B Minor (1956)

Probably wav from the next cd

Symphonies Nos. 8 & 20

Dmitri Yablonsky/Moscow Symphony Orchestra
NAXOS 8.555740 (2004)


Symphony № 9 (1960)

Edgars Tons/Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra
MELODIYA D 7881-2 (LP) (1961)


Symphony № 10 (1963)
Piano concerto (1959)
Andante (1961)

Edgars Tons/Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (rec. 1963)
CAMPION CAMEO 2013 (1998)

Symphony № 11 (1965)

Edgars Tons/Latvian Radio Symphony Orchestra (rec. 1961)
(MELODIYA 33S-01407-8 (LP) (1967)

Symphony № 13 "Symphonia Humana" (1969)

Radio recording of the Latvian Symphony Orechstra with Vilumanis as conductor, date and place unknown

Symphony № 15 "Sinfonia Ipsa" (1972)
Symphony № 16 (1974)
Symphony № 18 (1977)

3 separate sources:
S15: Eri Klas/Latvian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra
MELODIYA 33SM-04223-4 (LP) (1974)
S16: Vassily Sinaisky/Latvian TV and Radio Symphony Orchestra
MELODIYA 33 S10-05961-2 (LP) (1975)
S18: Vassily Sinaisky/Latvian SSR State Symphony Orchestra
MELODIYA S10-16527-8 (LP) (1982)

Symphony № 17 (1976)
Symphony № 19 (1979)
Symphony № 20 "Novella Brevis" (1981)
Symphony № 21 (1983)

again from different sources:
S17: Vassily Sinaisky/Latvian TV and Radio Symphony Orchestra
MELODIYA S10-13263-4 (LP) (1980)
S19: Vassily Sinaisky/Latvian SSR State Symphony Orchestra
MELODIYA S10-18421-2 (LP) (1983)
S20: Vassily Sinaisky/Latvian SSR State Symphony Orchestra
MELODIYA S10-20451 000 (LP) (1984)
S21:Vassily Sinaisky/Latvian SSR State Symphony Orchestra (rec. 1982)
   MELODIYA S10 25349 003- 51 008 (2 LPs) (1987)


Symphony No. 8
Symphonic Poem "Lacplesis"

Music from the Film: "The Late Frost in Spring"

This is the Campion vol. 6 Edgars Tons/Latvian National Symphony Orchestra CAMPION CAMEO 2012 (1998)

Since most of the Campion cd's can still quite easily be obtained and the same goes for Marco Polo, I suggest I post only the links to upload the Melodiya releases (minus the ones sicmu already kindly shared with us) and the radio recording of the 13th (the source of which remains vague, so any confirmation that it is indeed Ivanovs'  13th and any additional information on the recording would be very welcome).

Re Ivanovs symphony 19 - Dschfan is right- according to http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2002/Apr02/Ivanovs7.htm (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2002/Apr02/Ivanovs7.htm) the Sinaisky recording of symphony 19 is 38'27", so the third movement, lasting 12 minutes just about exactly, is missing.

Does anyone know if Ivanovs' Symphony No.14 is available anywhere?  That one seems to be missing from both CD and the Melodiya uploads.

It was planned for volume 9 of the Campion series - as a reissue of LPs I am guessing  - but not released.  Anyhow, its full title is
Simfonii︠a︡ No. 14 : kamernai︠a︡ : dli︠a︡ strunnogo orkestra
published 1974.
However: a reissue of the 1972 LP recording of the Sinfonia da camera symphony no.14 was released on a CD set in 2009 (2002 performance, I think)  ("Warsaw Autumn International Festival of Contemporary Music") ( Latvian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra ; Tofijs Lifšics, conductor. So I suspect that it may not be possible , in my opinion fwiw, to upload here the one recording I know of , anyway?, of the 14th symphony...

Thanks for your diligence, Callipygian. Please do post the non-CD Ivanov recordings again.

I can supply an upload of the 14th Symphony from a live broadcast performance, when time permits. Let's see what other gaps we have after the dust settles, and I may be able to supply live versions of some others as well.

A further recording of Ivanovs' 14th Symphony has been available from the Latvian Music Information Centre. It's listing is as follows:

Symphony No. 14 in D minor for String Orchestra "Sinfonia da Camera" (1971)

Andris Vecumnieks/Orchestra Sinfonia Concertante
( + Grinups: Symphony No. 9, Kalsons: Chamber Symphony No. 1, Jurjans: Latvian Dance, Janis Medinš: The Blue Mountain, Zarinš: Concerto Grosso, Plakidis: Concerto for Orchestra and Piano, Vasks: Musica Appassionata and Ešenvalds: The Frontiers of Time)
LATVIAN MUSIC INFORMATION CENTRE LMIC (2 CDs) (2005)

I am not certain of its current availability status so check the following site: Muzika Latvija http://www.lmic.lv/core.php?pageId=722&&l=G

Good luck,

Michael

Sicmu - Whatever happened - sorry, sounding like a skipping CD here :) - to the 3rd movement of symphony 19? Apparently from what I gather about 12 minutes of music... (still, there is the alternate link from mail... ru in Callipygian's post- don't know if Callipygian left or if he's one of The 25... , with the whole symphony as a rar file. Hopefully the missing 12-minute 3rd movement is there instead :) )

Atsushi,
The link to the uploaded symphonies 4 & 5 by Adolfs Skulte works, but once downdloaded the .rar file refuses to be openend.

  Hi Black,
 
  I reuploaded zip file now.
  Maybe you can download it :)


  Atsushi

It worked! Thank you so much, Atsushi!
Black

The Skulte 5th is a marvelous piece - many thanks for making it available, indeed, all the music by this considerable figure, whose work I only previously knew from one small piece on a Melodiya LP years ago...Now to try (with some trepidation) the "Youth" Symphony. ..

Since there's been ongoing confusion about the provenance of uploads of various Janis Ivanovs symphonies, and continuing requests for the same, I thought I would alleviate the confusion and satisfy everyone's requests. I have copies of all the Melodiya LP issues of Ivanovs'  symphonies (and other works, as well). Several years ago I digitized all of them for my personal listening, so yesterday I created zip files of all the symphony recordings and today am uploading all of them to Mediafire. By the end of the day I hope to have the project completed and will then post the link in a new downloads page.

Some caveats and additional details:

Melodiya never issued all the Ivanovs symphonies, only #4-12 and #14-21. During Melodiya's LP days, the scores and orchestral parts to #1-3 were presumed missing, lost in the course of WWII bombardment of Riga. However, they did turn up sometime in the early 1990s or so (I don't think #1 was ever truly lost, since it was performed outside Latvia in the 1930s by Lovro von Matacic, among others).

#13 was never released commercially, even though a studio recording was made for broadcast. Onno von Rijen's Ivanovs otherwise excellent discography claims it was a Melodiya LP, but this was wishful thinking, as he was not able to provide a catalog number for it, nor has anyone ever seen a copy of an actual LP. Why it was never issued and thus formed a gap in Melodiyas survey of all the other then-available Ivanovs symphonies is a mystery. The spoken text of #13 is a paean to Lenin, and it seems to me that this would have been an ideal work for the Soviets to endorse. Also, the music itself is very good, and prime Ivanovs of the period. Probably there was some unknown subtext to the situation...

So, for the purpose of completeness, my uploads will include in addition to the digitized LPs a concert recording of #1, and the unreleased broadcast recording of #13. Sorry, I've never encountered any recordings or performances of #2 or #3 other than the ones issued on Cameo or Marco Polo CDs. Anyone wanting to complete their collection of Ivanovs symphonies will need to purchase these CDs.

I plan to also upload in the near future some additional Ivanovs symphony recordings, including a live performance of the revised version of #21. Also, the concertos and other works, if there is interest.

I hope this clears up any lingering confusion, and provides some listening enjoyment!

Thanks, Latvian, a model post!

re Ivanovs 2 and 3... you've only encountered one recording of each symphony?
...
are you saying the recordings released on Cameo are the same as the ones released on Marco Polo???...
eep.
(Marco Polo symphony 2 (1995) - 8:16/12:21/9:17. Cameo (1982 recording) - 9:35/13:06/8:56 . hrm again... ) (29:54 v 31:37)
(in context, guessing that is not what you meant)

Quoteare you saying the recordings released on Cameo are the same as the ones released on Marco Polo???

Sorry, I wasn't quite awake when I wrote that post this morning and momentarily forgot about the Marco Polo disc. Thanks for reminding me, Eric. I've edited my previous post accordingly. I will however, admit to having a strong preference for the Cameo reissues of Latvian Radio recordings with various conductors. While Yablonsky is a fine conductor and has done much excellent work for Naxos, and helped advance awareness and interest in Ivanovs, I feel that he really doesn't understand Ivanovs' sound world as well as the other conductors on the Cameo releases. Maybe this is why I overlooked mentioning his recordings this morning.  ;)

The symphonies have now been uploaded (pending moderator approval). I also want to make it clear that my intention wasn't to step on the toes of any previous uploaders of Ivanovs symphonies! There just seemed to be so much ongoing confusion that I thought it would be helpful to clarify, organize, and expand the Ivanovs resources at the forum.

