Sequenza21/The Contemporary Classical Music Weekly

The Road to Riga

I am convinced that all Norwegian children are born wearing tiny skis which�-while inconvenient for expectant mothers�-assures little Margret and Ole Christopher a lifetime of good clean fun shooshing up and down the hills and fjords. Okay, I�m joking. But in Finland, all children really are given music lessons as part of their normal education and serious music occupies a huge share of the nation�s consciousness. As a result, there isn�t a country its size in the world that can match Finland as the homeland of so many successful composers, conductors and professional musicians. The resourceful Finns have over many years leveraged their Sibelian roots into a substantial industry.

Finland�s success in promoting itself as an eden for music lovers and performers has not been lost on its neighbors so I was only mildly surprised to receive in yesterday�s mail, nicely packaged in a plain brown wrapper, a letter from Ilona Brege, general manager of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, and a new CD called Latvija Simfoniska Muzika � XXI Gadsimts which, I�m taking a wild guess here, means Latvian Symphony Music - 21st Century.

Among other things, Ms. Brege writes that

�Today we have the possibility to offer the performances of the Latvian National Symphony to the audience worldwide, as well as to get experience of the best world models now the orchestra have begun to build up the image and identification with the production of recordings.�

She helpfully points out that most of the musicians in the symphony were trained at the same school in Riga that gave us Gidon Kremer, Mariss Jansons and Mischa Maisky.

A visit to the Latvija Simfoniska web site reveals the news that the main event of the year for classical music in Latvia is scheduled for tomorrow night (Friday) at the Great Guild-- a concert called "Peteris Vasks and his compeers," programmed by the reigning heavyweight champ of Latvian music Peteris Vasks and featuring Peteris Butans' Variations on a Theme of Peteris Vasks, "Hallooing" for soloists and orchestra by Peteris Plakidis, and Symphony No. 2 by Vasks, himself.

In explaining how he chose the program, Vasks uncorks some of that world-famous Latvian humor we hear so much about:

"First of all, my wish was that the concert programme contained music of those Latvian composers who, just like me, have once studied double-bass, then an idea flashed across my mind to gather in one concert my colleagues with the same first name � Peteris. But, if speaking seriously, this time I have chosen compositions of those Latvian contemporary composers whose music I appreciate really very high. Peteris Butans' music fascinates me for its sparkling humour, while Peteris Plakidis' "Hallooing" for soloists and orchestra is, in my opinion, a brilliant composition having been preformed undeservedly rarely, and I am very happy that we shall have the opportunity to listen to that wonderful music at the concert on April 8th."

The CD, by the way, is terrific; a witty tango by Arturs Maskats, a Vasks piece called �Viatore� that demonstrates his command of juicy strings, well-crafted pieces by Aivars Kalejs and Andreis Riekstins. Amazon doesn�t seem to have heard of it yet but you can maybe, or maybe not, order a copy here.

posted by Jerry Bowles 4/07/2005