Latvian composer
Pēteris Vasks
Vasks in 2007
Born (1946-04-16 ) 16 April 1946 (age 78) Origin
Aizpute , Latvia Genres Classical music Occupation(s) composer, double bassist Years active 1970s–
Musical artist
Pēteris Vasks (born 16 April 1946) is a Latvian composer.
[1]
Biography
Vasks was born in
Aizpute , Latvia, into the family of a
Baptist pastor. He trained as a violinist at the
Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music , as a
double-bass player with Vitautas Sereikaan at the
Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre , and played in several Latvian orchestras before entering the State Conservatory in
Vilnius in the neighboring
Lithuania to study composition with
Valentin Utkin , as he was prevented from doing this in Latvia due to
Soviet repressive policy toward Baptists . He started to become known outside Latvia in the 1990s, when
Gidon Kremer started championing his works and now is one of the most influential and praised European contemporary composers.
Vasks' early style owed much to the
aleatoric experiments of
Witold Lutosławski ,
Krzysztof Penderecki and
George Crumb . Later works included elements of Latvian folk music, such as his gentle and pastoral
cor 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 of
minimalist 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 the String Quartet No. 2 (1984). Other important works include Cantabile (1979) and Musica dolorosa (1984) and "Bass Trip" (2003) for solo double bass. He has written six string quartets, the fourth (1999
[2] ) and fifth (2004
[3] ) of which were written for the
Kronos Quartet .
Vasks was the recipient of the Vienna
Herder Prize of the
Alfred Toepfer Foundation in 1996, as well as the
Baltic Assembly Prize for Literature, the Arts and Science , and the Latvian Grand Music Award in 1997, the latter for his violin concerto Tālā Gaisma ("Distant Light") (1996–97). He received the
Cannes 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 the
Latvian Academy of Sciences and in 2001 he became a member of the
Royal Swedish Academy of Music . In 1996 he was the main composer at the
Stockholm New Music Festival and in 2006 composer-in-residence at the
Presteigne Festival of Music and the Arts and the
Vale of Glamorgan Festival in Wales.
In 2005 he received the Estonian honour the
Order of the White Star , 3rd Class.
[4]
Works
The following is a list of works by Vasks.
[5]
Symphonies
Symphony No. 1: Balsis ('Voices') (1991), for string orchestra
[6]
[7]
Symphony No. 2 (1998)
Symphony No. 3 (2005)
Other orchestral works
Cantabile per archi (1979), for string orchestra
Vēstījums ('The Message') (1982), for orchestra with percussion and two pianos
Musica dolorosa (1983), for string orchestra
Lauda (1986), for orchestra
Musica adventus (1996), for string orchestra
Adagio (1996), for string orchestra
Viatore (2001), for string orchestra (also for organ (2001))
Musica appassionata (2002), for string orchestra
Symphonic elegy Sala ('Island') (2006), for orchestra
Credo (2009), for orchestra
Epifānija ('Epiphany') (2010), for string orchestra
Musica serena (2015), for string orchestra
Orchestra with instrumental soloists
Violin Concerto Tālā gaisma ('Distant Light') (1997), for violin and strings
Viola Concerto (2015), for viola and strings
Cello Concerto No. 1 (1994)
Cello Concerto No. 2 Klātbūtne ('Presence') (2012), for cello and strings
Flute Concerto (2008)
Oboe Concerto (2018)
Concerto for cor anglais and orchestra (1989)
Meditation Vientuļais eņģelis ('Lonely Angel') (1999), for violin and strings
Fantasia Vox Amoris (2009), for violin and strings
Chamber music
Vasaras dejas ('Summer dances') (2017), for two violins
Castillo Interor (2013), for violin and cello
Mazā vasaras mūzika ('Little Summer Music') (1985), for violin and piano; (2012), for viola and piano
Partita (1974), for cello and piano
Three compositions (1973), for clarinet and piano
Musique du soir /Vakara mūzika ('Evening Music') (1988/1989), for horn and organ
Music for two pianos (1974)
In Memoriam (1977), for two pianos
Toccata (1977), for two pianos
Concerto for timpani and percussion (1979)
Trīs skatieni/Trīsvienība ('Three glances'/'Trinity') (1979), for violin, cello, and piano
Episodi e canto perpetuo (1985), for violin, cello, and piano
Pianotrio Plainscapes (2011), for violin, cello, and piano
Piano Quartet (2001), for piano, viola, cello, and piano
String Quartet No. 1 (1977)
String Quartet No. 2 Vasaras dziedājumi ('Summer tunes') (1984)
String Quartet No. 3 Ziemassvētku 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 quintet
Mūzika aizgājušam draugam ('Music for a late friend') (1982), for wind quintet
Chamber Music (1975), for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and percussion
Pavasara sonāte ('Spring Sonata') (1987), for string sextet
Canto di forza (2005), for twelve cellos (also for organ (2006))
Solo instrumental
Cycle (1976), for piano
Moments musicaux (1977), for clarinet
Grāmata čellam ('A book for cello') (1978), for cello
Eine kleine Nachtmusik ('A Little Night Music') (1978), for piano
Ainava ar putniem ('Landscape with birds') (1980), for flute
Cantata (1980), for harpsichord
Baltā ainava ('White landscape') (1980), for piano
Rudens mūzika ('Autumn Music') (1981), for piano
Pieskārieni ('Touches') (1982), for oboe
Cantus ad pacem (Concerto per organo) (1984), for organ
Sonata (1986), for double bass
Musica sera per organo (1988), for organ
Sonata Vientulība ('Loneliness') (1990), for guitar
Te Deum (1991), for organ
Sonata (1992), for flute
Izdegušās zemes ainavas ('Landscapes of the burnt-out earth') (1992), fantasy for piano
Pavasara mūzika (Quasi una sonata) ('Spring Music' (Quasi una sonata)') (1995), for piano
Viatore (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 piano
Vasaras vakara mūzika ('Music for a summer evening') (2009), for piano
Latviešu deja ('Latvian Dance') (2012), for piano
Hymnus (2018), for organ
Dzeguzes balss. Pavasara elēģija ('Cuckoo's Voice. Spring Elegy') (2021), for piano
Sonata Estiva (2022), for violin
Choral
Unaccompanied 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 choir
Mass (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 orchestra
Kantāte sievietēm ('Cantata for Women') (1978), for soprano, choir, and orchestra
Three folk song settings (1984), for voices, flute, cello, and piano
Chamber cantata Latvija (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 orchestra
Mass (2001/2005), for choir and organ or string orchestra (also for unaccompanied choir (2000))
Līdzenuma ainavas ('Plainscapes') (2002), for choir, violin, and cello
Klusuma 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 orchestra
Da Pacem, Domine (2016), for choir and string orchestra
Laudate Dominum (2016), for choir and orchestra
Veni Domine (2018), for choir and organ
References
External links
1964–1970 1971–1980 1981–1990 1991–2000 2001–2006
International National Academics Artists Other