Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa
Time:13 October, 2008
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Music Alive
Wednesday, 4 June
8:00 pm
Influences of Folklore on Classical Music: Latvia
Until the end of the 19th century, folklore in Latvia lived in its most natural environment – the countryside. Although Johann Gottfried Herder wrote down and published Latvian folk songs in the late 18th century it was not until the second half of the 19th century that Latvian composers started looking for inspiration in their folklore.
Included in this concert is one of the traditional work songs Go away, rain clouds sung at the end of the summer in an open field at the top of one’s voice and a modern arrangement by contemporary composer Pauls Dambis of Sea Songs. Sea Songs tell the story of brothers having put out to sea and their lost ones being mourned by the sun running dark with sorrow.
Other works include a traditional Livonian Wedding Dance, The Sun composed in 2001 by Andris Dzenitis, two traditional songs Don’t Call Cuckoo and Come on Fellows don’t Pride Yourself and Concerto for Two Oboes and String Orchestra (1982) composed by Peteris Plakidis.
This programme was recorded in Riga, Latvia. Those performing were the Latvian Radio Chorus, Guntis Kuzma (clarinet), Saucejas Folk Group, Laima Jansone (kokle), Normunds Sne (oboe), Egils Upatnieks (oboe) and the Sinfonietta Riga State Chamber Orchestra directed by Andris Veismanis.