Latvian composer Peteris Vasks (b. 1946) began his musical career as a violin student at the Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music, then as a...

Latvian composer Peteris Vasks (b. 1946) began his musical career as a violin student at the Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music, then as a double-bass player at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. Due in part to his history with string instruments, a large portion of his compositional output is dedicated to music for strings. “Apart from everything else, I was fascinated by cantilena-the feeling of an immense and never-ending chant. It is in the sound of string instruments that my message sounds best-I am able there to sing out in the best way.” (Vasks) Two of Vasks’ string quartets are featured on this album, his String Quartet No. 5, and String Quartet No. 2, Summer Tunes, performed by the outstanding Spikeru String Quartet.