Music of Lithuania refers to all forms of music associated with Lithuania, which has a long history of the folk, popular and classical musical development. Music was an important part of polytheistic, pre-Christian Lithuania – rituals were accompanied by music instruments and singing, deeds of the heroes and those who didn't return from the war were celebrated in songs.
Lithuanians are a Baltic ethnic group. They are native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,378,118 people. Another two millions make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil and Canada. Their native language is Lithuanian, one of only two surviving members of the Baltic language family along with Latvian. According to the census conducted in 2021, 84.6% of the population of Lithuania identified themselves as Lithuanians, 6.5% as Poles, 5.0% as Russians, 1.0% as Belarusians, and 1.1% as members of other ethnic groups. Most Lithuanians belong to the Catholic Church, while the Lietuvininkai who lived in the northern part of East Prussia prior to World War II, were mostly Lutherans.
Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis was a Lithuanian composer, painter, choirmaster, cultural figure, and writer in Polish.
The kanklės is a Lithuanian plucked string instrument (chordophone) belonging to the Baltic box zither family known as the Baltic psaltery, along with the Latvian kokles, Estonian kannel, Finnish kantele, and Russian gusli.
Palanga is a resort city in western Lithuania, on the shore of the Baltic Sea.
Baltic mythology is the body of mythology of the Baltic peoples stemming from Baltic paganism and continuing after Christianization and into Baltic folklore.
Kokle or historically kokles (kūkles) is a Latvian plucked string instrument (chordophone) belonging to the Baltic box zither family known as the Baltic psaltery along with Lithuanian kanklės, Estonian kannel, Finnish kantele, and Russian krylovidnye gusli. The first possible kokles related archaeological findings in the territory of modern Latvia are from the 13th century, while the first reliable written information about kokles playing comes from the beginning of the 17th century. The first known kokles tune was notated in 1891, but the first kokles recordings into gramophone records and movies were made in the 1930s. Both kokles and kokles playing are included in the Latvian Culture Canon.
Jūratė and Kastytis is one of the most famous and popular Lithuanian legends and tales. The first time it was recorded was in 1842, in the writings of Liudvikas Adomas Jucevičius. Since then it has been adapted many times for modern poems, ballets, and even rock operas. Since the heroine does not appear in Lithuanian mythology, the tale is likely of literary-romantic origin.
Lithuania attracts many visitors from neighbouring countries and from all over the world. In 2018,there were 1.7 million foreign visitors to Lithuania for business, family and leisure. The historical legacy of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, its rich history, architecture, pristine nature, seaside and spa resorts are the main attraction points of Lithuania. Domestic tourism is also highly popular: in 2018 it grew by 12%. Lithuanians also prefer to spend their vacations in Lithuania – 70 percent.
The national symbols of Lithuania are used in Lithuania and abroad to represent the country and its people, history, culture, and nature. These symbols are seen in official capacities, such as flags, coats of arms, postage stamps, and currency, and in URLs. They appear less formally as recurring themes in literature, art and folk art, heraldry, monuments, clothing, personal decoration, and as the names of parks, bridges, streets, and clubs. The less formal manifestations may be classified as national emblems.
Lithuanian folk songs are often noted for not only their mythological content but also their relating historical events.
Atalyja is a Lithuanian folk-rock music band. They focus on the popularizing of archaic Lithuanian folklore and bringing ancient songs to contemporary audiences. The band has produced songs of various musical styles, a broad tonal palette, and unique arrangements. The ancient melodies are enriched with elements of rock, jazz, funk, blues rock, metal, and Indian music. Atalyja regularly participates in music festivals. The band has released three CD albums and has given performances in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Germany, Turkey, Czechia, Belarus, and Russia.
Lithuanian folk music belongs to Baltic music branch which is connected with neolithic corded ware culture. In Lithuanian territory meets two musical cultures: stringed (kanklių) and wind instrument cultures. These instrumental cultures probably formed vocal traditions. Lithuanian folk music is archaic, mostly used for ritual purposes, containing elements of paganism faith.
Marija Anortė Mackelaitė, better known as Anortė Mackelaitė, is a Lithuanian stained glass artist. Along with stained-glass artists such as Stasys Ušinskas, Algimantas Stoškus, Kazimieras Morkūnas, Antanas Garbuskas, Filomena Ušinskaitė, Konstantinas Šatūnas and Bronius Bružas, she has been cited as one of the leading artists in this field in Lithuania and the Baltic States. Her best-known work is the brightly colored stained-glass windows which she contributed to Anykščiai Church, the tallest church in Lithuania.
Eduards Volters was a linguist, ethnographer, archaeologist who studied the Baltic languages and culture. He was a long-time professor at the Saint Petersburg University (1886–1918) and Vytautas Magnus University (1922–1934).
The Lithuanian Art Society was a society that organized Lithuanian art exhibitions and supported Lithuanian artists. Based in Vilnius, it was active from 1907 to the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It was chaired by painter Antanas Žmuidzinavičius. The society was established after the first Lithuanian art exhibition was successfully organized in early 1907. The society continued to organize annual exhibitions that displayed works both by professional and folk artists. Influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, the society paid great attention to Lithuanian folk art which was increasingly seen as an expression of the Lithuanian character. In 1912, the society published an album of drawings of Lithuanian crosses, column shrines, and roofed poles, which is considered the first study of Lithuanian folk art. The society was also instrumental in preserving the art of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis and organized his first solo exhibitions in 1911 and 1913. The society also collected works by other artists and worked with the Lithuanian Scientific Society to establish a Lithuanian art museum. The collection was transferred to the present-day M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum in 1920.
Vytautas Montvila was a Lithuanian composer, bassoonist and sound engineer.
Kanklės of Vilnius Society was a cultural society of Lithuanians active in Vilnius, then part of the Russian Empire, from 1905 to 1908. It was one of the first legal Lithuanian societies in Vilnius. It organized amateur theater performances, concerts and dances, and other cultural events. The society was chaired by Gabrielius Landsbergis-Žemkalnis who directed and staged its plays. The society was most active in 1906 when, among other plays, it staged the historical drama Pilėnų kunigaikštis, two operettas by Mikas Petrauskas, and the first Lithuanian opera Birutė. However, due to internal disagreements and financial difficulties, the activities started to diminish in 1907 and the society become inactive in 1908. In its mission, Kanklės was succeeded by the more successful Rūta Society.
Birutė is a two-act opera composed by Mikas Petrauskas based on the play by Gabrielius Landsbergis-Žemkalnis. It was first performed on 6 November 1906 in Vilnius and became the first Lithuanian national opera. The plot is based on the medieval legend about the love between Birutė and Grand Duke of Lithuania Kęstutis recorded in the Lithuanian Chronicles. The opera was written for the amateur Lithuanian performers and thus is mostly valued for its historical significance.
