Medinš, Janis

Born Sept. 27 (Oct. 9), 1890, in Riga; died Mar. 4, 1966, in Stockholm. Latvian composer and conductor. Brother of Jāzeps and Jēkabs Medinš.

In 1909, Mediņš graduated from the Riga Music Institute, where he studied piano, violin, and cello. He was a violinist in, then conductor of, the orchestra of the Riga Latvian Theater and Latvian Opera (until 1928); from 1928 to 1944 he was principal conductor of the symphony orchestra and musical director of the Latvian Radio. He taught a course in orchestration at the Latvian Conservatory from 1921 to 1944; he became a professor in 1929. From 1944 to 1948 he lived in Germany; after 1948, in Stockholm; and in 1965, in Riga. He was one of the founders of the Latvian classical opera (he composed five operas, including the two-opera cycle Fire and the Night, based on J. Rainis’ drama, 1922; Gods and Men, 1922; and Spriditis, based on a Latvian folk tale, 1927) and ballet (Triumph of Love, 1935; Steel Wings, 1936). He also composed symphonies.