Alfrēds Kalniņš: Organ Music Aigars Reinis

• Alfrēds Kalniņš (1879 - 1951): Fantāzija:
• 1 Kalniņš: Fantāzija 08:10
• Pastorāle nr. 1:
• 2 Kalniņš: Pastorāle nr. 1 04:46
• Introdukcija un allegro:
• 3 Kalniņš: Introdukcija un allegro 07:47
• Introdukcija un allegro:
• 4 Kalniņš: Introdukcija un allegro 04:22
• Scherzo:
• 5 Kalniņš: Scherzo 05:50
• Ziemassvētku šūpuļdziesma:
• 6 Kalniņš: Ziemassvētku šūpuļdziesma 03:06
• Kāzu maršs:
• 7 Kalniņš: Kāzu maršs 04:36
• Procesija:
• 8 Kalniņš: Procesija 05:02
• Variācijas par Jāņa Kalniņa tēmu:
• 9 Kalniņš: Variācijas par Jāņa Kalniņa tēmu 15:48
• Agitato:
• 10 Kalniņš: Agitato 09:16
• Svētvakars:
• 11 Kalniņš: Svētvakars 05:06
• Svinīgs ievads no operas Baņuta:
• 12 Kalniņš: Svinīgs ievads no operas Baņuta 04:07
• Sēru maršs no operas Baņuta:
• 13 Kalniņš: Sēru maršs no operas Baņuta 07:28
• Prelūdija:
• 14 Kalniņš: Prelūdija 04:25
• Pastorāle nr. 2:
• 15 Kalniņš: Pastorāle nr. 2 05:15
• Variācijas par Jāzepa Vītola tēmu:
• 16 Kalniņš: Variācijas par Jāzepa Vītola tēmu 18:23
• Himna manai dzimtajai zemei:
• 17 Kalniņš: Himna manai dzimtajai zemei 03:31
• Total Runtime 01:56:58

Info for Alfrēds Kalniņš: Organ Music

In his 3rd studio album, Aigars Reinis, the music director and organist of the Riga Cathedral, offers complete works for organ by his predecessor in this position - Alfreds Kalnins. The world premiere recording of these works is performed on the famous E. F. Walcker & Co organ, built in 1884 with four manuals and 124 registers, it was the largest pipe organ in Europe at the time of its unveiling. As a nine-year-old boy, when his little legs barely reached the pedalboard, Alfreds Kalnins sat at the organ in the church in his hometown in Latvia and led the congregation in a chorale by Martin Luther. That organ bench eventually became his throne, as Kalnins rose to become the most famous Latvian concert organist of his time. But first, from 1897 to 1901, he benefited from the teachings of organ professor Louis Homilius at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. There, composition took over the young musicians's imagination, and he wrote his first ten solo songs. Over the years, that number rose to two hundred fifty songs. But in Saint Petersburg, Kalnins' only composition for organ was the Fantasia, which he self-critically and with a wry smile always referred to as the only improvisation he wrote down on paper. However, as a celebrated improviser, he performed at the organ thousands of times, extemporising on themes from melodies suggested by listeners as well as folk songs and, during Latvia's war of independence, soldiers' songs. It was also during that same war (1918/19) that he composed his first opera, Banuta, and founded the Latvian National Opera, at the same time composing works in the symphonic, choral, piano and other genres. A richness of northern feeling in conjunction with nature is one of the greatest features of Kalnins' unique Romantic musical character. He also found a place for his delicate, refined lyricism in the traditionally grandiose, broad musical dimension of organ music.

Aigars Reinis, organ

Aigars Reinis
was born in 1975 in the city of Jelgava, Latvia. He started his musical education attending classes of organ, music pedagogy and choir conducting at the Music College in Jelgava, then continued studying organ at the Latvian Music Academy with professor T.Deksnis. In 1997 and 1998 he continued perfecting his organ skills by attending master classes held by Professor L.Lohmann (Germany), H.O.Ericsson and H.Aellsten (Sweden), and at the International Organ Academy in Uppsala.

With good success the young musician has participated in several competitions for the young choir conductors, in the International Organ competitions in Lahti (Finland), and in the Erfurt Organ Competition in Germany (1999); has given concerts in Latvia, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, France, Hungary, Italy, Norway and Sweden. Several years he was a professional singer of the chamber choir Ave Sol and the Latvian Radio Choir, but at the moment he is the cantor and organist at St.Anna's Church in Jelgava.

This album contains no booklet.