When the evening and the morning meet – A journey into the music of the Baltic

Not only is the beauty of the Baltic region stunning, it also offers a varied music scene. The film “When the evening and morning meet” embarks on a fascinating journey through Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. With their knowledge and charm, musicians of diverse styles show the similarities and differences of their musical culture, guiding the viewer by land and sea from the major cities to the musical province and presenting the eventful history of the Baltic States. The result is a multifaceted and entertaining portrait of three small countries with huge musical potential.

Ever since the so-called “Baltic Way,” the 600-kilometer long human chain from Vilnius via Riga to Tallinn, in which around two million people peacefully demonstrated for their independence in August 1989, the three Baltic countries have been known as choral nations. Singing together has a long tradition there. In 2008, UNESCO recognized the Baltic Song Festivals as intangible cultural heritage.

However, not only singing, but music as a whole enjoys a high status in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. What sets these three countries apart from each other, and what do they have in common? Through encounters with the composers Arvo Pärt and Pēteris Vasks, the conductors Paavo Järvi and Tõnu Kaljuste, instrumentalists such as Gidon Kremer and Iveta Apkalna as well as ensembles like the Kremerata Baltica and the Latvian Radio Choir, the film documents this tremendous musical diversity. The artists in both contemporary music as well as jazz and world music are inspired by the landscape and sound of their national languages. The Kokle player Laima Jansone from Latvia, the violinist Maarja Nuut from Estonia and the multi-instrumentalist Saulius Petreikis from Lithuania also describe their special bond to nature. Among many others, they belong to the musical discoveries that the film makes on its journey through the Baltic states.