Darzinš, Emils

Born Oct. 22 (Nov. 3), 1875, in Jaun-piebalga, present-day Cèsis Raion; died Aug. 18 (31), 1910, near Riga. Latvian composer and music critic.

Darzinš attended the St. Petersburg Conservatory from 1898 to 1901 as a student in the composition course taught by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov and the organ course of L. Gomilius. He moved to Riga in 1901. Darzinŝ devoted himself primarily to composing songs for solo voice or choir. His songs are distinguished by melodic expressiveness; the choruses became classic models for Latvian choral literature. Darzinŝ was an effective progressive music critic and publicist for the development of Latvian musical culture.