As well as being home to composer Peteris Vasks, Latvia is home to a waterfall called Ventas Rumba.
It’s the widest waterfall in Europe, measuring 360 feet across. The Latvians are very proud of this waterfall; in fact, it was dedicated a protected natural monument in 1997. But the wonderful thing about Ventas Rumba is that despite being 360 feet wide, it’s only 6 feet tall. It’s like an adorable mini-Niagara.
I can’t help but wonder if any daredevil has gone over Ventas Rumba in a barrel. A quick internet search tells me nobody has attempted it…so hey, if you’re an aspiring daredevil with a pesky fear of heights, catch the next plane to Latvia.
Peteris Vasks’ beautiful “Pater Noster” is a perfect piece of music for a country with such a sprawling yet gentle natural wonder. It’s rich and sweeping, but not too big or jarring. It’s the type of music you could go over in a barrel and still come out unscathed on the other side.
What makes this a beautiful song:
1. Although he’s a living composer, his style is rooted in much older, tonal harmonies. It gives me the impression of listening to echoes of the past, in the same way that looking at waterfalls gives me the impression of looking at centuries of erosion all at once.
2. In this particular recording, the strings and voices blend especially well, to the point that I sometimes forget both are present. It’s easy to forget that under a waterfall lies a rock cliff supporting everything.
3. The final cadence lasts for most of the piece’s final minute, and it ends up resolving on a gentle major chord.
Recommended listening activity:
Closing your eyes in the bath, and pretending you’re in the ocean.