Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, Kurland Sounds

Kurland Sounds is a showcase for contemporary Latvian classical music, its three pieces presenting a blend of Scandinavian and Baltic styles, with dynamic percussive detail punctuating dramatic soundscapes which only occasionally – mostly in Peteris Vasks’ Symphony No 2 – echo the haunting piety of soul-neighbours Arvo Pärt and Giya Kancheli.

Inspired by the Northern Lights, Eriks Esenvalds’ “Visions Of Arctic: Night” is a clarinet concerto whose tone takes in both humour and poignant nostalgia, with percussion and high strings accompanying fluttering clarinet in the exquisite second part.

Originally written for a small ensemble featuring two hokle (native plucked-string instruments), Vilnis Šmidbergs’ “Merry-Go-Round” has been transposed here for harp and orchestra, with increased dynamism courtesy of the braying horns and dramatic percussion.