Iļģi - "Trejdeviņi spēlmanīši"

The group "Iļģi" has been playing since the early 1980s and for many years has been the most recognisable ethnic music band in Latvia. From the outset, their sense of mission to promote folklore has been intertwined with a desire to make music creatively. 

The group started with the classic traditional folk group with Ilga Reizniece's iconic ‘vijolēšana’, or violining (which, like postfolklore, is a playful name she gave to fiddling, referring to specific musical expressions of herself and her members) and kokle and bagpipe playing of Māris Muktupāvels. After some time the guitar, drums and bass guitar and the Latvian through fiddle, the ģīga were added, forming the line-up we have known as Iļģi for several decades now. 

The band's live performances are in great demand, especially the social folk dance nights led by Iļģi. The band has toured all over the world. Iļģi has been awarded the Latvian Music Award for Best Contemporary Folk Music Album of the Year six times. The song “Trejdeviņi spēlmanīši" comes from the band's latest album - a 65-verse folk song "Mēs deviņi bāleliņi" recorded on the subsequent 9 tracks. Ilga Reizniece's voice invites the brothers to chase and rescue their little sister, who has already been taken away by (to be married to) strangers. In their way, the brothers meet a bunch of drummers, kokle players and, as this song tells - fiddlers.