illumineerima

Not that I make use of folk song, folk song makes use of me. To me, folk music is not an instrument through which I can express myself. On the contrary, I feel it my duty to present folk music as it is: its essence, spirit, ideas and form. To my understanding, runo-song is the most outstanding and original phenomenon of Estonian culture. Today it has lost its form as it once existed, as an inseparable part of the ways of everyday life. What I am trying to do is to link it with modern art forms, and to bring out the uniqueness of runo-song and the message it conveys.

The runo-songs Tormis refers to are often short, repetitive choral pieces rooted in the Finno-Ugric tradition. Choral singing is still strong in Estonia, and the fifteen EESTI: ballaadid singers were masterful. The music conductor was Tõnu Kaljuste (founder of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and a world-famous conductor), and the director was Peeter Jalakas of Von Krahl Theater. I’ve heard that Von Krahl Theater is the avant-garde, radical theater here, though EESTI: ballaadid is the only performance I’ve attended. I’ve been to the actual theater, in Tallinn’s Old City, but for film screenings. I’ve been told that Estonians either love or hate Von Krahl, as they use “rough” language and have off-the-wall interpretations of well-known plays. I must be radical, because that sounds cool to me. Anyway, though the singing of EESTI: ballaadid was in Estonian, the Estonian language is full of vowels and does not have the harsh sounds of Russian and German. Listening without full understanding was still a pleasurable experience.

The dance performance was methodical and slow, but still quite intense thanks to the skill of the 11 dancers. The choreographer and leading dancer was Aki Suzuki, who is a Japanese Butoh specialist and the only non-Estonian to perform. The dance was essentially Butoh in style, and the dancers (and singers) were covered in white makeup and powder. I’m not sure if the women dancers were entirely nude towards the end or if they wore very thin bodysuits; the men’s costumes varied. The Butoh movements in this ballet were very subtle and controlled; sometimes it was amazing just how slow but still elegant the movements were. In spite of the modern Japanese origins of Butoh, I can see why that dance form might appeal to Estonians, who are often methodical, careful, and quiet in nature.Beyond that description, words fail me. It’s just one of those things you have to see to really understand its impact. Let’s hope Arm Music comes out with their long-promised DVD before much more time elapses.

So, how did EESTI: ballaadid change my life? Upon seeing that performance, I fell in love with Estonia. When my husband and I finished our graduate programs in the States, choosing to come to Estonia was almost a no-brainer. Actually working out the details to come here required a bit of thought.

View more photos of the performance.
Listen to sound samples from EESTI:balladid.
Read about Language and Poetic Metre in Regilaul.
Read about Quantity and Stress in Estonian Folksong Performance.

(all photos: Peeter Paasmäe)