Pēteris Vasks

Litene

Litene is the name of a village in Latvia, which has acquired a significance similar to that of 'Katyn' in Poland. It was in this village that in June 1941 the officer élite of the Latvian army was ambushed, disarmed and deported by the occupying Soviet forces. This despite the fact that the officers as members of the territorial army were at the time under the jurisdiction of the Red Army. The words of the ballad do not express emotions like sorrow, rage or mourning, but shows how base treason renders people heartless. Vasks's music emphasises the irreconcilable difference between negative emotions and a tender, lyrical atmosphere.