THE WORLD OF DE ESTONIAN MUSIC CULTU CIVILI ESTONICO VOL IV THE WORLD OF ESTONIAN MUSIC Eesti Instituut Tallinn, 2015 The concert introducing „Arvo Pärt. Adam’s Lament“, the Grammy-winning record, is about to start in half an hour in St John’s Church. The queue meanders across Freedom Square, turns into Harju Street and continues for another few hundred metres. Everybody has a ticket, but they arrived early to get a better seat. Music is worth it! BACKGROUND3 BACKGROUND 5 Estonia is a young state and a young Access to Western music and infor- culture. In the ancient past, Estonians mation was difficult, and many devel- were a peasant nation who had their opments in Estonian music occurred own ancient way of life and culture, on their own strength: sometimes in but not much is known about either. parallel with the West and sometimes We only know about runo songs (regi- separately. Every fragment of infor- laul), which were not sung for quite a mation, book or record that found while but, having done a stint on the its way to Soviet Estonia had a huge archive shelves, they are now enjoy- impact: it was shared by many (often ing a new lease on life. Before the in secret), was discussed and offered 19th century national awakening pe- inspiration. Jaan Viljur with his fife. riod, German-language high culture Soviet music education had a prevailed on the Estonian territory. strong system and professional Estonian music education has standards. The musicians today still been connected with the Russian have a solid technical foundation school for a long time. The first Es- and the precision of their perfor- tonians travelled to St Petersburg mance is often praised by music ac- to study at the conservatory there ademics. Non-academic styles have at the end of the 19th century. After lagged behind, although higher graduation, most of them returned education in traditional and rhythm home to teach others. Around music is now available in Estonia. 1919 two parallel schools of music Estonia regained its independ- emerged in Tallinn and Tartu, which ence in 1991, but a fresh breeze was both tried to find their own way dur- already blowing through Estonian ing the Republic of Estonia (1918- music in the late 1980s. Composers 1940). and musicians were able to travel to The Soviet reign (1944-1991) the West, and the horizons of people The ceiling painting in the Estonian brought along a new approach to writing about music changed quick- National Opera dates from 1947. It can perhaps cast light on such notions as the Russian educational landscape, ly. However, something in Estonian “pseudo-national romantic” or “socialist in and the Iron Curtain blocked West- music that is recognisably ours has content, national in form”. ern influence in all areas of culture, been preserved. What is it? Maybe including music. During and after a reflection of Nordic nature, the whose roots lie in experimentation. World War II dissidents often had melancholy of cloudy skies and scant The background of Erkki-Sven Tüür’s to face the security organisation’s sunshine visible between bare trees, progressive rock is perhaps the most interrogations and acts of repres- or direct or indirect usage of folk talked about, and a new generation sion. Many cultural people managed songs. of composers is emerging who make to flee to the West. In the late 1940s Estonia is a small country, where electronic music meant for listening the authorities ruled that composers talented people can be active in and not dancing. A pinch of rebel- could only write ideologically cor- many fields. Musicians can leap from lion and a wish to experiment are rect music suited to the prevailing one music style to another: keep one parts of a strong creative spirit. Even socialist realism. In practice, this was foot in classical music and the other Arvo Pärt tried his hand at instru- often (pseudo) national-romantic, in jazz, with an occasional dose of mental theatre in the early 1970s. programme music, as anything else pop. We have internationally ac- was banned. claimed composers and musicians, BACKGROUND Heino Eller Heino Eller (1887–1970) is considered one of In 1920–1940 Eller taught music theory and the trailblazers of Estonian classical music. In composition at the Tartu higher music school. He his work, he combined the classical-romantic laid the foundation for the Tartu school of music, tradition, modernist means of expression and to which Eduard Tubin also belonged, and which folk music intonations. Eller primarily created played a significant role in Estonian music in the instrumental music: about 40 orchestral pieces first half of the 20th century. From 1940 until his and more than 200 piano works. As a composer death Eller was a professor of composition at the who studied the violin, Eller also wrote over 30 Tallinn conservatory, where Arvo Pärt and Lepo