Latvian National Symphony Orchestra
The Latvian National Symphony Orchestra proclaims itself "one of the cornerstones of national culture with a history of almost a hundred years." The 56-member group has recorded works, mostly by Baltic composers, for labels both within and outside the region.
The Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (Latvijas Nacionālais simfoniskais orķestris) was founded in 1926 when Latvia was an independent country, and it continued to exist through the period of German and then Soviet occupation from 1941 to 1991. Like many other national European orchestras, it had its origins in broadcasting; it was called the Latvian Radio Center Orchestra at first. The group's first principal conductor was Arvīds Pārups. A major conductor from its early years was Leonīds Vīgners, who held the position from 1949 to 1963 and again from 1966 to 1974. The orchestra's first non-Latvian conductor was the Vassily Sinaisky (1975-1987), and its first from outside the former Soviet Union was Terje Mikkelsen (1997-2001). In 1995, the orchestra inaugurated its modern recording career with an album of music by composer Jāzeps Vītols; it has since recorded for small labels such as Cameo, Sterling, and ERP but moved to the major label Ondine in 2021 for an album of music by Pēteris Vasks.
The orchestra performs its regular concert series at the Great Guild Hall in the Latvian capital of Riga but has traveled to such major European concert halls as the Philharmonie de Paris, the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, and the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, Germany. The group has increasingly often attracted top-flight guest conductors, including Mariss Jansons, Valery Gergiev, and Andris Nelsons, as well as performers such as pianists Nicholas Angelich, Lucas Debargue, and Boris Berezovsky. Since 2013, the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra has been led by Andris Poga; its first female principal guest conductor, Kristiina Poska, assumed that post in 2021.
© James Manheim /TiVo
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Ķeniņš: Symphonies Nos. 2, 3 & 7
Tommaso Pratola, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Zanda Švēde, Egils Upatnieks, Andris Poga, Mārtiņš Circenis
Classical - Released by Ondine on 2 Sep 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Pēteris Vasks: Oboe Concerto, Vēstījums & Lauda
Albrecht Mayer, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Andris Poga
Classical - Released by Ondine on 3 Sep 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Ķeniņš: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 8 and Aria per corde
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Iveta Apkalna, Andris Poga
Classical - Released by Ondine on 4 Feb 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Ķeniņš: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 6 & Canzona sonata
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Santa Vižine, Guntis Kuzma
Classical - Released by Ondine on 7 May 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Ivanovs: Symphonies Nos. 17 & 18
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Guntis Kuzma
Classical - Released by SKANI on 19 Aug 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Vasks: Prayer
State Choir Latvija, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Māris Sirmais
Classical - Released by SKANI on 10 May 2019
24-Bit 88.2 kHz - Stereo -
Ivanovs: Symphonies Nos. 15 & 16
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Guntis Kuzma
Classical - Released by SKANI on 15 Oct 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Ivanovs: Symphony No. 19
Vassily Sinaisky, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra
Symphonic Music - Released by 1981 Rīgas Skaņu ierakstu studija on 28 Oct 2022
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Arturs Maskats: Accordion Concerto, Tango, Cantus diatonicus & My River Runs to Thee
Artūrs Noviks, Ksenija Sidorova, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Andris Poga
Classical - Released by Ondine on 6 Jan 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Opera Arias (Favourite): Garanca, Elina - MOZART, W.A. / ROSSINI, G. / BELLINI, V. / DONIZETTI, G. / MASSENET, J.
Elina Garanca, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Aleksandrs Vilumanis
Opera - Released by Ondine on 1 Jan 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Svendsen, J.: Orchestral Music
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Terje Mikkelsen
Classical - Released by CPO on 1 Jan 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Davidoff: Cello Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / Tchaikovsky: Variations On A Rococo Theme
Wen-Sinn Yang, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Terje Mikkelsen
Concertos - Released by CPO on 1 Jan 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tālivaldis Ķeniņš: Violin Concerto, Concerto for 5 Percussionists and Orchestra, Beatae Voces Tenebrae
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Andris Poga
Classical - Released by SKANI on 6 Nov 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
IVANOVS: Symphonies Nos. 5 and 12
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Dmitry Yablonsky
Classical - Released by Marco-Polo on 8 Nov 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Alnaes: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Terje Mikkelsen
Classical - Released by Sterling Records on 1 Jan 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jānis Ivanovs: Piano Concerto in D Minor & Symphonies Nos. 14 & 20
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Vassily Sinaisky
Classical - Released by SKANI on 15 Jun 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Richter Archives, Vol. 16: Poulenc & Reger
Sviatoslav Richter, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Jean-Francois Paillard Chamber Orchestra, Borodin Quartet, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Peter Magi
Classical - Released by DOREMI on 13 Jan 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Olsen: Orchestral Music
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Terje Mikkelsen
Classical - Released by Sterling Records on 1 Jan 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
IVANOVS: Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Dmitry Yablonsky
Classical - Released by Marco-Polo on 30 Jul 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dārziņš & Ivanovs: Born in 1906
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Reinis Zariņš, Andris Poga
Classical - Released by SKANI on 15 Jun 2018
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ivanovs & Karlsons: 1945
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Andris Poga
Classical - Released by SKANI on 15 Jun 2018
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo