Straume Jānis (1861 - 1929), musician

Writer, composer and critic Straume Jānis was born on September 28, 1861 in Ķempi, Druviena Parish, in the family of the owner.

Studied at Druviena Parish School and Tirza Parish School. He received his musical education from E. Vīgner.

He was the head of the St. Petersburg Arriga Singing Society in Riga and the choir conductor, the theater reviewer of the newspaper "Dienas Lapa", published reviews in the newspaper "Tēvija", was the secretary of the Latvian Riflemen's Organizing Committee, and worked as a music teacher at the V. Orlov Business School in Riga.

The first publication - the poem "Good night!" in the newspaper "Mājas Viesis" (1877). He has published poems and stories in periodicals. He has poisoned nature, love and the rhythm of human life, but without a more emotionally vivid vision. The stories and plays "Vagars" and "Zaņķis" are not literally more successful either. Having compiled an anthology of Latvian poetry "Poetry Ornament", written and composed many choir songs, he became known at the 3rd Song Festival with the composition "Along the Waves of the River". He has compiled a collection of choir songs "Song Yard" and "Collection of Music Articles", a collection of "Our Music Artists" and "Handbook for Choir Singers". Together with E.Prūsi, he has compiled the collection "Songs of Freedom". He has published materials about J.Cimzi, J.Bētiņš, A.Jurjāns and J.Vītols. Editor of Music Week magazine.

Aliases - Vaidelaitis, Vaidelots, Gaujiņu Natālija.

Died on September 19, 1929 in Riga, buried in Meža cemetery.

The son of Straņa Jānis' s sister is music critic Jēkabs Poruks.

The list of information source can be found here .