The Most Famous
COMPOSERS from Latvia
This page contains a list of the greatest Latvian Composers. The pantheon dataset contains 1,451 Composers, 7 of which were born in Latvia. This makes Latvia the birth place of the 28th most number of Composers behind Azerbaijan, and Greece.
Top 8
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Latvian Composers of all time. This list of famous Latvian Composers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.
1. Raimonds Pauls (b. 1936)
With an HPI of 57.85, Raimonds Pauls is the most famous Latvian Composer. His biography has been translated into 26 different languages on wikipedia.
Ojārs Raimonds Pauls (born 12 January 1936) is a Latvian composer and a pianist who is well known in the Baltic countries and Eastern Europe. He was the Minister of Culture of Latvia from 1988 to 1993. His songs were performed by such popular singers as Alla Pugacheva, Valery Leontyev, Laima Vaikule, Jaak Joala, Roza Rymbayeva, Svetlana Loboda and others.
2. Pēteris Vasks (b. 1946)
With an HPI of 57.55, Pēteris Vasks is the 2nd most famous Latvian Composer. His biography has been translated into 27 different languages.
Pēteris Vasks (born 16 April 1946) is a Latvian composer.
3. Balys Dvarionas (1904 - 1972)
With an HPI of 50.37, Balys Dvarionas is the 3rd most famous Latvian Composer. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
Balys Dvarionas (19 June [O.S. 6 June] 1904 – 23 August 1972) in Vilnius), was a Soviet and Lithuanian composer, pianist, conductor, and educator. Dvarionas first became known as a composer after World War II. His works are in a romantic vein, with roots in folk song.
4. Jāzeps Vītols (1863 - 1948)
With an HPI of 49.75, Jāzeps Vītols is the 4th most famous Latvian Composer. His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.
Jāzeps Vītols (German: Joseph Wihtol; 26 July 1863 – 24 April 1948) was a Latvian composer, pedagogue and music critic. He is considered one of the fathers of Latvian classical music.
5. Jānis Ivanovs (1906 - 1983)
With an HPI of 48.09, Jānis Ivanovs is the 5th most famous Latvian Composer. His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.
Jānis Ivanovs (9 October 1906 [O.S. September 26] – 27 March 1983) was a Latvian composer whose later career took place in the Soviet Union. In 1931, he graduated from the Latvian State Conservatory in Riga. In 1944, he joined the conservatory's faculty, becoming a full professor in 1955. He is regarded as being the most distinguished Latvian symphonist. His love of melody is evident in each of his compositions, and forms the essence of his works. He often drew inspiration from the native songs of the Latgale district in eastern Latvia. His grasp of orchestral color and musical texture were highly regarded by his colleagues. The Latvian composer and music critic Marģeris Zariņš described Ivanovs' symphonies as "like ancient Greek tragedies, filled with ecstasy and purification." He is mostly remembered for his twenty-one symphonies. Nevertheless, he composed in many other fields, including five symphonic poems, concertos for piano, violin and cello, three string quartets, and numerous vocal, piano and various chamber works. He became the People's Artist of the USSR in 1965, was awarded the Stalin Prize in 1950 and Latvian SSR State Prize in 1959 and 1970.
6. Emīls Dārziņš (1875 - 1910)
With an HPI of 46.38, Emīls Dārziņš is the 6th most famous Latvian Composer. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Emīls Dārziņš (November 3, 1875 – August 31, 1910) was a Latvian composer, conductor and music critic. Dārziņš' work bears a distinct romantic character, with a strong trend towards national themes. His main musical authorities and influences were Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Jean Sibelius. Dārziņš musical contribution is mainly to vocal music (choral and art songs), but he also composed orchestral music, though only one piece, "Melanholiskais valsis" (Melancholic waltz) has survived. His only opera, "Rožainās dienas" (Rosy days), remained unfinished after his early death at the age of 34.
7. Alfrēds Kalniņš (1879 - 1951)
With an HPI of 46.18, Alfrēds Kalniņš is the 7th most famous Latvian Composer. His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.
Alfrēds Bruno Jānis Kalniņš (23 August 1879, in Cēsis, Governorate of Livonia – 23 December 1951, in Riga, Latvian SSR) was a Latvian composer, organist, pedagogue, music critic and conductor; the founder of national Latvian opera. Kalniņš is primarily remembered for his national opera Baņuta (1920).
8. Ēriks Ešenvalds (b. 1977)
With an HPI of 36.88, Ēriks Ešenvalds is the 8th most famous Latvian Composer. His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.
Ēriks Ešenvalds (born 26 January 1977) is a Latvian composer, mainly of choral music. From 2011 to 2013 he was Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, University of Cambridge.
People
Pantheon has 8 people classified as Latvian composers born between 1863 and 1977. Of these 8, 3 (37.50%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Latvian composers include Raimonds Pauls, Pēteris Vasks, and Ēriks Ešenvalds. The most famous deceased Latvian composers include Balys Dvarionas, Jāzeps Vītols, and Jānis Ivanovs. As of April 2024, 1 new Latvian composers have been added to Pantheon including Emīls Dārziņš.
Living Latvian Composers
Go to all Rankings
Raimonds Pauls
1936 - Present
HPI: 57.85
Pēteris Vasks
1946 - Present
HPI: 57.55
Ēriks Ešenvalds
1977 - Present
HPI: 36.88
Deceased Latvian Composers
Go to all RankingsBalys Dvarionas
1904 - 1972
HPI: 50.37
Jāzeps Vītols
1863 - 1948
HPI: 49.75
Jānis Ivanovs
1906 - 1983
HPI: 48.09
Emīls Dārziņš
1875 - 1910
HPI: 46.38
Alfrēds Kalniņš
1879 - 1951
HPI: 46.18
Newly Added Latvian Composers (2024)
Go to all RankingsOverlapping Lives
Which Composers were alive at the same time? This visualization shows the lifespans of the 5 most globally memorable Composers since 1700.
