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Recommended CDs |
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Sound files, small excerpts of works intended for academic use, not for commercial reproduction.
Vasks: Violin Concerto 'Distant Light' one of the most beautiful, etherial concertos ever written, this comes from Vasks' recent renaissance - unlike many composers the collapse of the Soviet Union has actually improved his work. His recent String Quartet No. 4 is a similar work (as yet unrecorded, but if the Kronos Quartet get enough Emails maybe....). This work is often extremely quiet and exudes a wistful air of loss with hope of renewal. The inspiration seems to come from birdsong and natural regenaration after disaster. This is one of our favourite of all Baltic works.
Raid: Symphony 1 (finale): Undiscovered masterpiece - resounding work that bridges the gap between Europe and the Soviet Bloc. Optimistic work from a composer who escaped the Soviet tragedy to flee to Canada, yet remained unblunted by Canadian culture.
Architectonics IV: Tuur's magnum Opus - something he's not bettered, and recent work has been a sad disappointment. Contains the (too) familiar themes of harmony degenerating into dissonance and being rescued again, a brilliant chamber work.
Sound files at Edition49 Publishing House
Excellent Vasks Source with extensive MP3 archive
Finlandia's Baltic Music Series
Sound files of Baltic music, mainly folk, including Tormis
RECORD LABELS
BIS
Finlandia
ECM
Teldec
Chandos
OTHER
TWAS - Magazine with classical CD reviews
Nydd Ensemble - Excellent contemporary group - linked to the NYDD festival of Estonian new music.
