Records available
CD canto:). Hortus Musicus
DVD In the Mystical Land of Kaydara. Peeter Vähi
DVD Coppélia. A ballet by Léo Delibes
CD-series Great Maestros. Beethoven, Brahms. Kalle Randalu, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi
CD Quarter of a Century with Friends. Arsis, Rémi Boucher, Oliver Kuusik, Rauno Elp
Super Audio CD Maria Magdalena. Sevara Nazarkhan, Riga Dom Cathedral Boys Choir, State Choir Latvija, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra
LP Contra aut pro? Toomas Velmet, Neeme Järvi, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Arvo Pärt
THE PATH OF MANTRA
Drikung Kagyu monks
Martin Kuuskmann
Peeter Vähi
An exciting dialogue between West and East. Produced by ERP for Erdenklang.
1 Celestial Lake (6:03)
fragm, 1 min 32 sec, mp3, 64 Kbps
2 Invocation (9:24)
The invocation of Mahākāla and Achi. Mahākāla translates as ‘The Great Black One’ and is one of the protectors of the Buddhist Teaching. He is one of the most popular protective deities in Tibetan Buddhism and particularly in the Gelug school, the mythical founder of sciences and the patron of Mongolian Buddhists. Mahākāla is the wrathful aspect of the compassion-bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. In art he is usually depicted with bristling, fiery-red hair, teeth bared and surrounded by human sculls. Achi, the protector of the Drikung Kagyu school, is usually depicted riding a horse.
3 Medicine Buddha Practice (4:24)
Short mantra of the Medicine Buddha: Tadyatha Om Bhekhaze Bhekhaze Maha Bhekhaze Raza Samungate Svaha. fragm, 2 min 19, mp3, 320 Kbps
4 Uniting (7:43)
5 Chöd (11:10)
A practitioner of chöd believes that “attachment” is the main source of suffering, and that “detachment” is the main source of happiness. With this view, chöd is a meditation of accumulating merit by offering one’s body as mentally generated ambrosia and a matter of sustenance for the lesser beings. The energy of the meditation, the sacred words, the uniquely eerie melody and the rhythmic sounds of huge hand-held drums and bells have much healing power. The main purpose of chöd practice is to heal physical ailments and mental afflictions to create a better planet.
6 Mantras of Three Bodies (7:35)
Mantra of Amitābha: Om Amideva Hrih, mantra of Avalokiteśvara: Om Mani Peme Hung, mantra of Padmasambhava: Om Ah Hung Benzra Guru Pema Siddhi Hung. fragm, 3 min 54 sec, mp3, 320 Kbps
7 Eternal Divine (6:22)
In memoriam Prof Joachim-Ernst Berendt. “Heaven and earth, the sun and the stars, the moon and the planets, all heavenly bodies praise the Eternal Divine in countless names, countless forms, in uncounted, unnamed, unformed presences of the infinite Being.”
Listen on YouTube
8 Dedication of Merits (5:42)
Listen on YouTube
Performed by:
His Eminence Druwang Rinpoche (lead vocal / Tibet)
Konchok Chusnit (lead vocal, rolmo, damaru, drilbu / India)
Tsering Tondup (vocal, dung-chen, damaru, drilbu / India)
Tsewang Dorje (vocal, kang-dung, damaru, drilbu / India)
Konchok Choswang (vocal, dung-dkar, damaru, drilbu / India)
Gaynin Phuntsok (vocal, gyaling, damaru, drilbu / India)
Konchok Gyaltsen (vocal, silnyen, damaru, drilbu / India)
Konchok Tharchin (vocal, dung-dkar, damaru, drilbu / India)
Namgyal Tondup (vocal, dung-chen, damaru, drilbu / India)
Konchok Norbu (vocal, nga, silnyen, damaru, drilbu / India)
Pemba Lama (vocal, gyaling, damaru, drilbu / Nepal)
Martin Kuuskmann (bassoon / USA)
Lembit Traks (vocal / Estonia)
Peeter Vähi (acoustic and electronic instruments, vocal / Estonia)
Patronaged by His Holiness XXXVII Drikung Kyabgon
Lyrics in Tibetan and Sanskrit: traditional and by Jigten Sumgon (12th−13th cent)
Recorded at Estonia Concert Hall and at the Buddhist retreat-place of Klooga, 2000
Edited and mixed in Orbital Vox Studios, 2001
Engineered by Priit Kuulberg, Lauri Laagus and Radu Marinescu
Mastered by Liquid Gold Mastering, Cologne
Co-produced by Ulli A. Rützel
Paintings by Everi Vähi
Layout by Thomas Kunadt
Design by Agentur Elbblick, Hamburg
Booklet edited by Tiina Jokinen
Music arrangements, production, liner notes and photos by Peeter Vähi
