Jurjans' Symphonic Allegro

[Latvian]

Christopher -- lucky you, to be in Latvia. I hope the weather was nice! Yes, the Barcarola is lovely, and the main theme is memorable. The other work, Ačkops, is one of four Latvian Dances he wrote at that time. I believe I have a broadcast recording of them and will upload the complete set if so.

isokani -- you're quite right about Vitols' neoclassicism in his later years, but I'm sure you'll agree he never approached it in the same, more modernistic way as, say, Stravinsky, Roussel, or other well-known exponents. I believe it was more a streamlining of his style, becoming a bit more emotionally detached, rather than abandoning his Romantic roots.

[semloh]

A belated thank you for this classic example of romantic orchestral music, Latvian. I had never heard of Jurjans, so it sent me straight to the web to find out about him, and to see if there are any recordings of his music. I didn't find much apart from dates, and the fact that he was a pupil of R-K, which may account for the splendid orchestration. The influence of Beethoven is, indeed, also very strong. I agree entirely with your comments - it is a splendid way to start the new downloads section.

Thanks again.

[Latvian]

Indeed, there is hardly any of his music on CD, and pretty much none outside of Latvia unless I've missed something. However, there were many, many Melodiya LPs of his works in Soviet times -- two with orchestral music, many others with his choral works. I have them, but am prohibited from uploading any of their content to the forum due to the new rules. I'll see what I have in the way of concert broadcasts from Latvian Radio.

[Christopher]

Hi Latvian - what Melodiya LPs with his orchestral works do you have?  I would love to see if I can hunt them down in the vinyl shops here in Moscow..

[DennisS]

I too would like to thank you Latvian for the upload of Jurjans Symphonic Allegro - a very enjoyable listen!If you are able to upload further works from Jurjans in due course, I will most certainly be interested. Thanks again.

[Amphissa]

What great fun! I had never encountered any music by Jurjans. Now I'll have to go hunting for those Melodiya LPs you mentioned, since I still spin a lot of vinyl.

[Latvian]

Here's a rundown on Jurjāns' orchestral music on vinyl. There are two Melodiya LPs devoted entirely to Jurjāns' music:

Melodiya SM 03819/20
   Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 11 "Concerto elegiaco" (Māris Villerušs, cello soloist)
   Funeral March
   Latvian Dances, Op. 3
   Latvian Song Festival March, Op. 1 [Part One only]
      Leonīds Vīgners, Latvian TV & Radio Symphony Orchestra

Melodiya S10 26679 006
   Latvian Song Festival March, Op. 1 [Complete]
   Latvju tautas brīvlaišana [The Emancipation of the Latvian People] (symphonic picture)
   Līgojat, līksmojat [Revel and Rejoice] (cantata) (with vocal soloists & chorus)
   Tēvijai [To the Fatherland] (cantata) (with soprano soloist & chorus)
      Leonīds Vīgners, Latvian State Academic Opera & Ballet Theatre Orchestra

Vīgners' recording of the Latvian Dances is also available in a monaural-only version on Melodiya D 11667/68

Part Two of the Latvian Song Festival March is available on an American vinyl release from 1978: Latvian Heritage Foundation CSRV 2656, with Alfrēds Štrombergs conducting members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a live performance at a Latvian Song Festival.

Only Part One of the March was recorded by Melodiya back in the 1970s because Part Two quotes the national anthem of independent Latvia, hence the Soviet government forbid it to be played. In response, Part Two of the March was performed alone as a supplement to the then-incomplete Melodiya LP. By the time Vīgners recorded the work a second time, the USSR was crumbling and he managed to get the entire work approved for recording.

[Lionel Harrsion]

And an even more belated thank you than semloh's from me too, Latvian.  Yes, Beethoven and Schumann are clearly hinted at and some of the harmonic swerves and dominant preparations remind me of Tchaikovsky but, influences aside, the Symphonic Allegro is a thoroughly well-crafted and enjoyable piece in its own right.  If you have any more of Jurjans' pieces from radio broadcasts, I'd very much like to hear them.