A marvelous contribution, Latvian.  Sincere thanks for the Ivanovs uploads.  Now, - might it be possible for you to make available the remainder of the Skulte symphonies?  (Some of us refuse to be satisfied for very long).

Thank you very much for the clarifications :)

The situation was so confusing (in my own mind, I hasten to add ;D) that I had to construct a chart of the 21 symphonies with separate columns for the Cameo, Marco Polo/Naxos, Melodiya and other recordings to get it all sorted ;D

Three questions though:

1) Symphony No.7 on Melodiya is conducted by Edgars Tons. I had the conductor as Leonid Vigners. Can you confirm?

2) Symphony no.21 I had the conductor as Normunds Schnee rather than Vasily Sinaisky. Was this perhaps a different performance you made available
           previously?

3) A number of the recordings I had previously noted as the Latvian State Radio Symphony Orchestra are now given as the Latvian State Symphony Orchestra.
    This applies to Nos. 13, 18 and 19. Is this the same orchestra? Which is correct?

Sorry to be a nuisance ;D

What a treasure trove, Latvian. Sincerest thanks for your hard work in uploading these symphonies.

Quote from: Dundonnell on Saturday 12 November 2011, 22:56

2) Symphony no.21 I had the conductor as Normunds Schnee rather than Vasily Sinaisky. Was this perhaps a different performance you made available
           previously?

Just for clarification, Colin: it was me who uploaded no. 21, a concert broadcast conducted by N. Schnee. Therefore you can trust Latvian whose version is from LP! ;) :D

The first Symphony is actually a piano piece ( which one BTW ?)  ???

Quote from: britishcomposer on Saturday 12 November 2011, 23:56

Quote from: Dundonnell on Saturday 12 November 2011, 22:56

2) Symphony no.21 I had the conductor as Normunds Schnee rather than Vasily Sinaisky. Was this perhaps a different performance you made available
           previously?

Just for clarification, Colin: it was me who uploaded no. 21, a concert broadcast conducted by N. Schnee. Therefore you can trust Latvian whose version is from LP! ;) :D

Oh...indeed :-[. Of course :) It is hard keeping track ;D

Thanks for that further clarification.

Quote1) Symphony No.7 on Melodiya is conducted by Edgars Tons. I had the conductor as Leonid Vigners. Can you confirm?

You are correct -- Vīgners is the conductor in Melodiya's Ivanov #7. Not fully awake this morning! I've edited the uploads posting accordingly, along with some other little details. Thanks for noticing the mixup!

Quote2) Symphony no.21 I had the conductor as Normunds Schnee rather than Vasily Sinaisky. Was this perhaps a different performance you made available previously?

britishcomposer is correct -- Sinaisky is the conductor on the Melodiya LP of #21, Šnē is the conductor in the Latvian Radio broadcast that he made available.

Quote3) A number of the recordings I had previously noted as the Latvian State Radio Symphony Orchestra are now given as the Latvian State Symphony Orchestra.
    This applies to Nos. 13, 18 and 19. Is this the same orchestra? Which is correct?

Latvian State Symphony is correct, as far as the LPs of #18 & #19 are concerned, and matches every citation of #13 I've seen. However, there often seems to be some confusion in orchestral attribution at Latvian Radio, so if you've gotten that information from their broadcasts, that may be the source of the discrepancy. I've noticed this in the past with a couple of symphonic works. I find it incredulous that the same conductor would record the same work with two different orchestras, in seemingly identical performances (including timings), unless at one time they were the same orchestra and were named differently depending on the purpose of the recording? I'll have to ask some of my Latvian colleagues.

QuoteWhat a treasure trove, Latvian. Sincerest thanks for your hard work in uploading these symphonies.

You're very welcome! I'm glad I can reciprocate to the many members of this forum who have provided me with such an embarrasment of musical riches over the past few months, including works I've waited for years to hear! And I'm delighted that so many members have a strong interest in Latvian music, which I've championed for many years in many ways. (And, yes, I am Latvian by birth, not just a fan of Latvian music! ;))

Quotemight it be possible for you to make available the remainder of the Skulte symphonies?

Certainly! I'll add them to the list of music I've promised recently (unless someone else wants to jump in ahead of me with them -- I know at least a couple of members of the forum have copies as well).

A few days' rest now, and then I'll post some more Ivanovs works.

QuoteThe first Symphony is actually a piano piece ( which one BTW ?)

I've never heard that claim before! Very interesting...

I took a look just now at a couple of books by Latvian musicologist Ludvigs Kārkliņš, where he discusses Ivanovs' symphonies in some detail (one book is entirely devoted to Ivanovs' symphonies), and he doesn't make this claim. He does state, in the other book, that the work was Ivanovs' graduation piece for his composition class with Jāzeps Vītols at the Latvian Conservatory, so I would infer that Vītols expected him to create a completely original work for this purpose.

Nor does musicologist Arvīds Bomiks mention any such origin in his worklist of Ivanovs' music for Musica Baltica.

I'm curious -- where did you read or hear this? I'll be very interested to do further research if it is indeed the case!

Thank you very much indeed for the detailed and extremely helpful response :)

I am sure that David Fanning: "Ivanovs is more competent than inspired" - would be amazed at the time and effort being expended ;D ;D

Quote from: Latvian on Sunday 13 November 2011, 00:31

QuoteThe first Symphony is actually a piano piece ( which one BTW ?)

I've never heard that claim before! Very interesting...

I took a look just now at a couple of books by Latvian musicologist Ludvigs Kārkliņš, where he discusses Ivanovs' symphonies in some detail (one book is entirely devoted to Ivanovs' symphonies), and he doesn't make this claim. He does state, in the other book, that the work was Ivanovs' graduation piece for his composition class with Jāzeps Vītols at the Latvian Conservatory, so I would infer that Vītols expected him to create a completely original work for this purpose.

Nor does musicologist Arvīds Bomiks mention any such origin in his worklist of Ivanovs' music for Musica Baltica.

I'm curious -- where did you read or hear this? I'll be very interested to do further research if it is indeed the case!

No sorry that's a misunderstanding : I just downloaded the file named Ivanovs01.mp3 and it happens to be a piano piece : did I download the wrong file ?

Symphony No.9 seems to be missing from the uploads.

QuoteSymphony No.9 seems to be missing from the uploads.

So it is! Apparently I didn't upload it properly. Traffic on Mediafire is very heavy right now, so I'll upload it tomorrow. Sorry for the inconvenience!

QuoteI just downloaded the file named Ivanovs01.mp3 and it happens to be a piano piece : did I download the wrong file ?

No, it seems I uploaded the wrong file. What you got was the first movement of Ivanovs' Piano Sonata. I've replaced it with the correct file -- please try again.

Thanks to both of you for pointing out these problems. Please, let me know if anything else is wrong.

PS -- I'll reupload the complete Piano Sonata soon!

As for the orchestra issue, as far as I know the Latvian Radio Symphony Orchestra was simply renamed Latvian State (or National) Symphony Orchestra, wasn't it? So this would be the same orchestra just with two different names from different periods. Also compare
http://www.lnso.lv/eng/orkestris/ (http://www.lnso.lv/eng/orkestris/)
("LNSO was founded in 1926 as the Latvian Radio Symphony Orchestra...")

And to make information complete, the speaker in No. 13 is Uldis Norenbergs.

Anyway thanks for all these uploads. I do have all Ivanovs symphonies but nevertheless I tracked down some of them, for example my recording of No. 19 is damaged so I am glad to get another copy this way. I also downloaded No. 6 to get a second version, this may be the Ivanovs symphony which is most indebted to whatever Socialist Realism may be - but it's a work of sheer beauty in my view, absolutely magnificent.

I will be glad to download his piano sonata. I wonder whether you could also provide copies of his string quartets - this would be exciting, the only piece of chamber music by Ivanovs which I know so far is his "Poema capriccioso" for Cello and Piano.

the 2nd string quartet was recorded on LP in 1969 by Y. Shvolkovsky, L. Girska, A. Senakols and M. Villerush (US Library of Congress catalog lists it), so it should be -possible-...

(Melodiia matrices 33D-24521(a) -33D-24522(a))

hrm. and the 3rd quartet around the same time, too... ! ("Quartet no. 3 for two violins, viola, and cello [sound recording] ; Three sketches : in B flat major, in D flat major, in A flat major ; Sonata brevis ; Andante replicato : in E flat minor / Y. Ivanov.") (33D-022177(a) (matrix)--33D-022178(a) ; "In the 1st work: V. Bergs, V. Stabulnieks, Y. Madrevich, M. Grinbergs. In the 2nd: I. Ivanov, piano. In the 3rd-4th: D. Vilipa, piano.")

Latvian,
When I try to download Ivanovs Symphony No. 7 I get an error message. I don't know whether I am the only one who is having this problem. If not, could you repair it? I would love to hear this symphony.
Black

no, same here..

QuoteWhen I try to download Ivanovs Symphony No. 7 I get an error message.

OK, I will re-upload #7. #9 is uploading as I write this, so it should be available shortly as well.

