Soviet Union: Alfred Kalnins postal card

The Soviet Union issued this card in 1979, the hundred anniversary of the birth of composer Alfred Kalnins. Born in Lativa, the postcard hails Kalnins as a "people's composer of the Lavitan Socialist Republic." In addition to composing, Kalnins was an organist, teacher, conductor and music critic. His most enduring composition is his nationalistic opera Banuta. He spent most of his life in and around Lativa, except for a stint in New York City (1927-1933). He held organist and teaching position in Parnu, Leipjaj, and Tarnu, before settling near the end of his life in Riga, and serving as organist of the Riga Dom and rector of the Latvian Academy of Music.

The art on this postcard features a building facade, perhaps that of a music conservatory in one of the cities mentioned here. Also included is a page from a musical score, presumably an image of one of Kalnins' works.

The 4-kopek postage image includes a representation of Kalnins and the facade of an organ. I do not believe the organ is that in the Riga Dom, but that begs the question which organ is it? Two other instruments of some import are related to Kalnins, that in St Anna's Cathedral and Holy Trinity both in Leipaja. I have not been able to find images of those churches' interiors nor their instruments.

Latvia: Riga Dom

Latvia issued this stamp in 2000 as part of a set of four celebrating the 800th anniversary of the founding of the city of Riga. The organ was built in 1883-1884 by the Walcker firm of Germany. It was rebuilt in 1981-1984 by the Flentrop firm of the Netherlands. (Interesting note: I was on a semester abroad experience in Munich in 1981 and travelled to the Flentrop shops with the father of a friend, as he delivered final payment on their church's new Flentrop organ. Of course, while at the shops, I saw work being done on the Riga Dom organ. "Incredible" barely begins to describe the sensation!) My able to read Latvian is limited in the extreme but it would seem there are 124 ranks over four manuals and pedal, and over 6700 pipes in the instrument.