The Seasons

Featuring

Marcel Worms
Pēteris Vasks

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Composer's Artistic Vision

Pēteris Vasks aims to provide 'food for the soul' through his music, believing that the spiritual dimension has been lost for many people today.

Recording & Production

Pianist Marcel Worms traveled to Riga to meet Pēteris Vasks and receive direct feedback on his interpretation of The Seasons before recording the album.

Composition History

Pēteris Vasks's piano cycle The Seasons was composed over nearly three decades, starting with 'White Scenery' in 1980 and concluding with 'Music for a Summer Evening' in 2009.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Unlike Arvo Pärt, who is inspired by Russian Orthodox faith, Pēteris Vasks draws his musical ideas primarily from nature, its dynamic processes, and the interaction between humans and nature.

Historical Context

Due to his artistic convictions and desire for a free Latvia, Pēteris Vasks's work was suppressed by the Soviet regime until Latvia's independence in 1991.

Interpretation

Pēteris Vasks encourages pianist Marcel Worms to use more pedal than indicated in the score for The Seasons, emphasizing the overall effect and emotional depth over strict technical details.

Composer Biography

Pēteris Vasks, Latvia's most important living composer, was forced to study at a Conservatory in Lithuania because his father was a clergyman in the Soviet Union.