Yes, I will be uploading all three string quartets and other chamber music, much piano music (including the Sonata), some vocal music, and most of his other orchestral works, in the near future. There seems to be quite a demand for Ivanovs' music, so I'm happy to satisfy it.

Holger, thanks for the clarification on the LNSO/LRSO situation. That may well be the situation currently, or in the post-Soviet era. However, from the 1950s to the late 1980s, many recordings were made using both orchestra names. If they were indeed the same orchestra back then, I wonder if my original hypothesis was correct, that they used whichever name suited the situation.

The title "Latvian National Symphony Orchestra" has been in use since 1990 or so. Prior to that, I always saw it referred to as "Latvian State Symphony Orchestra," or "Latvian SSR State Symphony Orchestra," denoting Latvia's political status. Interesting that Latvian Radio broadcasts from recent years of Soviet-era recordings of the orchestra now retrospectively also refer to it as "Latvian National Symphony Orchestra," as if to deny Latvia's status of "statehood" within the USSR. Understandable, as many of us (including the US government) never formally recognized the incorporation of the Baltic States into the USSR.

Anyway, I expect to see some of my Latvian colleagues next weekend, and I will try to remember to ask about this, from folks with firsthand knowledge.

QuoteOK, I will re-upload #7. #9 is uploading as I write this, so it should be available shortly as well.

This new Mediafire is a real pain so far! #9 seems to be OK now, but I'm still having trouble re-uploading #7. I checked all the MP3s and my zip file, and everything seems to be OK on that end, nothing corrupted, so the problem seems to be with Mediafire at the moment.

One hour later... #7 still won't upload properly. I'll try again this evening, have to go to a concert now.

Still no luck with #7. I'll start from scratch tomorrow. I'm determined not to let Mediafire get the best of me!

I believe (dare I say it?) that all the Ivanovs downloads are working properly now! Please let me know if there are still any problems.

  Latvian, I would like to express my biggest appreciate for your huge effort  :)

 
  By the way, I downloaded all of your uploads from mediafire without problem.
  So I uploaded same files on my mediafire account.
  I post my mediafire link on Download board.
  If other members have problem to download, please try to my upload link.

  And I will try to upload these for my Rapidshare account tomorrow.

 
  Many thanks again from Japan ,   Atsushi

Thank you, Atsushi! I hope you enjoy the music.

Ivanovs chamber music has been added to his folder in the Latvian Music file.

Latvian,

thanks a lot for all the Ivanovs chamber music, I have just downloaded both compilations. When reading about a Minuet in E Minor I immediately thought of Ivanovs' Symphony No. 20 (of course, because its third movement is also a Minuet in just the same key) and as giving the quartet piece a listen I realized the symphony's movement is actually based on the much earlier string quartet minuet! This corresponds with the fact Ivanovs said his 20th symphony is a work of reminiscences, a piece which looks back.

I am sure you know the Cameo CD with Ivanovs' Symphony No. 10 also presents a piece which is said to be the Andante for Cello Ensemble, but actually this is a misattribution and the piece on the CD is something entirely different. Up to now, I haven't managed to find out which piece it actually is. Do you know anything about it?

Just a few more words on the Yablonsky recordings of some Ivanovs symphonies. While I don't have the one with Symphonies Nos. 2&3, I have the Naxos disc with Nos. 8&20.

First, this disc is amazing for several reasons. For example, it gives E flat Major as the main key of the 20th which isn't true: if you want to name a main key for this symphony it's certainly B Minor. Also, the liner notes claim the symphony juxtaposes "mournful, lyrical visions of the past and powerful, life-asserting Beethoven-like utterances which finally prevail". Honestly, it's hard for me to follow the last claim when I listen to the deeply tragical, dark closing bars of the 20th!

Anyway, as for Yablonsky's performances, they did a good job in arousing my interest in Ivanovs some years ago, but now as I know alternate Latvian recordings of both pieces (Tons, Sinaisky) I must admit these are clearly better. The whole tragedy, the bitter struggle in Ivanovs' music is really much more present in these recordings. Only listen to all the tension in Tons' recordings of the Eighth!

Thank you, Holger, for your excellent assessment! I think you summarized very clearly the reasons I prefer Tons, Sinaisky, and Vigners in the Ivanovs symphonies. Interesting that while Yablonsky and Sinaisky are both ethnic Russians, Sinaisky lived and worked in Latvia for many years (and knew Ivanovs personally), so Sinaisky's understanding or empathy for Ivanovs' style is much greater.

QuoteWhen reading about a Minuet in E Minor I immediately thought of Ivanovs' Symphony No. 20 (of course, because its third movement is also a Minuet in just the same key) and as giving the quartet piece a listen I realized the symphony's movement is actually based on the much earlier string quartet minuet! This corresponds with the fact Ivanovs said his 20th symphony is a work of reminiscences, a piece which looks back.

You're correct! I didn't say anything about it, wondering if anyone would notice, so you win the prize!

QuoteI am sure you know the Cameo CD with Ivanovs' Symphony No. 10 also presents a piece which is said to be the Andante for Cello Ensemble, but actually this is a misattribution and the piece on the CD is something entirely different. Up to now, I haven't managed to find out which piece it actually is. Do you know anything about it?

I have the Cameo disc, and have listened to the 10th Symphony, but have never gotten around to listening to the Andante, which I'm familiar with and just assumed it was a performance I already knew. Now you've got me curious! I'll try to listen tonight and see if I can identify it.

More Ivanovs uploads in progress -- the concerti and various orchestral works apart from his symphonies.

Three more folders uploaded to my Ivanovs folder: choral works, songs, and music for wind orchestra, in addition to the orchestral music mentioned in the previous post.

I'm sure that many forum members have never had the opportunity to hear much of Ivanovs' music apart from the symphonies, concerti, and other instrumental music, if even all of that, so I hope the more intimate items (songs, choral works, etc.) will add to your enjoyment and understanding of this amazing composer, and perhaps hold some musical surprises.

Ivanovs is one of my favorire composers...period..I find most of his music fascinating.
What is remarkable to me is that his music still shines thru, even if the audio is dated..
I feel very fortunate to have heard all (I think) of the orchestral music in my lifetime.

Thaks, JollyRoger! I appreciate knowing when my contributions fall on receptive ears! I hope Ivanovs' music continues to find an audience.

Having been a way for a few days, I didn't immediately pick up on the welcome avalanche of further Ivanovs uploads and it came as an lovely surprise to notice them just now. Thanks so much Latvian. What a feast!

It's fascinating to see so much Ivanovs all at once.  Latvian - do you think you could advise someone who has never heard any Ivanovs where to start? As discussed on another string, the chronological approach is often the wrong one, and listening to a more challenging piece first can put one off a composer altogether!  So which of his works are considered his masterpieces, that might make a good starting point?  (See the string on Miaskovsky, this method worked really well for me and now I love Miaskovsky, whereas in the past I had always written him off.)

Quotedo you think you could advise someone who has never heard any Ivanovs where to start?

Wow! I envy you, having Ivanovs' entire output to discover! While I'm certainly glad to have known his music for much of my lifetime, I remember the thrill of discovering new works of his, and eagerly awaiting the latest symphony from Melodiya during the last few years of Ivanovs' life, and being disappointed when I knew no more were to come.

Personally, I would start with Symphony #6. This is a lovely, extremely lyrical work, with colorful harmonies and orchestration, and the high point of what I consider Ivanovs' second major stylistic phase. It is also the only symphonic work where he overtly quotes Latvian folk song melodies (in the 2nd movement). There is also a strong similarity between one of the melodies in the last movement and Dmitri Tiomkin's film score to "Friendly Persuasion," though Ivanovs' 6th was written several years earlier and it's highly unlikely that Tiomkin ever heard the work.

After #6, try #4, but be prepared for much more drama. This work is the culmination of his first, overtly impressionistic period, with gorgeous, lush harmonies. Some of the drama does tend to get overdone, but other aspects of the work more than make up for it. This has been one of my "desert island" symphonies for many, many years! His symphonic poem "Rainbow" is also very impressionistic, and somewhat of a precursor to the 4th Symphony. By the way, it's subtitled "Atlantida" (Atlantis) because it was written in the period immediately after Latvia lost its independence in 1941, and "Atlantis" depicts the demise of Latvia, allegorically portrayed by the demise of Atlantis. This was an effective way to get the work past censors at the time.

#1 is quite lovely, and unusual for Ivanovs in that it's a single movement. I have to admit I have very little fondness for #2 and #3 -- there just isn't much memorable about them for me, compared to the other symphonies.

#5 is also a fine work, though it presages the expressionism more prevalent in Ivanovs' later works. Symphonies #7 to 9 are gradually moving toward a more expressionistic style, and #10 to 12 utilize tone rows in their structure. Don't let that scare you, though -- the music is still quite lyrical and approachable, but the textures are denser and there's more chromaticism. #13 has some fine music, but the spoke text is rather intrusive, and is an embarrasing paean to Lenin.

