The music of Peteris Plakidis, born in 1947, is rooted in the melodic character of Latvian folk-music, which imbues all his works with a remarkable strength and beauty. Renaissance and Baroque polyphony and forms, such as fugue, chaconne, canon and variation, provide the strong internal organisation that binds together a remarkable and moving synthesis of disparate elements. Although Plakidis shares some points of contact with the ‘Holy Mystics’ among other Baltic composers, such as Arvo Pärt and Peteris Vasks, his own music evokes the meditative power of nature and the distinct character of his Latvian roots. From these four works a unique voice emerges, a musical personality full of harmonic warmth, rhythmic excitement and dramatic lyricism.
‘...Gratifyingly assertive and gritty recording… Toccata are to be applauded for this refreshing and challenging collection.’
Rob Barnett
‘exciting... [… I was] struck by the depth of passionate feeling running through both the music and the performances’
Rick Jones
‘...This is a CD that provides an excellent introduction to an ingenious composer deserving of attention.’
Patrick Standford
"...All the performances here are committed and gutsy, aided by close, analytical sound. In addition, Plakidis himself is the pianist in the Music for Piano, Strings, and Timpani, giving the recording an added authority. Essential listening for anyone with a penchant for Bartók, this disc proves an exciting discovery." Phillip Scott
"... With excellent performances throughout, this is a real discovery." Guy Rickards
