Presentation of the book "Techniques of Melodic Formation in Latvian Recitatives", Riga,
31 October 2003

      At the last day of October, after an annual conference of folklore studies, there passed a presentation of the book of Martin Boiko Techniques of Melodic Formation in Latvian Recitatives.

Grodi sings

      The holiday began with a Martin's day's song performed by the Grodi group (of course, the song was a hint to the author's name too). Then the publisher of the book Solvita Sējāne has thanked everyone, who helped to put the book out.

Martin Boiko makes a speech

      The author has expressed satisfaction, that contents of the book at last became a property of the all Latvian society. The book is written already for a long time, now he works on other subjects. The main conclusions of the book: 1) already for a long time was felt a shortage of a terminology of description of Latvian telled songs - for now it is created; 2) the ancient layer of the Latvian folk music has much more common things with the Estonian folk music than with the Lithuanian one; 3) our ancestors were able to improvise very well.
      The second song of Grodi illustrated the last conclusion - almost every couplet sounded diferently, but, of course, it had basic features of the melody.
      Then Martin has presented other two works, in creation of which he participated: a compact disc of spiritual songs of old-believers of Latvia and a Baltic number of the magazine The World of music.
      After the third song of Grodi and joyful words of the director of the Archives of Latvian Folklore Dace Bula, all those present have invited to an adjoining room, where behind a glass of wine was possible to discuss about the book.

      Songs' recordings from this activity:

• Good evening, mistress
• Who singed Johny in

      Article: Ansis Ataols Bērziņš, 6 November 2003
      Photos: Ansis Ataols Bērziņš