Symphony #14 is for strings alone, and the unrelenting string texture can get difficult to take if you're not tuned in to Ivanovs' style. From #15 to #20, there is a gradual movement toward darker, more pessimistic music, often unrelentingly so. While there are periodic moments of repose, they're more in the sense of resignation rather than peace. These symphonies were written in some of the darkest times of the Soviet state, as hopelessness and stagnation were the norm at the end of the Brezhnev era. Ivanovs did not live to see glasnost. His student Juris Karlsons finished #21 after Ivanovs' death, very capably and in tune with Ivanovs' style. These last few symphonies refine all the features and elements that make his works unique, and are a distillation of the more characteristic elements of his style, with more succinctness and sparer gestures.

I urge you to sample his chamber and vocal music, too, as a complement to the symphonies, which certainly are the backbone of Ivanovs' output. I especially like the 2nd & 3rd String Quartets.

So, while I can't really suggest a sequence of how you should approach the 21 symphonies, I hope I've given you a starting point, and enough description of the rest to give you an idea of how you want to proceed according to your own tastes. Nothing wrong with skipping around, or even sampling a movement here and there.

Perhaps others can add their own experiences and preferences as well.

Quote from: Latvian on Tuesday 22 November 2011, 23:03

Quotedo you think you could advise someone who has never heard any Ivanovs where to start?

Wow! I envy you, having Ivanovs' entire output to discover! ..............

That's very helpful for people like me who aren't too familiar with Ivanovs... many thanks for taking the trouble, Latvian.
:) :)

  Thanks for good advise and your great effort Latvian!
  I listened violin concerto yesterday. I surprised for this beautiful and enjoyable concerto!
  Why this fine work is not establish position as popular concert program today?
  Especially I like beautiful slow movement and cheerful 3rd movement. ( 3rd movement is taken from Latvian traditional tune? I guess.... ::))

  Anyway, this work is my wonderful discovery. Thanks again ;)
 

I agree, Atsushi, the Violin Concerto is lovely.

I should also have mentioned the concerti in my post:

The Violin Concerto and the Cello Concerto are excellent works to begin getting to know Ivanovs. Both are highly lyrical and very beautiful. I especially like the slow movement of the Cello Concerto and recommend it highly.

The Piano Concerto is a later work, and a more angular and percussive work for the most part, with spikier harmonies, often reminiscent of the Khachaturian Piano Concerto (I mean that as a compliment!).

Many thanks for this Latvian, and now I look forward to getting to know this composer's music.

Quotewhat do you think about Longīns Apkalns? I know several of his works, among them two of his symphonies, but I have to admit that I am not convinced of them. What makes him interesting is that he wrote a book on Latvian music (in German) whose statements about composers like Jānis Ivanovs and Ādolfs Skulte are rather doubtful in my view (he speaks about their symphonic output in a rather derogatory way). On the other hand, he uses to emphasize the backwardness of Soviet Latvian composers in contrast to his own output - which is really astonishing because none of the pieces I know by him is about what I would call modern! It all seems rather strange in my view.

Holger, so sorry to take so long responding to your much earlier post! I was thinking about Apkalns yesterday and remembered that you had posted this, so I thought I'd add what I know:

Longins Apkalns was a Latvian emigre, along with Bruno Skulte, Helmers Pavasars, Janis Medins, and so many others. There isn't very much reliable published biographical material about him, or even anecdotal information, as he was on the periphery of emigre Latvian musical culture. A number of other prominent Latvian emigre musicians knew him well and respected him, but the wider Latvian public never warmed to (nor he to them, as far as I can tell) because his music wasn't in the Latvian stylistic mainstream and he had a reputation as being somewhat abrasive.

Yes, his symphonies are fairly conventional, and I have to admit that while I've had broadcast recordings for many years, I've only ever listened to them once as I didn't find them very interesting.

On the other hand, his Latvian Burial Songs (for chorus and orchestra) epitomizes his style and musical views, and is, IMHO, a masterpiece. This is a truly inspired, original reinvention of archaic folk tradition with a modern twist. I'll upload a recording of this work when I get a chance.

In his arrangements of Latvian folk music, whether in this large-scale work or in smaller, more intimate a cappella choral settings, he strove to recreate, or re-imagine, an archaic, primitive sound world based on ancient Latvian musical folk tradition. This usually involved the use of dissonant intervals and harmonies, harsh sounds, hypnotically repetitive ostinati, etc. Most average amateur Latvian singers were usually mystified by his choral writing, and often very put off by it, at least initially. While there were periodic attempts to program his choral music at emigre Latvian festivals, they never went over well and his music never caught on.

Likewise, his music was not performed in Soviet Latvia because of his emigre status. As far as I know, the two Symphonies were recorded either in the waning days of the Soviet Union, when glasnost was allowing the formerly forbidden to reappear, or in the early days of newly independent Latvia. Subsequently, his music has not caught on in Latvia in the past twenty years, either.

No, he didn't appear to have much fondness for Janis Ivanovs' music. I'm not sure why, other than their stylistic differences musically. I do have Apkalns' book, but my German isn't good enough to read it easily, and it's never been translated into either English or Latvian. I'll have to consult some other sources for further information.

A footnote: Before Apkalns died in 1999, he instructed his daughter not to tell anyone when it happened. Subsequently, it was only months later when someone who knew her happened to run into her into her one day, that she mentioned it in passing, and the rest of us found out eventually.

Latvian,

thanks for your extensive reply. It's very interesting to know all the background information.

I also noticed it's hard to get any biographical information on him or something like a roughly comprehensive work list. The information given at the Latvian MIC is pretty limited in comparison to other Latvian composers, at least. And even though he obviously lived in Germany a large part of his life a Google Search (using the German version) does not lead to anything really important, in most cases he is just mentioned as teacher or it's his book. In fact, I had never heard his name before sticking into Latvian music, though I read he seems to have lived (or taught?) in Hövelhof which is actually not that far away from my own home.

Actually I have four works by him: his Symphonies Nos. 2&3, his "Burial Songs" and his "Midsummernight Songs". I must admit I cannot remember the two vocal cycles at all at the moment, I should definitely listen to them again especially since you recommended one of them. I think I listened to the two symphonies about one year ago but as I said they didn't make much of an impression to me.

His book is really a weird thing as I said. I don't think it's a good source if somebody really intends to try to come nearer to Latvian music of the Soviet period because it's too biased.

The story about his death is somewhat odd of course. Thanks for telling it!

By the way, as speaking about obscure Latvian composers: do you know anything about Alfrēds Tīss? I have a recording of his Symphony No. 2 but the only facts I know about the composer are the years of his birth and death!

Some additional Ivanovs symphony performances have been uploaded to my Ivanovs folder.

By the way, as speaking about obscure Latvian composers: do you know anything about Alfrēds Tīss? I have a recording of his Symphony No. 2 but the only facts I know about the composer are the years of his birth and death! (//http://By%20the%20way,%20as%20speaking%20about%20obscure%20Latvian%20composers:%20do%20you%20know%20anything%20about%20Alfr%C4%93ds%20T%C4%ABss?%20I%20have%20a%20recording%20of%20his%20Symphony%20No.%202%20but%20the%20only%20facts%20I%20know%20about%20the%20composer%20are%20the%20years%20of%20his%20birth%20and%20death!)

Unfortunately, that's about all I know, also, and have heard of his music. A rather obscure figure.

Well, I am enjoying my journey into Ivanovs music, so thank you to Latvian for all those uploads!   As our resident expert on Latvian music, I would like to ask you about another Latvian composer: Alfreds Kalnins (or that should be Alfrēds Kalniņš).

According to wikipedia (sorry...) he "is primarily remembered for his national opera Baņuta (1920)...Of his six cantatas the best known is Jūra ('The Sea')"

So, I went on to amazon and ordered The Sea Cantata (together with a piece called "Potter's Field") at a price of ten pounds which is OK.  Then I clicked on Banuta:  it costs 78 pounds...there's no way that is going to happen, not for something that I am only speculatively interested in.  Moreover, it lists the tracks for this 4-act opera 2-CD set as "Track 1, Track 2, Track 3, Track 4" - ie it has been crudely recorded from an LP and the various tracks not separated.   (have a look!  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Banuta-Kalnin/dp/B00000DHW3/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1323343322&sr=1-1 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Banuta-Kalnin/dp/B00000DHW3/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1323343322&sr=1-1) ) 

So I wanted to ask you - do you know of any cheaper sources for this and other Latvian music?  Maybe there is a Latvian equivalent of Amazon?

QuoteSo, I went on to amazon and ordered The Sea Cantata (together with a piece called "Potter's Field") at a price of ten pounds which is OK.  Then I clicked on Banuta:  it costs 78 pounds...there's no way that is going to happen, not for something that I am only speculatively interested in.  Moreover, it lists the tracks for this 4-act opera 2-CD set as "Track 1, Track 2, Track 3, Track 4" - ie it has been crudely recorded from an LP and the various tracks not separated.   (have a look!  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Banuta-Kalnin/dp/B00000DHW3/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1323343322&sr=1-1 ) 

So I wanted to ask you - do you know of any cheaper sources for this and other Latvian music?  Maybe there is a Latvian equivalent of Amazon?