Music composed on the basis of rituals and traditional tunes of Drikung Kagyu school
Published 2002 by CultureWare Music Publ, Germany
Erdenklang Records 21092
Stereo
GEMA
Manufactured in Germany
Special thanks: His Holiness XXXVII Drikung Kyabgon, Jangchub Ling monastery, Tashi Jamyangling, Drikung Kagyu Ratna Shri Centre, Konchok Jamyang, team of Orient-Festival, Franz Aumüller
A part of the profit from the present CD donated to Jangchub Ling monastery
Similar to the liturgy of the Christian church, music in Tibetan temples does not seek to offer only aesthetic enjoyment. Music is not an ultimate goal, an end in itself; it is a means of achieving something much more significant and celestial. Music is intertwined with daily routines of a monastery. Mantra recitations, ritual songs, dances and other special activities are repeated day after day, year after year.
Kagyu lineage
The founder of the Buddhist Kagyu lineage is thought to be the great guru Tilopa, who lived probably in 988–1069. Is thought to be, rather than is, because it is impossible to date the beginning of Kagyu tradition down to a year or even associate it with a certain individual. Therefore Tilopa can only tentatively be set down as the founder of the school. Tilopa was a person of extraordinary accomplishments who had obtained his knowledge in two different ways. First, he got it from gurus in various parts of India. One of Tilopa’s teachers was a direct holder of the lineage of Nagārjuna, the most famous Indian Buddhist philosopher. Tilopa’s other source of knowledge is of the revelational kind. According to Buddhist tradition he received the entire set of instructions directly from Buddhist deities such as Vajradhara and Vajrayogini. A sceptic probably would believe neither Moses’ experience on Mount Sinai nor the possibility of receiving teachings directly from Vajradhara. However, at the present moment the source of Tilopa’s knowledge, whether natural or supernatural, is not so important. Much more important is his legacy that has been handed down to us through his disciples and the disciples of his disciples. Thus the precious lineage was developed by Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa “the Translator”, Milarepa, Gampopa, Jigten Sumgon... Nowadays there are four major and eight minor lineages in the Kagyu school. The largest one is Karma Kagyu, but in this context we shall focus mainly on Drikung Kagyu. Here I consider it my duty to point out that, unlike some other religions, the division into different schools in Tibetan Buddhism is not so much due to doctrinal differences, but to individual characteristics of the lineage gurus. Therefore Tibetan sects complement each other rather than compete.
His Eminence Druwang Rinpoche
It was in 1997 in the city of Leh on the upper Indus when my two travelling companions and I had the honour to meet the Venerable Druwang Rinpoche, an outstanding Tibetan yogi of the Drikung Kagyu school, and to receive his blessings to our imminent trip through Buddhist monasteries high up in the Himalaya Mountains. His piercing glance has been burned into my memory for ever. It was evident that for him everything was already clear...
Druwang Rinpoche (1921–2007) was born in Tibet and as a child settled in Drikung Thil monastery. Later he studied in a Buddhist academy, majoring in Mahāyāna philosophy. Thereafter he has twice been in Hermitage (12 years at a time!). During that time he achieved supreme Mahāmudra. Due to his enlightened state of mind he has often been compared to the legendary Tibetan yogi Milarepa. From time to time His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama even asks Druwang Rinpoche for advice and instructions. About him films have been made and articles written.
In his teachings Rinpoche underlines the importance of the philosophical ties between cause and consequence, as well as compassion towards all living beings. He states that although the majority of people see karma as a mere theory, it is actually an absolute and functioning law, which he can vouch for based on his personal experience.
