In English

About Estonian male choirs

Through time, male choirs have played a leading role in the Estonian chorus movement; they have initiated several musical traditions and taken part in the promoting and moulding of the Estonian way of life.

Active interest in chorus singing increased remarkably in the middle of the 19^th century during the national awakening. Many societies and choirs were founded.

After the example of local German choirs, the Estonians held joint singing events. Chorus movement was greatly influenced by the foundations of male chorus societies of “Estonia” and “Vanemuine”. The latter with its chairman and conductor Johann Voldemar Jannsen (1819-1890) initiated and carried out the idea of the first

All-Estonian song festival. In June1869, 46 male choirs with 822 singers and 5 brass bands with 56 musicians arrived in Tartu. The first song festival was the climax of the national movement. It was also the beginning of a tradition still maintained today. Male choirs have participated in all the 23 song festivals held so far.

By the beginning of the 20^th century, there had been a remarkable progress in the development of Estonian music, which was promoted by a number of composers and conductors like Johannes Kappel, Miina Härma, Konstantin Türnpu, Rudolf Tobias, Artur Kapp, Mihkel Lüdig, Mart Saar - all St. Petersburg Conservatoire graduates. Original song writing was flourishing, choirs were becoming more professional and several new choirs were founded.

In 1912 in Tartu, Juhan Simm (1885- 1959) founded a university male choir (now Tartu Academic Male Choir). Despite the tensions of WW I, in 1916 the Tallinn Male Choirs Association was founded. Under the conductors Konstantin Türnpu (1865 - 1927) and later August Topman (1882 - 1968) the choir soon became the leader in Estonia initiating new ideas and carrying them out. After the birth of the Estonian Republic and the victorious War of Independence (1918 - 1920), in 1921 the Tallinn Male Choirs Association convened the All-Estonian Congress of Singers, where they appointed the chorus movement coordinator and the song festival organizer - the Estonian Singers Union. In order to solve the problems of different types of choirs, the Estonian Singers Union established a separate section for each.

In 1929 the Tallinn Male Choirs Association re-established the male choir section. Johannes Reintalu was their successful chairman until 1940. As the section provided choirs with repertoire and organized many events, all male choirs were thus brought under one umbrella. During the years between song festivals, joint singing days were organized: 1933 in Tallinn, 1934 in Pärnu, 1935 in Haapsalu, 1936 in Tallinn and 1939 in Tartu. Unfortunately the joint singing in Tartu turned out to be the last as a year later the Soviet Union invaded the Republic of Estonia and all organizations and societies were abolished. The following years of WW II had a devastating effect on the Estonian chorus movement. Male choirs suffered the most - many singers and conductors were repressed, deported to Siberia or dragged into the war. When the Red Army re-invaded Estonia in 1944, many singers and conductors emigrated to Sweden, Germany etc. where they again started forming choirs. The Soviet government was trying to keep the Estonian chorus movement and the song festival tradition under its control. The aim was to brainwash the people politically and make them obey. The glorification of Stalin at the song festival of 1950 thus became a frantic example of its kind.

In the autumn of 1944 a professional male choir, the Academic Male Choir - now the Estonian National Male Choir - was founded by a meritorious conductor Gustav Ernesaks (1908 - 1993). The choir soon became a highly performing collective which also took concert tours outside Estonia. The Academic Male Choir and Gustav Ernesaks inspired singers to form new male choirs and promote the activities of university choirs. The tradition of male chorus singing days was re-established.

In 1982 the circumstances were favorable for establishing the Estonian Choral Society, which soon brought together all the chorus singers of the country. Furthermore, on November the 5^th 1988 in Viljandi, the Male Choir of the Estonian Academy of Sciences, the Academic Male Choir of the Tallinn Polytechnical Institute and the Engineers Choir of EKE founded the Estonian Male Choirs Association. The association united all Estonian male choirs. Heino Ross was the chairman of the board for 8 years. Since 1996 Jaan Ots has been in the position and is still successfully coordinating the activities of the association.

During the 15 years of existence, the association has proven its efficiency. The aspirations of the association are expressed in three important areas - organizing joint singing events, publishing repertoire and other publications and taking care of boys’ choirs. Male voice joint singing was already highly regarded by the male choirs section of the Estonian Singers Union. The Estonian Male Choirs Association treasures the same tradition and male choirs are given the opportunity of joint singing every year. So far 23 all-Estonian joint singing events have been arranged. Male choirs are always present at big events. The song festival fire, which is always lit in Tartu, was during the last three song festivals carried through Estonia to the song festival ground in Tallinn by the members of male choirs.

On the initiative of the association, male choirs participate in other national events. Together with the Estonian Defence Forces they commemorate the signing of Tartu Peace Treaty in the concert hall of “Estonia”. Male choirs are also present at Toompea, where on February the 24^th the Estonian national flag is hoisted on the Tower of Pikk Hermann. Participation in Mother's Day concert, which is broadcast all over Estonia, has also become a beautiful tradition.

The association also publishes notes (300 songs on more than 1000 pages) and is has a newspaper, which appears once a year. To inspire original song writing, the association has organized several contests. Contests for male choirs, boys’ choirs, ensembles and soloists have also been organized.

During the past years the Estonian Male Choirs Association has paid a lot of attention to the sustainability of the Estonian male voice singing tradition. Therefore boys’ choirs have also been carried along in the activities of the association.

The Estonian Male Choirs Association has founded a national boys’ choir “Kalev” and many other boys’ choirs in all counties. Every year the association organises camps for choristers. Since 1999 the Estonian Male Choirs Association has also promoted and financed the foundations of youth male choirs in bigger centres and counties of Estonia.

Today the Estonian Male Choirs Association has 36 active male choirs as its members: 14 youth male choirs and the majority of boys’ choirs (52). This publication gives a brief overview of each. It also describes the development of the Estonian male voice singing tradition in the past, present and future.