Livonian Musical Poetry

Elīna Ose. Nr.1 Kuolm Rando/Three Shores

Without exaggeration, this is a unique album, unlike anything in the history of Latvian jazz. However, finding a suitable stylistic designation for this record is quite a complex task. How can one label original music featuring poetry in the Livonian language, in which elements of classical music, jazz, and ethnic music are simultaneously heard, with a specific genre name? However, let us set aside the fruitless and, in fact, insignificant disputes over genre affiliations, because the work of Elīna Ose and her like-minded colleagues is awe-inspiring.

As can be read in the record’s quite extensive insert (where, among other things, all the poems heard on the album can be found, both in the original — the Livonian language — and translated into English and Latvian), the origins of the idea can be found at the 95th anniversary event of the Livonian Union, where Riga Cathedral Choir School graduate Elīna Ose was invited to perform and sing in the Livonian language. It must undoubtedly be mentioned here that the head of the Livonian Union is Ieva Ernštreite, who is also a teacher at the Riga Cathedral Choir School and the sister of the RDKS founder and legendary director Jānis Erenštreits.

The beginning continues, and soon a trio emerges, which later turns into a quartet, as heard on the record: Elīna Ose – voice, Austris Kalniņš – piano, Jānis Rubiks – double bass, and Ernests Mediņš – percussion. The recording also features the string quartet «Juno» and the Saulkrasti choir «Anima.»

The album was created gradually over several years by composing poetry in Livonian. Valts Ernštreits, Baiba Damberga, and Ķempju Kārlis wrote the poems. At the same time, the composers are Staņislavs Judins (originally also a member of the ensemble), Austris Kalniņš, and Elīna Ose.

The record is a very personal and respectful tribute to the Livonian language and culture, dressed in a modern intertwining of jazz, classical, and ethno-music. The album successfully balances the compositional musical material with poetry; furthermore, the peculiar sound of the Livonian language additionally highlights the individual story of each piece. The text is understandable even without translation, and the record’s overall sound is surprisingly unified. It seems worthwhile to dwell briefly on each of the pieces.

The Gates of Silence Open

The very first track — a lovely jazz waltz — introduces us to a calm, slightly resignedly melancholic mood that so much resembles the best examples of cool jazz. The string quartet heard in the accompaniment additionally provides a lyrically nostalgic note to the overall sound. After the introductory verse — a lyrical chant in the Livonian language — follows a double bass solo with a subsequent piano solo accompanied by strings. After the second verse, a pause occurs just as the track seems about to end, followed by an emotional culmination that is also the piece’s end.

My People

The groovier, funkier introduction of the piece at first reminds one of cinema music, but the relatively cliché harmonies slightly undermine these associations, evoking Latvian popular music from the 1980s. A thoroughly arranged, carefully developed, and grand piece with a solid story, as the vocal performance is undoubtedly at the center of the track. And the story is about the harsh, seasoned people of the sea — excellent performance by the rhythm group. Perhaps at the very end of the piece, the use of effects seems a bit redundant, but the overall impression is compelling.

Rain, Rain, Rain

A minimalistic, meditative track. Frequent pauses, playing with various sound effects, and the modal mood (factually no harmony changes) bring the listener into a mystical, otherworldly mood that, as the track develops, becomes almost psychedelic at the culmination. The sound of this piece evoked for me associations with Jan Johansson’s legendary album «Jazz på svenska», one of the most well-known examples of European ethno-jazz. At the conclusion of the piece, the questioning sound remains unresolved, leaving the listener with a sense of the flow of infinity.

Counting Lambs

A rhythmic, meditative beginning, with percussion instruments playing a rhythmic motif complemented by piano and bass interjections. A cheerful, playful, and naughty chant follows, where the vocals play with words (The story of counting lambs. Do you remember what Karlson did to fall asleep? He counted sheep.). However, just a moment later, the rhythmic mood from the beginning is interrupted by a piano solo in a distinctly bluesy style, which then transforms into a traditional, swinging jazz piece. Together with the rhythm group accompaniment, a typical early jazz piano style with elements of ragtime and stride, as well as cliché phrases, is heard. After Elīna’s vocals join in, this time in a slightly caricatured academic manner, the piece returns to the original rhythmic motif and ends abruptly.

My Garden

The piano solo at the beginning of the track, performed in a distinctly classical manner, initially seems like a quote from a Baroque-era piece. However, after a few chords that are no longer classical at all, a transition to a light ostinato rhythm occurs, and a song begins — a track in a classical style, which Elīna also performs in an academic vocal manner. Only after the second verse does the rhythm group join with an unobtrusive, minimalistic accompaniment that nonetheless does not disrupt the overall, relatively academic mood. The irony of the piece lies in the text dressed in pompous musical expression, which tells of the torments of creating poetry while working in the garden. After a few dramatic phrases, the piece suddenly ends, leaving the listener with an unfinished, unresolved feeling.

Flax Field

The introduction features a polyphonic choral drone, upon which the energetically powerful melody sung by Elīna is built. However, after that, the track transitions into a light Latin rhythm, over which several vocal lines playfully intertwine and converse. This is followed by excellent double bass and piano solos. Overall, the piece, with its major key mood and light Latin accompaniment, creates a very light, danceable feeling and is one of the most jazz-like tracks on the entire album. However, the end of the piece, as usual, is once again without a resolution in the tonic.

The Livonian Girl Smiles

An unobtrusive, light ostinato — a groovy start to the track with piano and triangle, joined shortly after by the double bass. Gradually, from the accompaniment maintained in a light folk music manner, the melody sung by Elīna grows. The influence of African traditional music is clearly felt in the piece; this impression is further strengthened by the use of the kalimba and the mesmerizing groove, which is periodically interrupted by Elīna’s sung message about the Livonian girl’s green-blue smile. Once again — no resolution at the end!

The Slow Current of the Salaca

A gorgeous, mood-rich jazz waltz with a wonderful, sinuous melody. Very tolerantly and tastefully arranged and played, possibly one of the most beautiful tracks on the album. The vibraphone’s sound also adds a special color to the piece. The most lavish praise to the musicians for sustaining the mood throughout the entire piece; at no point is anything exaggerated, and the track ends brightly on an unstable note.

Such as Us

As in the first track, the album’s final composition also features a string quartet. The serious, resigned melody is very appropriate for the album’s concluding track — the overall sound balances on the edge of academic music sound. The impression is further strengthened by the choir’s polyphonic, fugue-like singing in the middle of the piece, which gradually builds to an emotional climax — Elīna’s singing. The conclusion of the piece nonetheless becomes minimalistic and transparent once more, yet at no point does it become tedious or self-serving. Even without understanding the text in Livonian, the idea of the piece is clear — it is a message about a vanishing nation right beside us, which quietly and stoically, but proudly, slowly vanishes into eternity.

Evaluating overall — an original, excellently played, outstanding cross-genre album — spanning jazz, but just as well world music and third stream — with high-quality compositional and poetic content, tasteful arrangements, and recorded with very high quality and professionalism.

Therefore, it is all the more a pity that no place or recognition was found for the album in any of last year’s Latvian music awards. However, it would have been very well deserved. One must hope that the subsequent recordings of «Three Shores» will have a more successful path, which I very much wish!

The Livonian language and culture are an essential and integral part of Latvia’s overall culture. Elīna Ose’s «Three Shores» is another confirmation of that and also a new beginning.