A very good source for some Latvian music is Balticshop.com. They don't stock everything, but quite a bit is there.

The Banuta recording is available there for US$30 at http://www.balticshop.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?item=2221&cat=0505&title=Latvian_Opera_and_Vocal (http://www.balticshop.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?item=2221&cat=0505&title=Latvian_Opera_and_Vocal). This recording is a CD transfer of the Melodiya LP set from the 1970s and is the only commercial version that has ever been available.

The Sea is there for $20 at

Quotehttp://www.balticshop.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?item=21010&cat=0505&title=Latvian_Opera_and_Vocal

. Unfortunately, it seems that Amazon (USA) and most other places don't stock it anymore. The other work on the disc, by the way, is by Alfreds' son Janis.

I will be uploading a substantial collection of Alfreds Kalnins' music to the Latvian folder at some point in the near future, after I finish the Ivanovs project and a few other things promised to other forum members. If you can hold out until then, you'll be able to hear quite a bit of his music. I hope to be able to upload a representative selection of many other Latvian composers' works in the future as well.

Your interest in Latvian music is gratifying!

Thanks Latvian!  Well, you played a large part in that, so you can take the credit. 

Is Banuta one of the pieces you will upload?  If so, I will wait until then! 

The CD with The Sea Cantata I found on British Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Potters-Field-Cantata-Sea/dp/B000A2GS0E/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1323363438&sr=1-4) and have put it on my Christmas wishlist!

More Skulte too, please, if you have any ;D

The final uploads to my Ivanovs file in the Latvian music uploads folder are taking place as I type this. Hopefully, by the end of the afternoon they will all be there, ready and available.

I hope the wide range of music, covering all aspects of his output (with reasonable completeness regarding his major works) gives a good overview to everyone who enjoys his music, or has been curious about it.

The Ivanovs archive is a tremendously valuable resource and we're all hugely grateful for your effort, Latvian. Thanks very much.

Whilst delighted to receive more Adolfs Skulte from Latvian is the Symphony No.1 not the same recording which Atsushi posted on July 18th ???

QuoteWhilst delighted to receive more Adolfs Skulte from Latvian is the Symphony No.1 not the same recording which Atsushi posted on July 18th

The search feature on the website failed me! I couldn't remember which symphonies had been posted already, and when I searched "Skulte," the results indicated #s 4, 5, & 7 (of which #7 was in the Soviet folder, not the Latvian folder). So, I assumed those were the only three that had been uploaded so far, not wanting to take the time to search post by post. Please remind me if any others have already been uploaded, otherwise I expect to still be doing #s 3, 6, 8, and 9.

Quote from: Latvian on Monday 12 December 2011, 18:50

QuoteWhilst delighted to receive more Adolfs Skulte from Latvian is the Symphony No.1 not the same recording which Atsushi posted on July 18th

The search feature on the website failed me! I couldn't remember which symphonies had been posted already, and when I searched "Skulte," the results indicated #s 4, 5, & 7 (of which #7 was in the Soviet folder, not the Latvian folder). So, I assumed those were the only three that had been uploaded so far, not wanting to take the time to search post by post. Please remind me if any others have already been uploaded, otherwise I expect to still be doing #s 3, 6, 8, and 9.

Nos. 3, 6, 8 and 9 are the missing ones, yes :) :)

Ādolfs Skulte (1909-2000): Symphony No. 3 "Cosmic" (1962) - a Xmas present for Rodney Trotter perhaps?  ;)

QuoteĀdolfs Skulte (1909-2000): Symphony No. 3 "Cosmic" (1962) - a Xmas present for Rodney Trotter perhaps?

Alan, you've stumped me -- I have no idea who Rodney Trotter is!  ???

Many thanks for two more Skulte symphonies, Latvian :)

"Rodney Trotter" was a character in a long-running British TV comedy series called "Only Fools and Horses"-a young, very naive South Londoner-although at this early part of the day(for me!) I cannot quite work out the significance of Alan's allusion ???

Quote"Rodney Trotter" was a character in a long-running British TV comedy series called "Only Fools and Horses"-a young, very naive South Londoner-although at this early part of the day(for me!) I cannot quite work out the significance of Alan's allusion

Ahh! Thanks, Colin.

My contributions to the Ādolfs Skulte project are at an end -- I have no more to offer at this time. I would be delighted if anyone has any additional uploadable gems lurking on their shelves to contribute!

Now, on to other names. Coming in the near future:
Jāzeps Vītols
Alfrēds Kalniņš
the Mediņš brothers
Ādolfs' brother Bruno Skulte

...among many others.

Quote from: Dundonnell on Wednesday 14 December 2011, 14:14
Many thanks for two more Skulte symphonies, Latvian :)

"Rodney Trotter" was a character in a long-running British TV comedy series called "Only Fools and Horses"-a young, very naive South Londoner-although at this early part of the day(for me!) I cannot quite work out the significance of Alan's allusion ???

Make that four more Skulte symphonies ;D ;D

I'm sure it has cosmic significance, in any case.
(Ooh, Vitols. BTW Does anyone have any of Kenins' symphonies not offered- that is, at least in recordings not offered- on CMC CDs? :) Apologies, that belongs in the requests forum, true.)

Thanks Latvian for the Skulte Symphonies. I downloaded no.3 and appears to be missing the 2nd movement. There are skulte-a-sym3-1, 3-3 and 3-4 for movements.

QuoteThanks Latvian for the Skulte Symphonies. I downloaded no.3 and appears to be missing the 2nd movement. There are skulte-a-sym3-1, 3-3 and 3-4 for movements.

The file skulte-a-sym3-1 contains both the first and second movements, played without a break.

QuoteDoes anyone have any of Kenins' symphonies not offered- that is, at least in recordings not offered- on CMC CDs?

I have #8 from a Latvian Radio broadcast -- much better than the distant, dim CMC recording -- as well as some other things. A future upload!

Thank you for clearing that up on the Skulte.

I've uploaded three zipped files of Jāzeps Vītols' orchestral works. Some additional information about the music and recordings:

Symphony No. 1 is identified as such only because his Second Symphony was written but never orchestrated, and to the best of my knowledge has never been performed, either in its original state or in any orchestration ever undertaken by others. I assume the manuscript is somewhere in Riga, but since it has never seen the light of day in performance, I can only conclude that it was deemed not worth resurrecting or there are severe problems with the manuscript (or perhaps it's lost). If there were any hope of making it a viable concert piece I'm sure someone would have done it in the past century, given the level of esteem and popular interest in Vitols' music.

The word Līgo is not easily translatable into English. It refers specifically to the festivities surrounding the celebration of St. John's Eve among Latvians (which actually have more to do with the celebration of the Summer Solstice, and ancient traditions, rites, and myths associated with pagan traditions). In general, the word is often used to characterize a festive celebration.

The recording of the Dramatic Overture is from a concert in Symphony Hall in Boston during a Latvian Song Festival held there in 1978. Yes, I was there! The orchestra is called Boston Festival Orchestra, but the musicians (hired through the local union) are actually all members of a famous group that regularly plays in that venue, but must not be named for legal reasons.

Beverīnas dziedonis, Dziesma, and Ziemeļblāzma are three magnificent examples of Vītols' choral-orchestral writing.

For anyone unfamiliar with the series, Latvian Music was a record label that was founded in Sweden in the early 1950s, and issued 50+ LP releases (mostly on 10-inch discs, and the very earliest ones also on 78 RPM, and about twenty 45 RPM discs), until the late 1970s. Their earlier recordings were all original productions, with major emigre Latvian performers of the day, such as Teodors Reiters. Later releases were primarily a mix of pirated Soviet Latvian broadcasts and archival recordings from 1930s independent Latvia, including a number of releases of lighter music.

Fantasy on Latvian Folksongs features the same violinist as the Marco Polo recording, but with a different orchestra and conductor.

The Wedding Music from Vitols' incidental music to Karālis Brusubārdis un Princese Gundega is a tremendous rarity. Issued as one side of a 78 RPM release from a series of Latvian recordings licensed to HMV in the 1930s, it has never been reissued in any subsequent format. What you have here is a dub recorded directly from the original disc, by a friend with excellent audio equipment. Enjoy this little treat!

The remaining works, Dārgakmeņi and Latvian Rural Serenade, are later works by Vītols, with a bit less lush Romanticism but still in his characteristic style.

Your efforts on behalf of Latvian music should win you some kind of award ;D

Does the Latvian Ministry of Culture or its equivalent hand out medals......or money ;D ;D

The only Vitols I know are the five works on the old Marco Polo disc.

I haven't heard the Vitols works on the Marco Polo disc, but I have heard his string quartet (@IMSLP).
Of the two recordings of Skulte's symphony no.1 now uploaded, one has 3 movements, one has four, of which the three seem to match up with three movements of the four- I assume that was one of the things being cleared up... will check into it later though, need to dash unfortunately :) Thanks much!!

Thanks so much for the Vitols-Fest, Latvian. An award is definitely what you deserve!

QuoteThanks so much for the Vitols-Fest, Latvian. An award is definitely what you deserve!