Now in his eighties Rinpoche had before 1999 never travelled abroad, though thousands of Buddhists in numerous countries had been yearning for his visit and receiving initiations from him. Up to this time he had rejected all invitations as his poor physical state did not allow him to undertake lengthy trips. In his own words he upholds his body merely by his meditative force. He has been heard to mention that he would go into nirvāna in 1993. Only the pleas of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His Holiness Drikung Chetsang Rinpoche convinced him to remain among us for a few more years.
Download: HE Druwang Rinpoche, photo by P Vähi, jpg, 300 dpi, 1535 KB
Patron of the recording: His Holiness the 37th Drikung Kyabgon
The spiritual head of Drikung Kagyu School is His Holiness Drikung Chetsang Rinpoche, who was born to a prominent family in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, in 1947. In 1950, the 3-year-old boy was recognized as the 37th incarnation of the Drikung Kyabgon. Two years later he received the ordination from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. In the 1970s he escaped to Northern India and established the Drikung Kagyu Institute in Dehra Dun. Since then he has actively promoted the Kagyu teachings outside Tibet – in India, Ladakh, North America, Far East and Europe. A world tour titled “Tibetan Mystical Music and Dance” is one of the projects that His Holiness has launched to promote Tibetan culture and religion in the world. In autumn 1999 His Holiness called 13 Tibetan monks from different countries to Jangchub Ling monastery to put together a program for Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, the USA, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Latvia and Estonia. Rehearsals of rituals, chants, music and dances took place at a time when I happened to stay in Jangchub Ling monastery. Thus I had the opportunity to observe the preparation of the tour for over a week.
Ritual chant
Tibetan sacred texts are recited singing, chanting, or sometimes even voiceless. There are at least four vocal styles in use in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. The basic difference between them is the way in which the sounds are created. Chants may be sung using the normal sound, which is the everyday voice used for speaking and singing. Chanting in an extremely low voice is, however, more common. Sometimes it is difficult to believe that it is possible for a human being to produce such deep sounds. Technically, overtonal guttural singing is the most complex. Two or three different sounds can be distinguished simultaneously: a basic tone and one or two overtones, which somehow seem to be unnaturally forced and emphasised. Although the monks’ overtonal guttural chanting is most unusual, it cannot be claimed to be unique. Similar types of singing are practiced by other peoples, including the Tuvinians and the Yakuts, both in “Russian” Asia. The strained glottal way of singing does not allow for complicated melodies. Archaic recitative tunes usually range from three to five notes. A later influence of Tibetan folk songs has expanded the scope of melodies to a 7-tone scale.
Among other ritual texts recited there are, of course, mantras. This puts me in a difficult position, because no written explanation of these magic spells that I have come across has hit the point of the issue and probably neither can I. In the context of Tantric Buddhism mantras have usually been defined as incantations, magical formulas or verbal symbols that, when repeated continuously, will bring one to a higher state of mind, if not even lead to the very enlightenment. While reciting mantras, it is important not to “just do it” – this would have no results. One must achieve a state of meditation where the chanting of spells helps the practitioner to switch off the ordinary world around him or her; in this state every sound you hear is perceived as a mantra and every object is seen as an emanation of a deity. On the next level mantra becomes a manifestation of the corresponding deity – in other words, a verbal symbol becomes identical with the deity. In Tibetan Buddhist practice mantras are recited on a daily basis, often for hours on end.
Musical instruments
Dung-chen is the largest trumpet-like instrument used in Tibetan Buddhist ritual music. These instruments are generally between 2 and 3 m in length, but may be as long as 4.5 m. The telescopic tube is made of copper or brass, and the more expensive instruments are decorated with spectacular engravings. To be played, the large instrument usually is fixed on a wooden stand. The dung-chen, most-often found in the Himalayas and other mountainous areas, creates an extremely low bass sound. When played with its funnel turned in the direction of high mountains, it produces a tremendous echo effect. The very low sound of the dung-chen undoubtedly has an influence on a human being’s physiological and psychological conditions. Presumably, there is even a cosmic effect. It is said, the infrasound frequencies of the dung-chen can unite Heaven and Earth, Light and Darkness. This instrument is not primarily used for melodies, but for the basic tone and occasionally for octaves as overtones. In order to get a continuous sound, the instruments are always used in pairs, and the two players must not simultaneously pause for breath. The low sound of the dung-chen can be heard when important lamas arrive at, or leave, the monastery, at dawn and sunset, before the beginning of rituals and on some other important occasions.
