BACH RESPIGHI RAVEL

An annual tradition of the Orchestra RIGA is the August concerts in the Riga Cathedral – the  “Summer classics” – a special instrumental harmony with the brass instruments of the Orchestra RIGA and the organ of the Riga Dome. In August 2023, two concert programs will be played – on August 15 “Bach, Respighi, Ravel” and on August 29 “Bach, Riga, Finlandia”.

Concert BACH, RESPIGHI, RAVEL participants:

Orchestra RIGA

Organist Vita Kalnciema

Conductor Ainārs Rubiķis

After a previous successful collaboration with the internationally recognized conductor Ainārs Rubiķis, who has worked as Music Director of the Komische Oper Berlin, and organist Vita Kalnciema, the concert BACH. RESPIGHI. RAVEL will be played again. The central piece of the program is the four-part opus Church Windows (Vetrate di Chiesa) by the Italian composer Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936), which is special with a particular rare instrumental typesetting. In other words, the staves of wind and brass instruments of the orchestra and the powerful organ of the Riga Cathedral plays consonant with each other. In the four parts of the piece, the author has depicted several scenes used in stained-glass windows of cathedrals, such as the Archangel St. Michael as well as about Jesus’ parents going to Egypt. The interplay of the orchestra and the organ is expected at the climax of the peace – in the last part, which relates to the stained-glass windows, in which the patron of musicians, students and teachers – Pope Gregory the Great – is immortalized.

From the works of Ottorino Respighi, there will also be an opportunity to hear the rarely performed Organ Prelude op. 92 (1910), which will be played by organist Vita Kalnciema along with several Bach organ music. Orchestra RIGA will perform Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor BWV 582 by Johan Sebastian Bach, Ancient Dance by Ottorino Respighi as well as Pavane pour une infante défunte (Pavane for a Dead Princess) by Maurice Ravel.