Uģis Prauliņš

Uģis Prauliņš

Uģis Prauliņš, 2008
Background information
Born (1957-06-17) 17 June 1957
Riga, Latvian SSR (now Latvia)
Genres Classical, progressive rock, folk
Occupation(s) Composer, musician
Instruments Keyboards, organ, piano, vocals

Uģis Prauliņš (born 17 June 1957)[1] is a Latvian composer whose choral work Missa Rigensis (Riga Mass) was recorded by the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, the Riga Cathedral Boys Choir and has been performed in several locations around the world, amongst those Canada,[2] France,[3] England.[4]

Background

Uģis Prauliņš was born in Riga and studied at the Emīls Dārziņš Music School from 1963–74. Later, he studied conducting and pedagogy at the Latvian Academy of Music from 1977–82, where he also studied composition with Jānis Ivanovs in 1982–83 and Ģederts Ramans from 1984–89 and piano with Valda Kalnina from 1977–82 and 1984–89.

As a keyboardist, he was active as a rock musician in the progressive rock group Salve in the 1970s and in the folk-/progressive-rock group Vecās mājas in the 1980s.[5]

Selected works

His album Paganu Gadagramata (Pagan Yearbook), was recorded with the band Iļģi with guest appearances by Latvian folk musicians in 1998. It contains a seasonal cycle of mostly traditional songs and instrumental pieces with an emphasis on the natural progression of the year.[6]

Missa Rigensis (2002) was written for and first recorded by the Riga Cathedral Boys Choir, conducted by Mārtiņš Klišāns.[7] In 2008 conductor Stephen Layton recorded Missa Rigensis with the Choir of Trinity College of Cambridge.[8] The recordings were released on CD titled "Baltic Exchange" on the Hyperion Records label. Prauliņš stated that his desire in composing the piece was "to retain attention by the singers' voices alone."[9]

His Christmas composition, "Latvian Solstice in the New World", was described as a song that would "disturb the solitude so people can feel real joy" in a review by Minnesota Public Radio.[10]

The recording by Stephen Layton, Michala Petri, and the Danish National Vocal Ensemble of Prauliņš's 2010 composition "The Nightingale" (based on the eponymous fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen) was nominated for a 2013 Grammy award in two categories – "Best Contemporary Composition" and "Best Choral Performance."[11]

References

  1. ↑ Baiba Jaunslaviete; Zane Prēdele; Ingars Rancevičs. "Prauliņš, Uģis; Daiļrade, Curriculum Vitae" (in Latvian). Latvijas Mūzikas Informācijas Centrs. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  2. ↑ Stephen Preece (28 July 2008). "Tension, passion, skill make Trinity in barn a triumph". Waterloo Region Record. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  3. ↑ "Festival "Etonnante Lettonie" – Programme – Concert du choeur d'enfants de la Cathédrale de Riga, organiste Vita Kalnciema" (in French). etonnantelettonie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  4. ↑ "Homecoming for former Shoreham choirgirl". Shoreham Herald. 26 March 2007. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  5. ↑ Andris Dzenītis (2007). "Publikācijas; Uģis Prauliņš" (in Latvian). Latvijas Mūzikas Informācijas Centrs. Retrieved 2010-05-31. Astoņdesmitajos gados dibinājis leģendāro progresīvā roka vienību Vecās mājas
  6. ↑ Donna Scanlon. "Paganu Gadagramata (Pagan Yearbook)". rambles.net. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  7. ↑ Rob Barnett. "Praulins Missa Rigensis: Classical CD Reviews- April 2003". Musicweb International. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  8. ↑ "Trinity College Choir. Baltic Exchange". Trinity College Choir. Retrieved 010-05-28. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  9. ↑ "Sacral Music in the Dom Cathedral". Riga Dome Cathedral Boys Choir. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  10. ↑ Julie Amacher (16 December 2008). "New Classical Tracks: Enchanting, Exhilarating: Choral Works from Latvia". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  11. ↑ Uģis Prauliņš, The Nightingale @ GRAMMY® 2013
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