The principle of generating sound with the kang-dung or kang-ling, another wind instrument, is similar to that of trumpet. Originally, this instrument was made of a thighbone of a young girl who had, preferably, died a virgin. This is because the sound of the kang-dung symbolizes purity; therefore the instrument was to be pure. Today these trumpets are made of metal. The kang-dung, usually used in pairs, intervenes in short passages for which notations are written in the so-called wrathful rituals.
D
ung-kar is a ritual wind instrument of Indian origin, made of a conch shell. Already known in India during the Vedic era (around 1500 BC), it has been used ever since in sacred, folk and military music. The dung-kar has always been regarded as a sacred object. In Indian mythology, it is known as Vishnu’s weapon. The dung-kar has a mystic timbre and a hollow, deep vibrating tone. Its sound symbolizes purity and devotion. Its sanctity is so universal that is used as a ritual instrument in the Vedic religion, Hinduism and Jainism, as well as in Hinayāna, Mahāyāna and Tantric Buddhism. The instrument can be played in two ways – either by blowing through a hole that is drilled at the top of the conch or by putting a special brass mouthpiece in the same hole and blowing through it. The sound of the conch is considered a good omen and its purpose is to announce the beginning of prayer or to mark the peaceful nature of a ritual.
Gyaling is a close relative of the oboe. The instrument is a conical wooden tube with a metal funnel at one end and a metal tube with a double-reed mouthpiece at the other. The tube has 7 holes on its top and a single hole at the rear. The gyaling is mostly played with the so-called circular respiration technique, which permits continuous emission of sound without having to pause for breath. Complicated melodies can be played on this musical instrument, but skill and tenacity are required. Consequently, no beginner is trusted to play the gyaling. In folk music and other types of secular music gyaling can be used as a solo instrument, but in ritual music it can only be played in pairs, often in ensemble with 2 dung-chens, or as a part of the temple orchestra. Due to its piercing nasal timbre, the gyaling can even be distinguished amid the sound of many loud drums.
Drilbu, which is of Indian origin, may be considered either a musical instrument or a cult object. In combination with the dorje, it plays a major role in Vajrayāna Buddhist rituals. The drilbu is a bronze, copper or silver bell. The total length with its handle is approximately 20 cm. When played, the bell is always held in the left hand. When the handbell is shaken, the clapper inside it creates a high piercing sound that symbolizes ultimate transcendental wisdom.
Damaru is a small, hourglass-shaped hand drum that is used in many parts of Asia. As the legend tells, this drum consists of parts of two human skulls. It is said that the dead whose skulls have been made into drum speak to us in the language of the sounds of a damaru. According to a Hindu belief, the universe was created by Shiva with the help of a damaru. As a folk instrument, this Indian drum is also common in Tibet and Nepal. The damaru used during Lamaist rituals is different in construction. These drums have 2 small leather balls attached, sometime with female pubic hairs in one of the balls and male pubic hairs in the other, symbolizing the unity of male and female principles. When the drum is swung, the balls begin to oscillate, hitting the leather membrane, create a heavy rattling sound.
Nga is a large ritual drum with two membranes. Although the nga is only about 20 cm wide, it has a low droning sound, owing to the large diameter of the membranes. The body of the drum and the skins are usually richly decorated with Buddhist symbols. A bent piece of wood, in the shape of a question mark, is used as a drumstick.
The silnyen and rolmo are cymbals. In sacred music, they can be used in two different ways: either to provide particular emphasis in orchestra performances or to create a low monotonous background to text recitation. While beaten, they are held horizontally, in contrast to the Western-style cymbal playing.
