Pēteris Vasks - 80th Anniversary Edition

Information

Composer: Pēteris Vasks

CD1

• Symphony No. 2
• Violin Concerto No. 1, 'Tālā gaisma' (Distant Light)

CD2

• Symphony No. 3
• Cello Concerto No. 1

CD3

• Pater noster
• Dona nobis pacem
• Missa

Various Artists

Compilation: 2026

Label: Ondine

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This special three-album edition celebrates the 80th anniversary of Pēteris Vasks in 2026, bringing together his first three acclaimed releases on Ondine. The debut album, featuring Symphony No. 2 and the Violin Concerto Distant Light, marked Vasks’ international breakthrough and received two Cannes Classical Awards in 2004, including Album of the Year. The collection also includes the 2006 orchestral release with Symphony No. 3 and Cello Concerto No. 1, alongside Vasks’ significant choral work Missa, performed by the Latvian Radio Choir and Sinfonietta Riga under the direction of Sigvards Kļava, a leading interpreter of the composer’s music.

Pēteris Vasks is one of the most internationally acclaimed contemporary composers from the Baltic region, renowned for music that combines spiritual depth, emotional intensity, and strong connections to nature and Latvian cultural identity. Born in 1946 in Aizpute, Latvia, he initially trained as a double bassist before studying composition. His works often blend minimalist textures, lyrical folk-inspired melodies, and dramatic contrasts, reflecting themes of humanity, freedom, and the environment. International recognition came in the 1990s through champions such as Gidon Kremer, while compositions including Distant Light, Musica dolorosa, and his symphonies established him as a major voice in contemporary classical music.