Raimonds Pauls
Encyclopedia
Raimonds Pauls is a Latvian and Soviet composer
and piano player who is well-known and respected in Latvia
and the former Soviet Union
.
. In 1958, Pauls graduated from the Latvian Academy of Music
in Professor H. Braun's piano class. At that time he was already seen as an excellent piano player
, he played in restaurants, learning jazz
classics and contemporary songs. From 1962 to 1965 Pauls studied composition, and from 1964 to 1971 conducted the Latvia
n State Philharmonic's light music orchestra
, in which he was also a pianist.
In 1972, Raimonds Pauls proceeded to create an ensemble of Latvian radio, from which several music groups eventually emerged. Most notably, the group "Modo", in which one of the members was Zigmars Liepiņš
, achieved significant success in Latvia and other parts of the USSR
.
In 1985, Pauls organized more music groups on the Latvian radio, which later cooperated with newer artists to provide professional help. At about that time, Raimonds Pauls started his cooperation with Russian singers.
, from 1988 to 1993 he was the Latvian Minister of Culture. In 1993 he became an advisor to the President of Latvia. Since 1998, he had been the Member of Saeima
, the Latvian parliament, initially being elected as a leader of the New Party
. However, before the 2002 elections, he joined the People's Party and was elected on its party's list in 2002 and 2006. In the Latvian presidential election of 1999, Pauls was also one of the candidates for the President of Latvia, yet after remaining the last candidate in the election (none of the candidates could get the required amount of votes, but Pauls got more votes than the others), he chose to decline the post.
After Latvia gained independence, Pauls continued his musical work, most notably, tight cooperation with children's ensemble Dzeguzīte, which is the most popular children's group in Latvia. In 1996, he went on a tour with singer Laima Vaikule
, which included concert locations in Moscow
, St. Petersburg
and New York City
.
s and musical theaters, three ballets
and over 50 movies
and theater performances
. CDs
with Pauls's music have been released in several countries outside Latvia, including Russia
, Finland
and Japan
. Recently he has recorded a double-album of jazz music My Favourite Melodies / So Many Stars - a long awaited venture of the renowned pianist into the jazz genre.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and piano player who is well-known and respected in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
Music
Pauls was interested in music since his childhood years and attended the Emils Darzins Music SchoolEmils Darzins Music School
The Emils Darzins Music School is the junior music conservatory in Latvia, named after Emīls Dārziņš. The senior school is the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music , formerly Riga Conservatory,....
. In 1958, Pauls graduated from the Latvian Academy of Music
Latvian Academy of Music
The Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music , formerly Riga Conservatory, is the major higher learning music institution in Latvia. The junior institute is the Emils Darzins Music School.-History:...
in Professor H. Braun's piano class. At that time he was already seen as an excellent piano player
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, he played in restaurants, learning jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
classics and contemporary songs. From 1962 to 1965 Pauls studied composition, and from 1964 to 1971 conducted the Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n State Philharmonic's light music orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, in which he was also a pianist.
In 1972, Raimonds Pauls proceeded to create an ensemble of Latvian radio, from which several music groups eventually emerged. Most notably, the group "Modo", in which one of the members was Zigmars Liepiņš
Zigmars Liepinš
Zigmārs Liepiņš is a Latvian composer.-Works:*Lāčplēsis, rock opera*Adata, musical drama-References:...
, achieved significant success in Latvia and other parts of the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
In 1985, Pauls organized more music groups on the Latvian radio, which later cooperated with newer artists to provide professional help. At about that time, Raimonds Pauls started his cooperation with Russian singers.
Politics
Raimonds Pauls also had political experience. He has been a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSRLatvian SSR
The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Latvian SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the Soviet Union. Established on 21 July 1940 as a puppet state during World War II in the territory of the previously independent Republic of Latvia after it had been occupied by...
, from 1988 to 1993 he was the Latvian Minister of Culture. In 1993 he became an advisor to the President of Latvia. Since 1998, he had been the Member of Saeima
Saeima
Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. It is a unicameral parliament consisting of 100 members who are elected by proportional representation, with seats allocated to political parties which gain at least 5% of the popular vote. Elections are scheduled to be held once every four years,...
, the Latvian parliament, initially being elected as a leader of the New Party
New Party (Latvia)
The New Party , abbreviated to JP, was a centrist political party in Latvia. Formed by composer Raimonds Pauls, the party won eight seats in the Saeima at the 1998 election on the back of Pauls's popularity...
. However, before the 2002 elections, he joined the People's Party and was elected on its party's list in 2002 and 2006. In the Latvian presidential election of 1999, Pauls was also one of the candidates for the President of Latvia, yet after remaining the last candidate in the election (none of the candidates could get the required amount of votes, but Pauls got more votes than the others), he chose to decline the post.
After Latvia gained independence, Pauls continued his musical work, most notably, tight cooperation with children's ensemble Dzeguzīte, which is the most popular children's group in Latvia. In 1996, he went on a tour with singer Laima Vaikule
Laima Vaikule
Laima Vaikule is a popular Latvian actress, singer, director and choreographer, best known in Europe and in the former USSR for such popular hits as "Vernisazh" and "Charley," among other songs....
, which included concert locations in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, St. Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Works
As of 2004, Pauls has composed music for six musical filmMusical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
s and musical theaters, three ballets
Ballet (music)
Ballet as a music form progressed from simply a complement to dance, to a concrete compositional form that often had as much value as the dance that went along with it. The dance form, originating in France during the 17th century, began as a theatrical dance. It was not until the 19th century that...
and over 50 movies
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and theater performances
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
. CDs
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
with Pauls's music have been released in several countries outside Latvia, including Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Recently he has recorded a double-album of jazz music My Favourite Melodies / So Many Stars - a long awaited venture of the renowned pianist into the jazz genre.