BAHS. MOCARTS. DE MEIJS. Ciklā VASARAS KLASIKA. Orķestris “Rīga” un Guntis Kuzma

Orchestra RIGA
Conductor Guntis Kuzma
Bassoon Raimonds Gulbis
Organ Kristīne Adamaite

This summer, Orchestra “Riga” once again invites classical music lovers to the heart of Riga Old Town for the Summer Classics concert series taking place at the historic Riga Cathedral – one of the most majestic and acoustically rich sacred venues in Latvia. Led by conductor Guntis Kuzma, the concert offers a colorful musical journey spanning three centuries — from the Baroque to the present day.

J. S. Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major (BWV 596), here in a wind orchestra arrangement by R. L. Moehlmann. This piece is, in fact, Bach’s organ transcription of Vivaldi’s Concerto in D minor (RV 565), an inspiring example of Baroque-era musical exchange and admiration. Organist Kristīne Adamaite will also perform Prelude and Fugue in C minor (BWV 546), known for its grand, noble prelude and complex fugue. W. A. Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto in B-flat major (KV 191), written at the young age of 18, showcases the instrument’s lyrical and agile nature, interpreted by soloist Raimonds Gulbis. Two of Mozart’s rarely heard organ works — the lively Leipzig Gigue and the delicate Andante in F major, originally composed for mechanical organ — reveal the composer’s refined expression in miniature form. Concluding the evening are Johan de Meij’s symphonic works The Red Tower and Echoes of San Marco — contemporary soundscapes inspired by history and architecture.