January 15, 2012
Latvian countertenor Sergejs Jēgers has released his most recent album, Ave Maria, a collection of mostly sacred songs recorded in the Rīga Cathedral, accompanied by organist Diāna Jaunzeme.
This is now the fourth compact disc that features Jēgers and his unique voice. His debut solo album was 2006’s Ave Musica, a collection of baroque era songs. That was followed by 2007’s duet album with saxophonist Artis Gaga entitled Duende, and interpretations of Latvian folk songs accompanied by the Sinfonietta Rīga orchestra on 2009’s Dziesmiņās remdējos.
Jēgers has performed internationally, including many European countries as well as the United States and Canada. He is a graduate of the Latvian Academy of Music, where he is now a lecturer on early music. Jēgers is also very involved in philanthropy and charity work, and he has his own charity fund, the Sergeja Jēgera Labdarības fonds.
Jaunzeme is also a graduate of the Latvian Academy of Music, having been taught by one of Latvia’s premiere organists, Tālivaldis Deksnis. Jaunzeme has also been collaborating with Jēgers for the past few years.
Tracks on Ave Maria, released on the Latvijs koncerti label, include:
- J. S. Bach / Ch. Gounod, “Ave Maria”
- H. Purcell, “Fairest Isle” (from King Arthur)
- G. F. Händel, Almirena’s aria “Lascia ch’io pianga” from the opera Rinaldo
- H. Purcell, “Music for a While”
- G. F. Händel, “Dignare from Dettingen Te Deum”
- P. Tosti, “Ave Maria”
- Anonymous 19th century author, “Pietà, Signore”
- C. Saint-Saëns, “Ave Maria”
- C. Franck, “Panis angelicus”
- G. Fauré, “Pie Jesu from Requiem”
- Unknown 18th century author, “Caro mio ben”
- G. F. Händel, Xerxes’ aria “Ombra mai fu” from Xerxes
- H. Purcell, “What Power Art Thou” from King Arthur
- G. Caccini, “Amarilli, mia bella”
- V. Vavilov, “Ave Maria”
A brief video (in Latvian) on the album can be found on YouTube.
For more on Jēgers, visit his website, www.sergejsjegers.lv.
Egils Kaljo is an American-born Latvian from the New York area who lives in Rīga, Latvia. When not working in the information technology field, he sings in the Latvian Academy of Culture mixed choir Sõla, does occasional translation work, and has been known to sing and play guitar at the Folkklubs Ala Pagrabs in Old Rīga. Kaljo began listening to Latvian music as soon as he was able to put a record on a record player, and still has old Bellacord 78 rpm records lying around somewhere.