Author of the lyrics: Great Lord Drikungpa – Jigten Sumgon
Countless years ago, Jigten Sumgon was born as the cakravartin Tsibkyi Mukhyu. He was the father of a thousand princes, but renounced the kingdom and became known as the tathāgata Lurik Dronma. Although he had already attained enlightenment, he reappeared later as the bodhisattva Kunsar Wangkur Gyalpo. At the time of Buddha Kaśyapa, he appeared as the potter Gakyong, and at the time of Buddha Śākyamuni, as the impeccable Licchavi, who was inseparable from Buddha himself. Later, the famous Buddhist philosopher Nagārjuna was an incarnation of him.
Eventually Jigten Sumgon was born to a noble family of the Kyura clan in Tibet. He learned the teachings of Yamāntaka from his father, and became expert in reading and writing by the age of four. From his uncle, the great Radreng Gomchen, the Reverend Khorwa Lungkhyer, lama Lhopa Dorje Nyingpo, and others, he learned many sutras, tantras, the teachings of Guhyasamāja and all the teachings of Kadampa tradition.
After taking the abbot’s seat at the monastery, Jigten Sumgon insisted on a strict observance of monastic discipline. One day, some monks said, “We are nephews of Milarepa and should be allowed to drink beer-like chang.” Saying this, they drank. When Jigten Sumgon counseled them, they replied, “You yourself should keep the discipline of not harming others.” Phagmo Drupa then appeared in a vision to Jigten Sumgon and said to him, “Leave this old, silken seat and go to the north. There you will benefit many sentient beings.” Then he came to Drikung Thil, and established Drikung Jangchub Ling, the largest monastery and the main seat of the Drikungpa.
At the age of 75 in the year of the fire-ox, Jigten Sumgon entered parinirvāna in order to encourage lazy ones to the Dharma. His body was cremated. Gods created clouds of offerings and flowers rained from the sky to the level of one’s knees. His skull was totally untouched by the fire and his brain appeared as the mandala of the 62 deities of Cakrasamvara. His heart, also untouched by the fire, turned to a beautiful golden colour. This showed that he was an incarnation of the Buddha himself.
Distribution in Estonia by Easy-Living Music, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , www.easylivingmusic.ee, in Germany and worldwide by DA Music, in Japan by Amazon and iTunes
See other records of Peeter Vähi: Maria Magdalena, Supreme Silence, Tamula Fire Collage, The Path To The Heart Of Asia, Handbell Symphony, Sounds Of The Silver Moon
See other records of Martin Kuuskmann produced by ERP: Nonstop, Bassoon Concertos
Eesti Riiklik Sümfooniaorkester
Estonia Kontserdisaalis
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
at Estonia Concert Hall
Toivo Nahkur
Neeme Järvi
Released in Dec 2010.
| Pyotr Tchaikovsky | Piano Concerto No 2 in G major, Op 44 | ||
| 1 | Allegro brillante | 22:06 | |
| 2 | Andante non troppo | 13:11 | |
| 3 | Finale. Allegro con fuoco | 7:53 | |
| Ludwig van Beethoven | Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op 58 | ||
| 4 | Allegro moderato | 18:49 | |
| 5 | Andante con moto | 4.35 | |
| 6 | Rondo. Vivace | 9:42 |
Tchaikovsky. Piano Concerto No 2, Mov I, fragm, 2 min 51 sec, mp3
Beethoven. Piano Concerto No 4, Mov III, fragm, 1 min 21 sec, mp3
Recorded (live) in Estonia Concert Hall on May 29th, 1974 (#1–3) and Oct 26th, 1972 (#4–6)
Engineered by Aili Jõeleht and Mati Brauer / Estonian Radio
Restored by Raul Aan
Design by Arvo-Artur Palu
Special thanks to Estonian Cultural Endowment
Stereo
ERP 4410
© 2010 Toivo Nahkur, Neeme Järvi, ERP
Toivo Nahkur (1947) was born in a family of teachers in Lääne-Virumaa, Estonia and got his first piano lessons from his father.
In spring 1963 Toivo Nahkur continued his studies in Prof Bruno Lukk’s (1909−1991) piano class at the newly-opened Tallinn High School of Music. He took a parallel course in composition with Harri Otsa. “I feel awfully sorry that my composing later came to a standstill”, Toivo Nahkur says. “It contributed a lot to the development of thinking, for example in the ability to read a musical piece from the score in my mind’s eye (without the piano) and be able to do it as coherently as playing it on the piano. Later on, music was always ready in me before coming to the fingers − a score and playing it through with my eyes, so to speak, was enough. This ability has greatly helped me in my teaching work. I no longer had problems with musical imagination. I learnt to improvise and mentally find musical figures on the piano. I learnt to think in the linear way, although I sometimes also composed harmonically.”