You're very welcome, Colin and Mark! No award necessary -- just spreading the "gospel."

Quotejust spreading the "gospel."

Perhaps we should henceforth refer to him as Father Latvian...... ::) ::) ::)

Jerry

Latvian, thanks for the Vītols recordings. As said before you are doing a magnificent job promoting Latvian composers here. Your annotations are very helpful as well.

As for the symphonies, I just consulted the Latvian MIC because I somehow had in mind there was something with the score of No. 1 as well. Indeed, they state "Original score lost; renewed based upon the piano reduction by Ādolfs Skulte, 1943" - quite remarkable because at that time Vītols was still alive. It seems only a piano reduction has survived, while the orchestration of the piece was done by Skulte.

In case of No. 2 (composed in 1901), the Latvian MIC just notes "Lost".

Thank you Latvian for the Vitols!

One question: are there recordings (or scores) available of the following?

Symphony in c minor (1899) (ah, is this the 'lost' symphony)?
Rhapsody on Lithuanian folksongs, Op. 39
Valse grotesque (1895)
Jāzeps un viņa brāļi, musique de scène (1920)

I know about the album with Tom Thumb, Autumn Song, and the Dramatic Overture, but that's the only one I know of for his music.

Thanks so much for all the Vitols Latvian!  Am really enjoying it.   One question: do the folksongs have names, or is it just Song 1, Song 2, etc?

Quote from: Balapoel on Thursday 15 December 2011, 21:38
Thank you Latvian for the Vitols!

Yes, thank you, Latvian - what a wonderful collection of works!   :) :)

Listening to the Symphony as I type.  Thanks so much for this collection.....

Jerry

QuoteOne question: are there recordings (or scores) available of the following?

Symphony in c minor (1899) (ah, is this the 'lost' symphony)?
Rhapsody on Lithuanian folksongs, Op. 39
Valse grotesque (1895)
Jāzeps un viņa brāļi, musique de scène (1920)

Recordings -- none that I'm aware of. Scores -- probably, at least of the last three works.

QuoteOne question: do the folksongs have names, or is it just Song 1, Song 2, etc?

Yes, they do have names. I don't have the recording or the info handy at the moment but will try to update the file with the details in a few days. The names are in Latvian, so all I can offer for English-speaking listeners are some approximate translations (lots of meaning lost due to idiom).

The Vitols symphony is a thoroughly enjoyable work in the Russian style - surprisingly dissonant at times, but with some gorgeous tunes. Well worth reviving, I would have thought...

Having spent the entire afternoon downloading Latvian Music from this site I am in a state of some shock (and exhaustion) ;D

I had already downloaded the Ivanovs and Skulte symphonies but there was just SO much more of both composers and of composers completely new to me like Medins and Kalnins and Abele.

There are now so many new files in my Music Downloads Folder that it will probably take me all evening to sort them out and catalogue them.

I shall repeat...to Latvian, Sicmu, fr8nks and other members who have uploaded this music the cause of Latvian Music owes you all the most immense debt of gratitude :) :) You are bringing music to the attention of people who would, probably, in the normal course of events never have heard most of this music.
Wherever they may be the spirits of these Latvian composers must be delighted ;D ;D

Quote from: Dundonnell on Friday 30 December 2011, 18:17
Having spent the entire afternoon downloading Latvian Music from this site I am in a state of some shock (and exhaustion) ;D

I had already downloaded the Ivanovs and Skulte symphonies but there was just SO much more of both composers and of composers completely new to me like Medins and Kalnins and Abele.

There are now so many new files in my Music Downloads Folder that it will probably take me all evening to sort them out and catalogue them.

I shall repeat...to Latvian, Sicmu, fr8nks and other members who have uploaded this music the cause of Latvian Music owes you all the most immense debt of gratitude :) :) You are bringing music to the attention of people who would, probably, in the normal course of events never have heard most of this music.
Wherever they may be the spirits of these Latvian composers must be delighted ;D ;D

Wow, Dundonnell, I've read your post three times and it makes my heart feel good. I live in the United States and the first trip I ever made outside of this country was to Latvia to shake hands with some of these composers because I was under the spell of their music. I have music by other Latvian composers which I will upload soon. It is comments like yours that make it all worthwhile.

May I just add my heartfelt thanks for the Vitols works?  This composer was completely unknown to me, and what I've heard of his music so far is wonderful - the Gems really are that!  It's amazing that such tuneful, beautifully orchestrated music isn't a part of the repertoire. 

QuoteMay I just add my heartfelt thanks for the Vitols works?  This composer was completely unknown to me, and what I've heard of his music so far is wonderful - the Gems really are that!  It's amazing that such tuneful, beautifully orchestrated music isn't a part of the repertoire.

I'm glad you enjoyed them! I might add that his a cappella choral music is incredibly beautiful. I've sung and/or conducted many of the pieces, and they're magnificent. I'll upload some in the future (after I get through the many other pending items).

QuoteI shall repeat...to Latvian, Sicmu, fr8nks and other members who have uploaded this music the cause of Latvian Music owes you all the most immense debt of gratitude :) :) You are bringing music to the attention of people who would, probably, in the normal course of events never have heard most of this music.
Wherever they may be the spirits of these Latvian composers must be delighted ;D ;D

Thank you, Colin! It appears my mission is bearing fruit!

Just a plea that the Dambis Sea songs and Shakespeare Music be not forgotten, among the flood of incredibly welcome revelations....

QuoteJust a plea that the Dambis Sea songs and Shakespeare Music be not forgotten, among the flood of incredibly welcome revelations....

Thank you for the reminder! It occurred to me recently that someone had requested them, but I couldn't remember who.

Finally got around to downloading those Ivanovs concertos.  So far my favorite is the E minor Violin Concerto.  This is another work that sounds like it ought to be a standard in the repertory.

Latvian:
What musical  treasures Latvia holds.. Thanks so much for the Ivanovs and now the Skulte,(who is completely new to me.) I am presently going thru his 9 symphonies.
Sorry to be an annoyance..perhaps I missed ths elsewhere in this forum, or erred in the download - But the Skulte 3rd text indicates 4 movements, but there were only 3 Mp3 files. Can I assume that movements 3 and 4 are contiguous? Posting track times might have been useful if that is the case.

This is the breakdown of the mvts in the recording I got from the Latvian radio, hope this helps :

Adolfs Skulte,

Symphony No.3 "Ave Sol" Cis Moll "Cosmic"(1963)

1.Mvt 1 Gravemente                   13:24
 
  Mvt 2 Vivo.Con Fuoco                       

2.Mvt 3 largo                              08:26

3.Mvt 4 Presto                            06:55


                                                  28:45


Symphony Orchestra of Leningrad's Philharmony,
Arvids Jansons,
Recorded in 1963 at the Big Hall of Leningrad's Philharmony ( Mono)

Quote from: Sicmu on Friday 06 January 2012, 00:26
This is the breakdown of the mvts in the recording I got from the Latvian radio, hope this helps :

Adolfs Skulte,

Symphony No.3 "Ave Sol" Cis Moll "Cosmic"(1963)

1.Mvt 1 Gravemente                   13:24
 
  Mvt 2 Vivo.Con Fuoco                       

2.Mvt 3 largo                              08:26

3.Mvt 4 Presto                            06:55


                                                  28:45


Symphony Orchestra of Leningrad's Philharmony,
Arvids Jansons,
Recorded in 1963 at the Big Hall of Leningrad's Philharmony ( Mono)

yes, thanks so very much Sicmu. My clips are 13, 8 and 6 minutes respectively and that corresponds to this information.
Hence, the first clip has 2 movements.

Quote from: JollyRoger on Friday 06 January 2012, 04:32

Quote from: Sicmu on Friday 06 January 2012, 00:26
This is the breakdown of the mvts in the recording I got from the Latvian radio, hope this helps :

Adolfs Skulte,

Symphony No.3 "Ave Sol" Cis Moll "Cosmic"(1963)

1.Mvt 1 Gravemente                   13:24
 
  Mvt 2 Vivo.Con Fuoco                       

2.Mvt 3 largo                              08:26

3.Mvt 4 Presto                            06:55


                                                  28:45


Symphony Orchestra of Leningrad's Philharmony,
Arvids Jansons,
Recorded in 1963 at the Big Hall of Leningrad's Philharmony ( Mono)

yes, thanks so very much Sicmu. My clips are 13, 8 and 6 minutes respectively and that corresponds to this information.
Hence, the first clip has 2 movements.

I also have an issue with the 7th symphony by Skulte.
The symphony downloads into 2 parts but the 2nd part contains Parts or movements? 2 and 3.
The music is not contiguous and I have parsed this into 2 pieces of based on a break in the audio, I hope into movements:
Mvt 2 - 11:32 and Mvt 3 -  is 12:47
Can you help?

