Latvian composer
Pēteris Vasks
Vasks in 2007
Background information Born (1946-04-16 ) 16 April 1946 (age 79) Origin Aizpute , LatviaGenres Classical music Occupation(s) composer, double bassist Years active 1970s–
Musical artist
Pēteris Vasks (born 16 April 1946) is a Latvian composer.[ 1]
Vasks was born inAizpute , Latvia, into the family of aBaptist pastor. He trained as a violinist at theJāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music , as adouble-bass player with Vitautas Sereikaan at theLithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre , and played in several Latvian orchestras before entering the State Conservatory inVilnius in the neighboringLithuania to study composition withValentin Utkin , as he was prevented from doing this in Latvia due toSoviet repressive policy toward Baptists . He started to become known outside Latvia in the 1990s, whenGidon Kremer started championing his works, and he now is one of the most influential and praised European contemporary composers.
Vasks' early style owed much to thealeatoric experiments ofWitold Lutosławski ,Krzysztof Penderecki andGeorge Crumb . Later works included elements of Latvian folk music, such as his gentle and pastoralcor anglais concerto (1989). His works are generally extremely clear and communicative, with a solid and muscular sense of harmony. Lyrical passages may be followed by agitated dissonances, or interrupted by sombre sections with a march-like feel. He made extensive use ofminimalist techniques as well, but never became attached to any particular method.
Vasks feels strongly about environmental issues, and a sense of nature both pristine and destroyed can be found in many of his works, such as theString Quartet No. 2 (1984). Other important works includeCantabile (1979) andMusica dolorosa (1984) and "Bass Trip" (2003) for solo double bass. He has written six string quartets, the fourth (1999[ 2] [ 3] Kronos Quartet .
Vasks was the recipient of the ViennaHerder Prize of theAlfred Toepfer Foundation in 1996, as well as theBaltic Assembly Prize for Literature, the Arts and Science , and the Latvian Grand Music Award in 1997, the latter for his first violin concertoTālā gaismā ("Distant Light") (1996–97). He received theCannes Classical Awards in 2004. His important works also include "Viatore", Symphony No. 2 and "Music for a deceased Friend".
Since 1994 he has been an honorary member of theLatvian Academy of Sciences and in 2001 he became a member of theRoyal Swedish Academy of Music . In 1996 he was the main composer at theStockholm New Music Festival and in 2006 composer-in-residence at thePresteigne Festival of Music and the Arts and theVale of Glamorgan Festival in Wales.
In 2005 he received the Estonian honour theOrder of the White Star , 3rd Class.[ 4]
The following is a list of works by Vasks.[ 5]
Symphony No. 1:Balsis ('Voices') (1991), for string orchestra[ 6] [ 7] Symphony No. 2 (1998) Symphony No. 3 (2005) Other orchestral works [ edit ] Cantabile per archi (1979), for string orchestraVēstījums ('The Message') (1982), for orchestra with percussion and two pianosMusica dolorosa (1983), for string orchestraLauda (1986), for orchestraMusica adventus (1996), for string orchestraAdagio (1996), for string orchestraViatore (2001), for string orchestra(also for organ (2001)) Musica appassionata (2002), for string orchestraSymphonic elegySala ('Island') (2006), for orchestra Credo (2009), for orchestraEpifānija ('Epiphany') (2010), for string orchestraMusica serena (2015), for string orchestraOrchestra with instrumental soloists [ edit ] Violin Concerto No. 1Tālā gaismā ('Distant Light') (1997), for violin and strings Violin Concerto No. 2Vakara gaismā ('Evening Light') (2020), for violin and strings Viola Concerto (2015), for viola and strings Cello Concerto No. 1 (1994) Cello Concerto No. 2Klātbūtne ('Presence') (2012), for cello and strings Flute Concerto (2008) Oboe Concerto (2018) Concerto for cor anglais and orchestra (1989) MeditationVientuļais eņģelis ('Lonely Angel') (1999), for violin and strings FantasiaVox Amoris (2009), for violin and strings Vasaras dejas ('Summer dances') (2017), for two violinsCastillo Interior (2013), for violin and cello; (2023), for solo pianoMazā vasaras mūzika ('Little Summer Music') (1985), for violin and piano; (2012), for viola and pianoPartita (1974), for cello and piano Three compositions (1973), for clarinet and piano Musique du soir /Vakara mūzika ('Evening Music') (1988/1989), for horn and organMusic for two pianos (1974) In Memoriam (1977), for two pianosToccata (1977), for two pianos Concerto for timpani and percussion (1979) Trīs skatieni/Trīsvienība ('Three glances'/'Trinity') (1979), for violin, cello, and pianoEpisodi e canto perpetuo (1985), for violin, cello, and pianoPianotrioPlainscapes (2011), for violin, cello, and piano Piano Quartet (2001), for piano, viola, cello, and piano String Quartet No. 1 (1977) String Quartet No. 2Vasaras dziedājumi ('Summer tunes') (1984) String Quartet No. 3Ziemassvētku kvartets ('Christmas Quartet') (1995) String Quartet No. 4 (2000) String Quartet No. 5 (2004) String Quartet No. 6 (2020) Mūzika aizlidojošajiem putniem ('Music for flying birds') (1977), for wind quintetMūzika aizgājušam draugam ('Music for a late friend') (1982), for wind quintetChamber Music (1975), for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and percussion Pavasara sonāte ('Spring Sonata') (1987), for string sextetCanto di forza (2005), for twelve cellos(also for organ (2006)) Cycle (1976), for piano Moments musicaux (1977), for clarinetGrāmata čellam ('A book for cello') (1978), for celloEine kleine Nachtmusik ('A Little Night Music') (1978), for pianoAinava ar putniem ('Landscape with birds') (1980), for fluteCantata (1980), for harpsichord Baltā ainava ('White landscape') (1980), for pianoRudens mūzika ('Autumn Music') (1981), for pianoPieskārieni ('Touches') (1982), for oboeCantus ad pacem (Concerto per organo) (1984), for organSonata (1986), for double bass Musica sera per organo (1988), for organSonataVientulība ('Loneliness') (1990), for guitar Te Deum (1991), for organSonata (1992), for flute Izdegušās zemes ainavas ('Landscapes of the burnt-out earth') (1992), fantasy for pianoPavasara mūzika (Quasi una sonata) ('Spring Music' (Quasi una sonata)') (1995), for pianoViatore (2001), for organ(also for string orchestra (2001)) Bass Trip (2003), for double bass Canto di forza (2006), for organ(also for twelve cellos (2005)) Zaļā ainava ('Green landscape') (2008), for pianoVasaras vakara mūzika ('Music for a summer evening') (2009), for pianoLatviešu deja ('Latvian Dance') (2012), for pianoHymnus (2018), for organDzeguzes balss. Pavasara elēģija ('Cuckoo's Voice. Spring Elegy') (2021), for pianoSonata Estiva (2022), for violinUnaccompanied choir:
Golgātas krusts ('Cross of Golgotha') (1967)Ugunssargs ('The Firefighter') (1975)Liepa ('The Lime-Tree') (1975/2012)Māte saule ('Mother Sun') (1975)Small concert for voices, conductor, and composer (1976) Ar laiku puķes vīst ('Flowers wither in time') (1976)Mūsu māšu vārdi ('Our mothers' names') (1977/2006)Ne tikai lirika ('Not just poetry') (1977)Baltais fragments ('White fragment') (1978)Vasara ('Summer') (1978)Concerto vocale (1978) Klusās dziesmas ('Silent Songs') (1979)Skumjā māte ('Sad Mother') (1980)Ganu dziesma ('Shepherd's Song') (1981)Zīles ziņa ('Message of a Chickadee') (1981)Ķekatu dziesma ('Carnival Song') (1981)Mazi silti svētki ('A Moment of Celebration') (1988)Mūsu dziesma ('Our Song') (1988)Zemgale (1989)Varonis ('Hero') (1989)Savā tautā ('By His People') (1990)Pater Noster (1991)(also for choir and string orchestra (2000)) Litene (1993)Three poems (1995), for four soloists Balsis klusumā ('Voices in silence') (1997), for six solo voices and female choirMass (2000)(also for choir and organ or string orchestra (2001/2005)) Piedzimšana ('Birth') (2008)Mīlas dziesmas ('Love Songs') (2013)Klusuma auglis ('The Fruit of Silence') (2013)(also for choir and string orchestra (2014)) Mūsu kalni ('Our Mountains') (2017)Tēvu zeme ('Fatherland') (2018)Cosa devo fare? ('What should I do?') (2018)Accompanied choir:
Lūgšana mātei ('Prayer for a mother') (1978), for soprano, choir, and orchestraKantāte sievietēm ('Cantata for Women') (1978), for soprano, choir, and orchestraThree folk song settings (1984), for voices, flute, cello, and piano Chamber cantataLatvija (1987), for soprano, flute, bells, and piano Pater Noster (2000), for choir and string orchestra(also for unaccompanied choir (1991)) Dona Nobis Pacem (1996), for choir and organ or string orchestraMass (2001/2005), for choir and organ or string orchestra(also for unaccompanied choir (2000)) Līdzenuma ainavas ('Plainscapes') (2002), for choir, violin, and celloKlusuma auglis ('The Fruit of Silence') (2014), for choir and string orchestra(also for unaccompanied choir (2013)) Lūgšana Latvijai ('Prayer for Latvia') (2014), for choir and wind orchestraDa Pacem, Domine (2016), for choir and string orchestraLaudate Dominum (2016), for choir and orchestraVeni Domine (2018), for choir and organ
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