Composers > Janis Norvilis
Janis Norvilis
Janis Norvilis is known mainly for his choral works and solo songs written in an unpretentious and popular style. He has also written works for organ, cantatas, musicals, etc., and was one of the first to compose Latvian film music. His compositions include large-scale works based on folk music, including works for kokle* ensemble, and for orchestra.
He studied at the LC (1922–1930), graduating in theory of composition (1928) and as a pianist (1930), and also devoting time to the study of conducting. From the mid-twenties he worked as singing teacher, was very active as choir conductor, and also created music for the Riga Workers Theatre productions. Fleeing Latvia in 1944 as a refugee, he continued to conduct Latvian choirs, first in Blomberg, Germany, and from 1950 in Canada. He was Principal Conductor at the first five Latvian Song Festivals in Canada (1953, 1957, 1961, 1965, 1970).
Norvilis has composed about 150 works for choir and has as many folk song arrangements. In his choral writing melody and rhythm are shaped by a lyrical and exalted, somewhat conventional mode of expression; in his best works, however, he has managed to evade the threat of triviality, and has then created music that is popular in the best meaning of the word.
Norvilis has close on 400 choral works, of which about half are based on folklore material. In the 1920s and 1930s his work with folklore was only in its first stages. Following the principles of Melngailis, Norvilis consistently worked with diatonic scales. By frequently choosing mildly discordant chords as consonances, he gradually developed his own original and lyrical folkloric choral style. Norvilis also wrote theatre and film music, as well as works for symphony orchestra, cantatas, chamber music, organ pieces, and solo songs.
* - A Latvian string instrument which is plucked.
