The 1920s and '30s in Lithuania, after regaining independence in 1918, were characterized by idealism, openness, enthusiasm, and creativity.
Performer Biography
The Vilnius String Quartet, whose creative work spans almost five decades, has won numerous awards, including first prize at the International String Quartet Competition in Liège in 1972.
Performer Biography
The St Christopher Chamber Orchestra, founded in 1994, is named after St Christopher, the patron of the city of Vilnius, and performs a wide range of repertoire from Baroque to contemporary.
Composer Biography
Vladas Jakubėnas, the composer, was not only a composer but also an important teacher, musical activist, and critic for the daily newspaper Lietuvos aidas.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Much of the music on this album is from Vladas Jakubėnas's 'Berlin period' (1928-1932), during which he wrote his most modern works and earned the nickname 'the Lithuanian Hindemith' due to his attraction to Neoclassicism.
Composer Biography
Vladas Jakubėnas's father, Povilas Jakubėnas, was the superintendent general of the Lithuanian Protestant Reformed Church, which influenced Vladas's choice to study in Riga.
Performer Biography
Donatas Katkus, the artistic director and conductor of the St Christopher Chamber Orchestra, also founded the Vilnius String Quartet in 1965 and toured the world with it for 29 years.
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