works for the violin. His best known work, still Sumera were among his numerous students. popular today, is “A Homeland Tune” for string Heino Eller’s music has been recorded by orchestra. several prominent recording companies. The Many titles of Eller’s works refer to nature: pianist Sten Lassmann, in particular, has thor- “Dawn”, “Twilight”, “Pines“, “In the Shade and in oughly researched and performed Eller’s works. the Sunshine” etc. These titles express mood, He is in the middle of recording Eller’s collected space and inner freedom. piano works on eight CDs for Toccata Classics. Heino Eller studied violin at St Petersburg conservatory, but graduated as a composer. www.estinst.ee/music01 Heino Eller, “A Homeland Tune” COMPOSERS7 Heino Eller COMPOSERS 9 The beginning of professional com- always been drawn to it. About half of posing in Estonia can be dated to the country is covered by forest and the turn of the 19th and 20th centu- six per cent of the landscape is taken ries, when most Estonians involved up by swampland and bogs with pri- in music studied at the conservatory mal plant species. The density of the in St Petersburg. At that time, the first population is a mere 30 people per large-scale compositions were pro- square kilometre and thus everyone duced in various genres: overtures, can find a solitary place to be. instrumental concertos and oratorios The music of Jaan Rääts was in- (by Rudolf Tobias), symphonies (by spired by neo-classicism, often based Artur Lemba), plus the first composi- on repetitions and lively rhythms. tions for the stage. Later, music with repeated rhythm Today’s Estonia is part of the global patterns was written by, among others, world and composing has moved in Raimo Kangro and Erkki-Sven Tüür all possible directions. However, some in his earlier work. This kind of music significant trends and elements can be may have a (subconscious) connection The beginning of Estonian professional distinguished. with the incantation rituals of Estonian music. Composers Peeter Süda, Juhan Aavik, Folk songs have often been used native religion. August Topman, Raimund Kull and Mart Saar, graduates of St Petersburg Conservatory, since the early 20th century, when Focusing on sound is an essential in 1913. young composers participated in ex- aspect primarily among composers peditions to gather traditional music. who studied composition in the 1990s, a laugh at their own expense. Estonian Folk tunes in their purest form were after Estonia regained its independ- composers have written quite a num- introduced into composing, especially ence, and studied, at least partly, at ber of witty pieces, including those into choral music, by Mart Saar; they universities abroad. Helena Tulve, where humour is a result of blending were used in instrumental music by Toivo Tulev and Mari Vihmand studied various quotations and musical styles. Heino Eller and Eduard Tubin, still the in Paris: hence the influence of spec- Tõnis Kaumann and Timo Steiner, for greatest symphonist in Estonian music. tral music on their compositions. instance, successfully convey their Folk tunes were later frequently used There is great variety of genres, sense of humour in their music. by Ester Mägi and by Veljo Tormis in although chamber music has a clear Since the early 1990s, Estonian choral music. advantage over symphonic forms and composers have excelled at the annual Estonia is one of the most religious- orchestral music in general. Orchestral International Rostrum of Composers: ly indifferent countries in the world, music is not often commissioned in one of the most significant forums of but sacred music clearly dominates in Estonia and, if it is, recognised com- contemporary music, where a jury Estonian classical music. Catholic and posers are usually preferred, such as listens to recordings and selects the Orthodox, and to a lesser extent Lu- Arvo Pärt, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Helena best works for world radio station theran, melodies and especially texts Tulve, Tõnu Kõrvits and Ülo Krigul. The repertoires. In 2004, Helena Tulve’s frequently occur in the works of Estoni- greatest Estonian symphonists in the orchestral piece “Thaw” won first prize an composers. Besides Arvo Pärt’s past were Eduard Tubin, Eino Tamberg at Rostrum; several composers in the music, the music of Galina Grigorjeva and Lepo Sumera. Choral music is also under-thirty category have won awards, stands out in this area. a popular genre for commissions. including Mari Vihmand’s “Floreo”, Jüri It’s clear that quite a few Estonian All this together – nature, religion Reinvere’s “Northwest Bow” and Ülo composers have been inspired by the and focusing on sound – may seem Krigul’s “JenZeits”. The 2015 Rostrum beautiful local nature – there is plen- quite serious, but Estonians do have a takes place in Tallinn.