Arnolds Klotiņš’s Monograph “Mūzikas modernisma daudzās sejas” Published

The UL Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art has published a new monograph by musicologist Dr. art. Arnolds Klotiņš, titled “Mūzikas modernisma daudzās sejas. 20. gs. jaunās mūzikas un avangarda attīstība Latvijas un Baltijas kaimiņzemju skaņu mākslā” (“The Many Faces of Musical Modernism: The Development of New Music and the Avant-Garde in Latvian and Baltic Sound Art in the 20th Century”).

The book traces the gradual shifts in musical expression and style over the course of the 20th century and is addressed to a broad audience—journalists, educators, lecturers, and all lovers of culture and music.

The reader will learn about the rapid changes in Western European music at the beginning of the century, when in the aftermath of World War I, tonality was questioned or even abandoned. These shifts in global music helped, paradoxically, to undermine the dogma of so-called socialist realism imposed in the occupied Baltics—although composers who ignored official doctrine often faced repression.

The book discusses the diversification of creative work among Latvian, Estonian, and Lithuanian composers during the ideological thaw after Stalin’s death, followed by the resurgence and refinement of ideological control in the latter half of the century. It also addresses postmodern influences of romanticism and classicism, leading to a stylistic pluralism by the century’s end.

For those interested in music theory, the book includes brief notated examples at the end.

About the author:
Dr. art. Arnolds Klotiņš is a musicologist and leading researcher at the UL Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art. He is the author of many publications and books, including:
– Mūzika bēgļu gaitās: Latviešu mūzikas dzīve un jaunrade pēckara Eiropā 1944–1951 (UL ILFA, 2022)
– Divatā ar tautasdziesmu (Zinātne, 2020)
– Mūzika pēckara staļinismā (UL ILFA, 2018)

Editorial and production team:
Author – Arnolds Klotiņš
Editor – Ieva Jansone
Proofreader – Agita Kazakeviča
Design – Dita Pence
Publisher – UL Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art
Printing – Jelgava Printing House
Supported by – State Culture Capital Foundation
Price – €15.00

The book is available at the UL Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art (Mūkusalas iela 3), by email at apgads@lulfmi.lv, and in bookstores across Latvia.