Ķeniņš: Symphonies Nos. 2, 3 & 7 Latvian National Symphony Orchestra & Andris Poga

• Tālivaldis Ķeniņš (1919 - 2008): Symphony No. 2 "Sinfonia concertante":
• 1 Ķeniņš: Symphony No. 2 "Sinfonia concertante": I. Lento 03:34
• 2 Ķeniņš: Symphony No. 2 "Sinfonia concertante": II. Molto moderato 12:10
• 3 Ķeniņš: Symphony No. 2 "Sinfonia concertante": III. Molto animato e marcato 04:02
• Symphony No. 3:
• 4 Ķeniņš: Symphony No. 3: I. Allegro moderato 04:59
• 5 Ķeniņš: Symphony No. 3: II. Lento inquieto 08:34
• 6 Ķeniņš: Symphony No. 3: III. Molto animato e brioso 05:55
• Symphony No. 7:
• 7 Ķeniņš: Symphony No. 7: I. Intrada 03:22
• 8 Ķeniņš: Symphony No. 7: II. Passacaglia 08:03
• 9 Ķeniņš: Symphony No. 7: III. Allegro molto 03:46
• 10 Ķeniņš: Symphony No. 7: IV. Aria 13:46
• Total Runtime 01:08:11

Info for Ķeniņš: Symphonies Nos. 2, 3 & 7

Final volume in the first-ever complete recorded cycle of symphonies by Tālivaldis Ķeniņš (1919–2008), one of the most prominent post-WW2 composers in Latvia and Canada. This album includes three of the composer’s eight numbered symphonies performed by the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra under Andris Poga.

Although born in Latvia, Ķeniņš lived most of his life as an exile. He was educated in Paris, where he studied under Tony Aubin and Olivier Messiaen, and won several awards. Ķeniņš emigrated to Canada in 1951 and became a respected pedagogue and a very influential figure in Canada’s music life. Alongside his eight symphonies, the composer also wrote 12 concertos. However, he also included many concertante elements in his symphonies and the Symphony No. 2, “Sinfonia concertante” (1967), scored for three wind instruments and symphony orchestra, is very close to a triple concerto. The symphony’s extensive second movement is based on a lullaby of the Mi’kmaq First Nations people. Symphony No. 3 (1970) was completed few years after its predecessor and is a step forward in the composer’s journey as a symphonist. Here we encounter the idea of a lyrical hero, which, in the ears of the listener, could be personified. Although many consider Kenins’ 8th Symphony to be his symphonic climax, the 7th Symphony (1980) is by no means a lesser work: it could be even considered as one of the composer’s most personal and intimate creations. The symphony ends with an aria based on a text by the composer’s father and the atmosphere of the work seems to stem from the composer’s emotional trauma on the occupation of his native Latvia by the Soviet troops.

Zanda Švede, soprano
Egils Upatnieks, oboe
Martins Circenis, clarinet
Tommaso Pratola, flute
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra
Andris Poga, conductor

No biography found.

Booklet for Ķeniņš: Symphonies Nos. 2, 3 & 7