Popular Music of Latvia

During the Soviet period, the rock music became very famous, also folk songs, offered a chance to rebel against the indigenous authorities. Imants Kalnins was the most important composer of the period, and his songs were very famous. He also wrote music for the movie originally known as Cetri balti krekli (four white shirts), later he then gave the title Elpojiet Dzili (breathe deep) that spoke about the need of freedom and was there stopped. The annual Imantdiena (the Day of Imants (Kalnins) was one of the most important social gathering in that time that was forbidden on grounds of interfering with the hay-gathering. The custom continued casually at the composer’s house.

source of picture: english.chinatibetnews.com

Imants Kalnins songs were best known to be performed by the Menuets group, which only played songs by this composer. The majority of the members of the group moved on to make another group, Perkons (thunder) late. Perkons was a sign of revolt. They played captivating rock and roll bordering on hard rock music, composed by band’s leader Juris Kulakvos, using poems mainly written by Maris Melgalvs. Many of those were rigidly condemned by the Soviet authorities, as they implied the unreasonable of the system. The most popular concert by Perkons resulted in the destruction of a train section by the young people who had attended the show. Also, other activity that is shown in the movie Vai viegli but jauunam (is it easy to be young), which was produced by Juris Podnieks. Acts such as Perkons certainly played a significant specific function in the lives of the youth of the time and there were a serious challenge to the Soviet system.