Irreplaceable person. Farewell to Martin BrownBaiba Kušķe
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Ivars Cinkuss: Brown is an indispensable person
Mārtiņš Brauns is not told that there are no irreplaceable people, no one else can take his place – conductor Ivars Cinkuss believes. He and his choirs have worked closely with the composer, Ivars has also been the premiere of Mārtiņš Brauns’ last choral song “In Your Time” and so far the only player. The song is significant in that it had the words of Uģis Brikmanis, who was one of the most important people in the composer’s life and whose passage he once lived very deeply.
“It turned out to be so ironic that on the very day that Mārtiņš left, I sent him a text message with the question – how are you, old boy?” feeling, and now there is emptiness.
I experienced such a feeling of emptiness for the second time, because I also felt when Uģis Brikmanis left. According to Mārtiņš, it is the same. Because he is irreplaceable.
We have such a stupid saying that there are no irreplaceable people. We have irreplaceable people. And both Uģis Brikmanis and Mārtiņš Brauns are like that. And nothing will come in their place. They have earned their place and no one will be able to climb there.
This contribution is at the height of a huge mountain. Because Mārtiņš – I haven’t counted on it – but it seems to me that he has written the most film and theater music. Compared to other Latvian composers. Even in this genre, he has a huge variety. Also the genre diversity that applies to choral music. Where he successfully combines the talent of his classical composer with a mix of progressive rock. It is such a unique musical message in our entire culture.
Because his musical contribution will never go down in history. “Martin will remain at the top of our music and culture Olympus,” said Cinkus.
Otto Ozols: Brown was a Latvian nerve
Mārtiņš Brauns’ field of thoughts, ideas and knowledge was very wide, which also allowed him to think very broadly, originally and differently. The composer’s old and good friend Otto Ozols, who also wrote a book about him “Sun. Mārtiņš. Daugava”, also got to know Mārtiņš as a deep thinker who went into everything he did very carefully.
“I could say – he is incomprehensible. He had that Latvian nerve – very open, deep and thorough.
He had an extreme intelligence of the heart. At the same time, he was a very simple and modest man. And this list of his work, what he has done in his life, is hard to comprehend. And with all these works, he has put in a great understanding of music for several generations, he has created Latvian musical hearing, musical horizons.
But if I have to describe him as a human being, then I don’t know why, but I always have an association that had something of Remark’s heroes in him. With humor, with knowledge, with a huge intelligence of the heart, with affection, with a fine, sometimes with something harsh, sharp. In my opinion, he was always such a hero of Remark in the Latvian version, if you could say so, “said Ozols.
Mārtiņš Brauns has always emphasized that the author of his works is not only himself, his brothers and fellow people play a huge role in their creation.
He was especially happy about the great idea generators and like-minded people next to him, among them was the already mentioned Uģis Brikmanis, as well as, undeniably, Niks Matvejevs. Nick’s departure for eternity shocked him very much – Ozols remembered, so the sudden sound of the song “Sun, Thunder, Daugava” on the other side of Europe – in Catalonia – came like a ray of light in the dark.
Inspired by the experience of the Latvian Singing Revolution, in 2014 the Catalan Independence Movement asked Mārtiņš Brauns to use its melody as the anthem of this movement with the words of a Catalan poet.
A few years later, Martin Brown received the Catalonia Prize.
“When Nick Matveyev left, which was extremely important to him, he was very depressed. And then Catalonia came. He was there. It ‘s something unique, and it gave him an emotional charge.
The Catalans, I think, did not even realize that they had lifted him.
Yes, and the second is that the news about “Saule, Pērkons, Daugava” in Catalan was the most read news in Latvia for two weeks. The sites where it was published. Yes, many Latvians cried when they heard the Catalan version. But it was also his conviction why he supported the Catalans, “Ozols said.
Ieva Sutugova: Well, a real onion!
The singer Ieva Sutugova is very grateful to Fate for the opportunity to cooperate with Mārtiņš Brauns. The collaboration started in 2009, when the old line-up of “Sīpolu” came back to concerts, but since Aiva Brauna no longer sings, Ieva was invited to replace her, who was immediately entrusted with two big songs “Zirgs” and “Daugaviņa”.
Already during the first meeting, Mārtiņš Brauns addressed the singer with a friendly “Hi, Ieviņ!”, Was very simple and responsive, but also very demanding in music.
Sutugova recalled: “It is the fact that Mārtiņš’s size is actually immeasurable. First of all, I want to speak purely human. Mārtiņš was a very real and true person, he never imagined anything in his life, he did not pretend, he did not improve on anyone. he was always who he is.
I sometimes laugh and say – well, a real onion! Someone may like or dislike something like this, but he is real!
At the same time, he was infinitely lovely and nice. Insanely loved the people around him. He always told how much Jutiņa (Mārtiņš Brauns’ wife) has done wonderfully as Jutiņa takes care of the garden. His dear people were very important to him.
He never humiliated himself, he chanted, as he himself said, his employers – the clients of the works of art, the conductors, the people with whom he worked. He was very, very, very real as a man! That is the most important thing. Not to mention the musical part. “
The nearness of God
Mārtiņš Brauns himself, in a conversation with the LR3 program “Klasika”, once emphasized that he really does not like lies, pretense and artificiality and that lies are considered to be one of the most difficult diagnoses.
Asked by the classical process what the composing process means to him, Martin Brown answered: “I can’t define what it is for me, but I think that the merit of everything that is is primarily the merit of God.
My merit is just how much I was able to overcome my laziness or how sensitive I could be and not be dumb.
So, firstly, the spiritual source, secondly, like-minded people, directors, conductors, performers, thirdly, parents, and then finally, I. The vibration is musical, the gift of God that is given to me, if it sounds, then the vibration does not die, but it goes on with another person or maybe goes into another realm. I don’t want to talk too wisely, but anything can be. “
According to Otto Ozols, Mārtiņš Brauns once turned to Christianity under the influence of Juris Rubins. But he did not like dogmatism, like everything, he looked at faith with his wide angle.
During the pandemic, his morning ritual was to read Pastor Edgar Maze’s reflections, which he publishes daily on Facebook, before starting the day. This was also necessary for Mārtiņš when he was already in the hospital.
Mažis said about it: “It seems to me that in the second half of his life, Martin Brown was really looking for a personal and deep relationship with God.
At first, of course, it was a surprise to me that he read these Facebook reflections, which I write from the beginning of the pandemic, in such short words, up to 200 words. He had said he was not commenting on Facebook,
but that these reflections are very important to him, starting every morning. And it was so very special and encouraging.
And when he was already in the hospital, his wife asked if I could send that reflection to WhatsApp, because for some reason he had a hard time getting inside. And then I started sending these thoughts for about a week, and then one time Mārtiņš sent a short letter saying that he had a lot to ask and a lot to discuss, but at the moment there is no strength. And I am thankful to God that even in such a difficult time at the end of his life, he could read these thoughts and become stronger.
I would say that Mārtiņš Brauns has left very bright imprints on our Latvia. And the nice thing is that when he goes to eternity, neither his music nor his works go with him. They will keep us happy for decades and maybe even hundreds of years. “
In the last moments of his life, Mārtiņš Brauns expressed a wish that his funeral would take place only in the presence of the closest people. Therefore, respecting his wishes, they will not be public. But the memorial event of Mārtiņš Brauns, in his spiritual presence, will take place on Saturday at the Dome Church at 2 p.m.
Elsewhere in the world, all admirers of his talent are invited to commemorate the composer at this time, either at home or by going to the nearest church and lighting a candle in his memory.
Let’s say goodbye dedicated to also his other contemporaries and colleagues.
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