Here's what i have :

Adolfs Skulte,

Symphony No.7 "Preserve Nature"  ( 1981)

1.Mvt 1 Grave-Agitato              11:30
2.Mvt 2 Largo                           11:47                     
3.Mvt 3 Allegro furioso             12:59
                                                36:16

Latvian National Symphony Orchestra,
Chamber Choir "Ave Sol"
Vassily Sinaisky,

Quote from: Sicmu on Saturday 07 January 2012, 15:28
Here's what i have :

Adolfs Skulte,

Symphony No.7 "Preserve Nature"  ( 1981)

1.Mvt 1 Grave-Agitato              11:30
2.Mvt 2 Largo                           11:47                     
3.Mvt 3 Allegro furioso             12:59
                                                36:16

Latvian National Symphony Orchestra,
Chamber Choir "Ave Sol"
Vassily Sinaisky,

Thanks a bunch, Sicmu..now I can parse it into movements..

Hooray! Haven't heard this for twenty + years; wonder if I'll find it as magical as before? Many thanks!

This refers to Dambis' Shakespeare music. To avoid my having to add explanatory notes and move replies without download links of their own to the Downloads Discussion board, please post them here in the first place - Mark

I'd like to call attention to the beauties of Jazeps Medins' 2nd Symphony for anyone who might have overlooked it here among the Latvian symphony uploads.  A so attractively gentle, refined, bucolic, and inspired piece in my judgement.  The finale is much more demonstrative and incisive than the rest, - needed balance perhaps, but somewhat intrusive on the felicities that precede it which I don't wish interrupted.  Nonetheless, another of my nice discoveries.  Thanks to Tony for providing. 

(This refers to Dambis' Shakespeare music. To avoid my having to add explanatory notes and move replies without download links of their own to the Downloads Discussion board, please post them here in the first place - Mark)

Apologies - I was in a rush to leave for work, and only realised as I pressed "send" that I was on the wrong page! However, the good news is that the music IS as limpid evocative and haunting as I recall, and I recommend it to all Forum members!

To those of you who have raved about Imants Kalniņš' music recently, I refer you to a review I wrote a number of years ago of a recording of Kalniņš' score Pūt, vējiņi!:

http://latviansonline.com/reviews/article/1862/ (http://latviansonline.com/reviews/article/1862/)

Obviously, I can't upload this recording since it's a commercially available CD, but I'll provide the excerpts from the earlier Melodiya disc shortly. Dazzling stuff!

I think that it is to Kalnins' credit that he is obviously willing to take the risk in writing music which does, at times, as you say "teeter on the edge" of banality in order to make as wide an appeal as possible whilst at the same time expressing his deeply felt emotion. This can be a disastrous strategy ending up satisfying nobody by producing a banal mish-mash of stylistic influences. Kalnins carries it off....for me at least ;D

Quote from: Greg K on Sunday 29 January 2012, 22:42
I'd like to call attention to the beauties of Jazeps Medins' 2nd Symphony for anyone who might have overlooked it here among the Latvian symphony uploads.  A so attractively gentle, refined, bucolic, and inspired piece in my judgement.  The finale is much more demonstrative and incisive than the rest, - needed balance perhaps, but somewhat intrusive on the felicities that precede it which I don't wish interrupted.  Nonetheless, another of my nice discoveries.  Thanks to Tony for providing.

I'll second that, Greg.  This symphony appears to be in A Major.  And I'm pretty sure that the "Andante sostenuto" in the finale is just an introduction and the main body of the movement is titled with a much faster tempo.

QuoteI think that it is to Kalnins' credit that he is obviously willing to take the risk in writing music which does, at times, as you say "teeter on the edge" of banality in order to make as wide an appeal as possible whilst at the same time expressing his deeply felt emotion. This can be a disastrous strategy ending up satisfying nobody by producing a banal mish-mash of stylistic influences. Kalnins carries it off....for me at least

For me, as well! It's certainly a difficult trick to pull off, and the relative success can often be determined by the ear of the beholder. Thinking back historically, I'd say Mahler was certainly a worthy antecedent, with the folk tunes and "lighter" melodies, harmonic turns, etc., that he often introduced (Not that Kalnins really evokes Mahler's world at all). In the same vein, the Krejci 2nd Symphony I recently uploaded has some rather trite and vulgar material, elevated to a much higher status by the composer's compositional artistry, resulting in a work of great pathos.

Quote from: JimL on Tuesday 31 January 2012, 01:17

Quote from: Greg K on Sunday 29 January 2012, 22:42
I'd like to call attention to the beauties of Jazeps Medins' 2nd Symphony for anyone who might have overlooked it here among the Latvian symphony uploads.  A so attractively gentle, refined, bucolic, and inspired piece in my judgement.  The finale is much more demonstrative and incisive than the rest, - needed balance perhaps, but somewhat intrusive on the felicities that precede it which I don't wish interrupted.  Nonetheless, another of my nice discoveries.  Thanks to Tony for providing.

I'll second that, Greg.  This symphony appears to be in A Major.  And I'm pretty sure that the "Andante sostenuto" in the finale is just an introduction and the main body of the movement is titled with a much faster tempo.

Does Medins' 3rd fall as flat for you as it does for me by comparison?  Just none of the lilt and flow,
the thematic buoyancy and seamlessness of its predecessor.  I find it tedious and aimless and unmemorable even though pretty much in the same mold.  OK - not that bad.  But very disappointing after that lovable 2nd.

I know some here have proposed a rule to never "go negative" about anything in the Downloads lest the feelings of its provider be hurt and generosity seem impugned.

But I can't be alone in often deriving a certain pleasure and satisfaction from discovering I don't respond favorably to something (the moreso when unalloyed by having spent good money on it :)).
The exposure itself has its own kind of meaning, and in that respect I am grateful for even the music I dislike here.

Bedises that, had SICMU (or someone else) not posted Medins' 3rd Symphony, I would have forever been tormented by what I might be missing given how pleasing I find the 2nd.  Now able to set it aside as something of a "miss" brings a kind of rest in that regard I appreciate.

Just a bit of manifesto.

Haven't gotten to that one yet.  Will let you know.

QuoteDoes Medins' 3rd fall as flat for you as it does for me by comparison?  Just none of the lilt and flow,
the thematic buoyancy and seamlessness of its predecessor.  I find it tedious and aimless and unmemorable even though pretty much in the same mold.  OK - not that bad.  But very disappointing after that lovable 2nd.

Well, this certainly confirms that beauty is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder!  ;) My reaction is rather the opposite of Greg's. While I don't dislike Medins' 2nd, and find much in it quite lovely, I don't hold it in anywhere near the esteem I do the 3rd. For me, the 3rd is far more memorable and satisfying than the 2nd. I find the first movement in particular just utterly gorgeous and utterly "Latvian." Maybe it evokes a more culturally-induced response in me, due to my Latvian background? I don't know, but I love the work!

Don't feel badly, Greg -- I'm sure there are plenty of works we each love and the other dislikes!

I like what I've heard of the 3rd so far.  Can we get the movement titles?

Quote from: Latvian on Wednesday 01 February 2012, 01:15

QuoteDoes Medins' 3rd fall as flat for you as it does for me by comparison?  Just none of the lilt and flow,
the thematic buoyancy and seamlessness of its predecessor.  I find it tedious and aimless and unmemorable even though pretty much in the same mold.  OK - not that bad.  But very disappointing after that lovable 2nd.

Well, this certainly confirms that beauty is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder!  ;) My reaction is rather the opposite of Greg's. While I don't dislike Medins' 2nd, and find much in it quite lovely, I don't hold it in anywhere near the esteem I do the 3rd. For me, the 3rd is far more memorable and satisfying than the 2nd. I find the first movement in particular just utterly gorgeous and utterly "Latvian." Maybe it evokes a more culturally-induced response in me, due to my Latvian background? I don't know, but I love the work!

I'll be darned!  Coming from Mr. Latvian himself here this does leave me slightly embarassed (and self-questioning, - not a bad state to be in).  I have played through No.3 over and over again wanting so very much the magic of No.2 to be repeated, - but it has not happened.

i await the comparative evals of a few more non-Latvians to measure how valid your culturalist argument on my behalf might truly be :).

Quote from: Latvian on Wednesday 01 February 2012, 01:15

Don't feel badly, Greg -- I'm sure there are plenty of works we each love and the other dislikes!

GIven my recollection of our long ago history together on the "old forum" this might be the one and only :).

Thank you for this discussion of the symphonies of Jazeps Medins......not because his two symphonies are really entirely my sort of music(they are certainly pleasant and attractive but I rather prefer Ivanovs, Skulte and Kalnins ;D)....but because in looking up Medins I suddenly realised that the earlier downloads of four orchestral pieces were by his younger brother Janis Medins.

Jazeps was born in 1877 and Janis in 1890 and I had, inadvertently, conflated the two :-[

Jazeps Medins 3rd:
I Allegro moderato (13:46)
II Moderato (6:28)
III Lento sotenuto (7:44)
IV Allegro moderato ma resoluto (7:04)

Malito

Thanks! ;D  I only heard the beginning of the 3rd, but it sounded like an altogether more extroverted work than the somewhat more subdued 2nd.  I'll run it through the splitter tomorrow.  I'm starting to burn CDs with little concert programs (Overture, Concerto, Symphony) on them.  That way I can feed spoonfuls of unsungs to the masses through my car windows at signals and stop signs!

