On Wednesday, January 12, the beloved composer and pianist celebrates his 86th birthday Raimonds Pauls. The anniversary will traditionally spend the special day in a concert – this time in Dzintari Concert Hall. Delfi, on the other hand, offers a look back at the jubilee’s creative and social performance in 86 photographs.
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One of the most popular and talented Latvians of all time – Raimonds Ojārs Pauls – was born on January 12, 1936 in the family of Voldemārs and Alma Matilde Pauls. He started playing the piano at the age of four. As Maestro himself mentioned in the interviews, he was reluctant to play at first, but later he was grateful for the strict discipline that did not allow him to leave the piano.
In 1946, Raimonds Pauls was admitted to the ten-year-old music school at the Latvian State Conservatory (LVK), but in 1953 he entered the class of Hermann Braun at the LVK Piano Department, graduating in 1958.
According to musicologist Daiga Mazvērsīte in the National Encyclopedia, the next composer and author of many popular melodies has played the piano in various dance ensembles since the age of 14, gradually mastering the art of improvisation and the alphabet of jazz, as well as composing.
Already during his studies, in 1956, together with double bassist Egils Schwarz, he formed the first stage ensemble – an instrumental sextet. Raimonds Pauls’ first song “Unsent Letter” was recorded in the spring of the same year. The author of its names is Daina Avotiņa, but Valentīna Butāne can be heard in the recording.
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In 1957, Raimonds Pauls became a musician of the Riga Pop Orchestra (REO), gave active concerts, and gave concerts in Georgia, Armenia and Ukraine. REO’s repertoire included Paul’s 50s songs “Let It Rain”, “We Met in March” and others.
A real triumph was Raimonds Pauls’ song “Mežrozīte” with the words of Alfred Kruklis. In 1968, it convincingly won the Latvian Radio’s “Microphone” song poll. In general, in this survey, which is considered to be the most important confirmation of the audience’s recognition in Soviet Latvia and also in the first years of independence, 11 Raimonds Pauls songs were crowned as the most popular of the year.
The first record of the pop song “Tev man mana sā” with the music of Raimonds Pauls was released in 1969. Since then, a total of more than 150 different recordings with Paul’s music have been released, including small records, karaoke recordings and favorites.
Raimonds Pauls has also composed musicians for more than 40 films. The most famous – “Limousine in the color of Midsummer night”, “Servants of Vella”, “My friend – a frivolous man”, “Gift for a lonely woman”, “The long road in the dunes”. The latest of them is the centenary film “Homo Novus”. He has also composed music for dozens of theater performances and musicals.
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From 1992 to 2006, 15 Midsummer evening events organized by Raimonds Pauls took place, gathering thousands of listeners in different parts of Latvia.
Raimonds Pauls was a deputy of the Supreme Council of the LSSR, a deputy of several Saeima convocations, the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, an adviser to the President of Latvia Guntis Ulmanis on cultural issues. In 1999, Raimonds Pauls ran for the position of the President of Latvia.
Raimonds Pauls has been awarded the Order of the Three Stars, as well as other honorable awards. In 2016, Maestro in particular was awarded the Latvian Music Record of the Year Award “Diamond Microphone” for a lifetime contribution. He has also received several Grand Music Awards, the latest of which was for outstanding performance throughout 2020.
Even during a pandemic, the composer continues to perform and work creatively. Raimonds Pauls will celebrate his anniversary in a concert in Dzintari together with musicians and soloists, with whom he has developed a special friendship and musical harmony over the years.
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