CHRISTMAS IN PARIS

In the programme Christmas in Paris, French charm is intertwined with the emotional depth of Latvian sonic arts. In the first half of the evening, a Paris-inspired selection of chamber musicians (with the Sinfonietta Rīga quartet at its core) will present brilliant gems of French music that due to their peculiar instrumentation (string instruments combined not only with woodwinds, but also a harp) have been undeservedly rarely performed. Through the ensemble’s exquisite interpretations, in the Spīķeru concert hall we will hear Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy’s opuses, the humorous Jean Françaix’s quintet for clarinet and string quartet, and François Borne’s Fantasie Brillante on Themes from Bizet's Carmen

The second half of the evening has been dedicated to the saxophone quartet Atomos. A significant aspect of the ensemble’s work is tied to Latvian music, therefore this concert programme has been dedicated to its rich diversity. Alongside arrangements of the classics’ works for a sax quartet, Atomos’ own composed pieces will also be performed, including Madara Pētersone’s genre-bending opus Serendipity and Andris Dzenītis’s new piece Sharp Green, about which the composer says the following: “Sharp green is a joyful and surprise-filled observation of natural processes: with the arrival of a more pleasant weather, a vivacious green colour sprouts from the Earth, and the sprout is soon followed by leaves, branching, sections, bloom, fruit, creating an increasingly rich and full life, and increasingly fantastical creations. In the right weather of life, such greenery, branching and growth is possible also in our own human spiritual and physical lives. The piece’s material has been created as its continuous regeneration, splitting, enriching, and growing more vivid. It’s a joyful dedication to my current hobby.” The saxophone voices will also sing out Emīls Dārziņš romantic song Vēl tu rozes plūc (Still you pick roses), and the master of stylisation Pēteris Plakidis’ musical reference-filled Ēnu dejas (Dances of Shadows). A great fit for the Christmas season will be Alvils Altmanis’s Bērnības atmiņu pieraksti (Childhood memory notes) and Rihards Dubra’s Dziedinošais lietus (Healing rain).

Programme

In the 1st part of the concert:
Claude Debussy, Jean Françaix, François Borne, Maurice Ravel

In the 2nd part of the concert:
Alvils Altmanis, Emīls Dārziņš, Pēteris Plakidis, Rihards Dubra, Andris Dzenītis (premiere), Madara Pētersone

Participants

In the 1st part of the concert:
Agnese KANNIŅA, violin
Kristiāna KRŪSKOPA, violin
Artūrs GAILIS, viola
Kārlis KLOTIŅŠ, cello
Gina GALLACHER, harp
Elizabete GULBE, harp
Anete TOČA, flute
Ints DĀLDERIS, clarinet

In the 2nd part of the concert:
Saxophone Quartet ATOMOS: 
Arvīds KAZLAUSKS, soprano saxophone
Aigars RAUMANIS, alto saxophone 
Roberts MARTINI, tenor saxophone 
Rūdolfs Pēteris RUBENIS, baritone saxophone