I'm sure that they'll thank you for sharing!

QuoteThat way I can feed spoonfuls of unsungs to the masses through my car windows at signals and stop signs!

Bravo! The masses are sorely in need of an antidote to rap!

Quotelooking up Medins I suddenly realised that the earlier downloads of four orchestral pieces were by his younger brother Janis Medins. Jazeps was born in 1877 and Janis in 1890 and I had, inadvertently, conflated the two :-[

Actually, there is also a third Medins brother, Jekabs, who lived from 1885 to 1971, who was also a respected composer.

Hmmm, three brothers, named John, Jacob, and Joseph... Perhaps the inspiration for all the "J" names on the series "19 Kids and Counting"?

Regarding Jazeps Medins' 2nd and 3rd Symphonies, here are a few comments from Latvian musicologist Ludvigs Karklins' book Symphonic Works in Latvian Music (Liesma, Riga, 1973) [in my translation from the original Latvian]:

Symphony No. 2 in A major "In Springtime" (1937). The composer states: Spring, awakened from winter's bleakness by a by bright sunbeam, spreads over hills and valleys, forests and fields, singing its songs of happiness (movt. I), peace and beauty (movt. II), and light and victory (movt. IV). Apparently the work was also played subsequently at a Soviet composers' congress in Moscow, and Aram Khachaturian wrote very highly of it.

Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major (1941). The composer states: With this work I mark fifty years of music-making. Karklins writes that the composer may have intended it to be autobiographical, though it had no specific program as did the 2nd Symphony. He describes the first movement as lyrically restrained and the fourth movement as one of militant alarm. Overall, Karklins rates the work highly (though no more so than the 2nd).

For me, the "restrained lyricism" of the first movement of the 3rd is one of its more attractive qualities, giving the work an air of bittersweet melancholy, somewhat in the vein of the first movement of Franz Schmidt's 3rd Symphony. Both works have a movingly autumnal feel. It may also be worth noting that from what I've gathered from other sources, Jazeps Medins battled with debilitating depression in the 1920s and 1930s, affecting his ability to work, so the 2nd Symphony may have been part of his recovery, somewhat in the same way the the 2nd Piano Concerto helped Rachmaninoff get over the devastating results of his 1st Symphony.

Quote from: Dundonnell on Wednesday 01 February 2012, 02:22
Thank you for this discussion of the symphonies of Jazeps Medins......not because his two symphonies are really entirely my sort of music(they are certainly pleasant and attractive but I rather prefer Ivanovs, Skulte and Kalnins ;D)....but because in looking up Medins I suddenly realised that the earlier downloads of four orchestral pieces were by his younger brother Janis Medins.

Jazeps was born in 1877 and Janis in 1890 and I had, inadvertently, conflated the two :-[

Thank you - I assumed Janis was 'the one', but in fact it's a 'holy' trinity !

I just listened to the 2nd and 3rd Symphonies of Jaszips Medins over the last couple of days.  Frankly, I love 'em both.  That "Andante sostenuto" indication of the finale of the 2nd pretty definitely refers to just the opening of the movement, which is an introduction.  The main body of the movement is definitely an Allegro.  Anybody have access to a score?

Atsushi - thank you for the aptly named Romantic symphony of Barisons - 1939 but oddly and splendidly fin-de-siecle in style - it should certainly satisfy the "foolish old, romantics" among us!
After the excruciating experience of listening to Messiaen's Sept Hakai (the second time in 25 years, and just as painful!) it comes as sweet balm to my ears!! ;D
A real delight.  :) :)

Let me add my thanks for the upload of Barisons' 2nd Symphony too - I had downloaded it but have only just got round to listening to it. It's a wonderfully old-fashioned piece for 1939, but I can honestly say that I haven't enjoyed such a lovely wallow for ages. Splendid, stirring stuff!

Alan's post stings me into admitting that I not only downloaded Barison's hugely enjoyable Symphony a couple of weeks ago, I have played it several times since, enjoying it more each time. So the very least I could have done was thank you for it Atsushi; which I do now, if only very late.

  You are welcome, Mark ;)
  I also many thanks malito for sent me this fine symphony!

Janis Kalnins: Piano Concerto(1987)
(http://www.musiccentre.ca/media/resources/photogallery/IoMM_Kalnins_Headshot.jpg)
Artūrs Ozoliņš(?) - soloist
Latvian Youth Orchestra
Edgars Kariks Conductor
Performance from 1990


From the collection of Karl Miller-- Additional details about recording courtesy of ttle and Fr8nks.


Caveats:
Born in Estonia,  Active in Latvia, but then moved to Canada.  I'm filing him as Latvian for now.

I've hopefully gotten the correct picture-- at least I am pretty sure he's not the currently active Latvian Hockey player of the same name making a save as shown below:

(http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Stepan+Novotny+IIHF+World+Junior+Championship+wywWV6Q9HN6l.jpg)




From Musiccentre.ca site:

Janis Kalnins was born in Estonia in 1904, and was recognized as a piano prodigy from a very young age. After studying composition and conducting at the Latvian State Conservatory and privately in Berlin and Salzburg, he toured Europe as an orchestral and opera conductor. In the 1920s and 1930s, he worked as music director at both the Latvian National Theatre and the Latvian National Opera, a post formerly held by Richard Wagner and Bruno Walter. Kalnins came to Canada in 1948, and took a position as a church organist and choirmaster at St. Paul's United Church in Fredericton, New Brunswick, a post he held for over forty years. Kalnins was inducted into both the Vasa Order by the King of Sweden and the Three Star Order by the State of Latvia, and received a New Brunswick Award for Excellence in the Arts in 1984, among others. Kalnins died in Fredericton in 2000.

Quote from: jowcol on Monday 28 May 2012, 20:30
Janis Kalnins: Piano Concerto
(http://www.musiccentre.ca/media/resources/photogallery/IoMM_Kalnins_Headshot.jpg)
(Ozdina?- Soloist)
Latvian Youth Orchestra
(Karika?) Conductor

The conductor must be Edgars Kariks. As for the pianist, my guess would be Artūrs Ozoliņš, who is not only a major pianist in Canada but has performed many works by Latvian composers.

The above information is correct. The Piano Concerto was composed in 1987 and performed in 1990.

Oh My Goodness Gracious :) :)

I have finally got round to listening to Imants Kalnins Symphony No.6. (I had previously been locked-in to listening to his superbly uplifting 5th).

The choral finale contains just some of the most utterly, spellbindingly beautiful music I know :)

Marits (Latvian) has written (for Musicweb) that he found this movement "devastating" and that when it finished he sat silently "overwhelmed". I can only echo these sentiments. I cannot remember being so moved for a long time by music.

Anyone who adheres to the preposterous notion that a living composer cannot create music of ineffable beauty should just spend 18 minutes listening to this :)

Oh dear. I just realized that I actually had the recording of the J. Kalnins concerto, but did not find the time to listen to it in ages. So, here are the references in Latvian:

Jānis Kalniņš (1904-2000)
Koncerts klavierēm ar orķestri (1984) 18:22
Arturs Ozoliņš (klavieres)
Pasaules latviešu jaunatnes simfoniskais orķestris / Edgars Kariks

It was broadcast by Latvian Radio LR3 in December 2008.

Many thanks to britishcomposer for adding three lovely recent works by Peteris Vasks. :)

The Kenins sonata has also been recorded by David Hetherington and William Aide in 1997 and released on a CMC Centrediscs CD ; from my copy I see that the movements are
*Allegro con moto ma non troppo
*Scherzo presto assai
*Andante molto sostenuto
*Allegro molto e con brio

(Ah, sorry (sleepy, 5 a.m. here... ) - I see Elroel listed those in his post- differing slightly in the finale. Haven't seen the score so not sure the why of that part.)

Thanks to A.S. for the beautiful Peteris Barisons Symphony no. 2.
It does more than justice to its name (Romantic).
Could we have more Barisons, please!

  gpdlt2010, You are welcome.  I will upload his Cantata soon ;)

Atsushi,

Thank you so much for the beautiful Barisons "The Island of Death" ;D

I just returned from a very pleasant trip to Latvia, and while in Riga I stumbled upon a music shop called Patafons (on 26 Valnu Street, should you be there!) and they had a large section of classical music, including a huge series of the Song cycles that are a hallmark of Latvian music.  More interesting to me, I found a recording of Kalnins's opera Banuta - for the price of 9 pounds, as opposed to the 92 pounds being asked for on Amazon!

Also a CD called Highlights of Latvian Classics, with orchestral music by composers from the 19th and early 20 centuries, including Jurjanu Andrejs (1856-1922), Emils Darzins (1875-1910), Janis Medins (1890-1966), Alfreds Kalnins (1879-1951), Janis Medins (1890-1966), Janis Ivanovs (1906-1983), Jekabs Medins (1885-1971), Imants Kalnins (1941-), Peteris Vasks (1946-) and Romualds Kalsons (1936-).    The CD looks like this - http://www.upe.lv/english/classic03.asp (http://www.upe.lv/english/classic03.asp)
(UPE is another classical music shop in Riga, on Richard Vagner Street.) .