Latvian music

[Holger]

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!

[Latvian]

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.

[Latvian]

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.

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

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?

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.

[Latvian]

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

[Latvian]

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.

[JollyRoger]

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.

[Latvian]

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

[Mark Thomas]

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!

[Christopher]

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.)

[Latvian]

do 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.

[semloh]

do 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.

[lechner1110]

  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
 

[Latvian]

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!).

[Christopher]

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

[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.

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.