Latvian Sacred Choral Music: Old and New

Vance Wolverton
Crown Center Sheraton Hotel - BENTON

Although not well known outside eastern Europe, Latvia has a long tradition of beautiful sacred choral music. The purpose of this workshop is to present a brief overview of the Latvian sacred choral tradition with special emphasis given to music composed since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Selected pieces by the older, pre-Soviet generation of composers contained in Volume XI (1873-1940) and Volume XII (1940-2000) of the Latvian Choral Anthology will be surveyed and recorded excerpts presented. Composers from this group include Andrejs Jurjāns (1856-1922), Jāzeps Vītols (1863-1948), Emilis Melngailis (1874-1954), Alfrēds Kalniņš (1879-1951), Ādolfs Ābele (1889-1967), and Helmers Pavasars (1903-1998). Expanded emphasis will be given to the generation of post-Soviet Era composers including Pauls Dambis (b. 1936), Maija Einfelde (b. 1939), Imants Ramiņš (b. 1943), Pēteris Vasks (b. 1946), Uģis Prauliņš (b. 1957), Rihards Dubra (b. 1964), and Ēriks Ēšenvalds (b. 1977). Handouts will feature printed excerpts of selected pieces and detailed publication information including sources for obtaining full scores and recordings.

Thursday, July 5
9:00 – 9:45am