Leonīds Vīgners
1906–2001
Conductor, educator, composer
One of the 20th century’s most outstanding conductors of choirs, orchestras and opera performances.
Born on 10 November 1906 in Moscow, in the family of conductor and composer Ernests Vīgners. Gained the fundamentals of music from his father, but after moving to Latvia studied organ, composition and conducting at the Conservatory of Latvia (1921-1932). Supplemented his mastery in a number of European countries.
Worked as an educator at the Vīgneru Ernests Rīga Institute of Phonology (1923-1933), founded and directed several symphony orchestras for summer concert halls during the 1930s. From 1936, worked at the Latvian National Opera, initially as a prompter, then as assistant to principal conductor Leo Blech (from 1937), as a conductor (from 1939), and finally as the opera’s principal conductor (1944-1949). It was thanks to Leonīds Vīgners that the public was given the opportunity to listen to opera performances and symphonic works by Latvia’s and the world’s most beloved composers during the 1940-50s. He was also the artistic director and principal conductor of the Latvian Radio Symphony Orchestra (1949-1963 and 1967-1975).
His passed on his experience of conducting symphony orchestras and choirs to students working as a lecturer at the Conservatory of Latvia, as well as teaching the conservatory’s opera class. In order to forge the mastery of the young conductors, founded the Republic singing-teachers’ and choir-conductors’ mixed choir (1959) and the Republic singing-teachers’ and choir-conductors’ chamber choir (1965). Throughout his life, worked enthusiastically with amateur choirs – directed the Rīga male choir Dziedonis (Minstrel, 1930-1935) and the Women’s Assistance Corps female choir (1930-1935), founded the Vīgners Male Choir (1935-1937). In the post-war years, founded and directed the Mūza (Muse) mixed choir (1947-1985), the first amateur choir to be awarded the Latvian SSR Order of Honour in 1956.
A chief conductor at the Xth-XVIth and XXth All-Latvian Song Festivals, Honorary chief conductor at the XVIIth, XVIIIth, XXIst and XXIInd All-Latvian Song Festivals, as well as at countless district and regional days of song, and at Latvian Schools’ Song and Dance Festivals.
As a composer, created many high-quality miniatures – choir, solo and instrumental chamber music. Was not only a brilliant and sensitive musician, but also an interesting and passionate man with a strong character and sharp tongue. “It was a hot summer day. Leonīds Vīgners was conducting a rehearsal of the massed choir. One of our colleagues asked Vīgners to repeat something so as to film him for his own convenience. The professor was literally transformed. To this day, I remember how strictly and in what tone he said: ‘How dare anyone think or ask about anything else when the reason we are here is to make these thousands of people into a single instrument. Only that and nothing else matters! At the time, it gave me both a vivid perception of Leonīds Vīgners and an understanding of the importance of this task. Not only at the Mežaparks stage, but also in preparing for it,” remembers Rihards Pīks. (Grauzdiņa, Ilma, Izredzētie (The Chosen Few), 2008, p 111.)
Latvian SSR Order of Honour for artistic endeavours (1945), Latvian SSR People’s Artist (1955), Order of Lenin (1956) and the Latvian SSR National Award Winner (1957), honorary Member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences (1993), Officer, Order of the Three Stars (1994), Cabinet of Ministers Prize (1996) and Grand Music Award ‘98, lifelong beneficiary of the State Culture Capital Foundation (1999).