In 1972 Toivo Nahkur graduated from Prof Bruno Lukk’s piano class at the Tallinn State Conservatoire. From 1974 until 1977, he took a post-graduate course in Moscow, supervised by Prof Maria Grinberg (1908−1978) at the Gnessins’ Music Pedagogical Institute. From 1972 he was a lecturer at the Estonian Academy of Music, from 1974 also at Tallinn High School of Music.
By now, Toivo Nahkur has been teaching piano at the Academy for 34 years, and has had students at the High School of Music for just as long. Over 70 students altogether have graduated from his class. He has lectured on the history of pianism for half of this period. In the course of twenty-five years from 1972 to 1998 Toivo Nahkur gave over 300 concerts in Estonia and other parts of the former Soviet Union, performing also in Finland, Austria, Germany, Spain, France and elsewhere.
Ever since he stopped performing (his last performance was in Finland in 1998), his main activity has been teaching. His students have received numerous awards at international competitions, their debut concerts have taken place in New York Carnegie Hall, in Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, etc. Toivo Nahkur’s son Hando Nahkur is also an outstanding pianist.
Neeme Järvi (1937), one of the most outstanding conductors of the world, is an Estonian-born. He studied music first in Tallinn, and later in Leningrad with Yevgeni Mravinsky. In his early career he held posts of Chief Conductor of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and the Estonian National Opera in Tallinn. In 1971 he won first prize in the International Conductors Competition at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. In 1980 he migrated to the United States.
In 1982 Neeme Järvi became the Principal Conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra retaining this post for 22 years. Under his leadership the reputation and the size of the orchestra greatly increased. He held his post in Gothenburg until 2004 after which he became the Principal Conductor Emeritus of the orchestra.
Concurrently, he was also Principal Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra from 1984 to 1988. In 2006 the orchestra named him their Conductor Laureate.
In USA, Järvi became Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 1990. He served until 2005 and is now its Music Director Emeritus.
In 2005 he became Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra working with it for several seasons. In March 2009, the NJSO named him their Conductor Laureate.
In Sep 2005, Järvi took up the post of Chief Conductor of the Residentie Orchestra of the Hague for 3 years. Further the orchestra extended his contract twice, at present also through the season 2010−2013.
In September 2010 the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande named Neeme Järvi as its 9th Artistic and Musical Director, as of 2012, with an initial contract of 3 years.
Neeme Järvi’s discography includes over 400 recordings for labels such as BIS, Chandos, and Deutsche Grammophon. He is best known for his interpretations of Romantic and the 20th century music and also the works by great Estonian composers Eduard Tubin and Arvo Pärt (whose Credo he premiered in 1968). Well known are also his interpretations of Sibelius with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, and his recordings of several works in their complete form − including Grieg’s orchestral music and the complete incidental music of Peer Gynt, as well as Tchaikovsky’s complete incidental music for Aleksandr Ostrovsky’s play The Snow Maiden, and all 3 Rimski-Korsakov’s symphonies and orchestral suites.
Neeme Järvi has 2 sons (conductors Kristjan Järvi and Paavo Järvi) and a daughter (flautist Maarika Järvi).
The Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (ERSO) traces its roots back to 1926, to the first concert broadcast by Tallinn Radio. For decades, the ERSO has been the sole professional symphony orchestra in Estonia. Today the orchestra has 100 musicians. The average season includes 60 concerts.
The ERSO records music for Estonian Radio regularly, and has also worked with such recording companies as: Virgin Classics, Alba Records, BIS, Antes Edition, Globe, Signum, Ondine, Warner Classics / Finlandia Records, ERP, Melodija and others.
Previous ERSO performances abroad have included Yehudi Menuhin’s festival Gstaad Musiksommer in Switzerland, the Europamusicale festival in Munich, Germany, and performances in the Grand Hall of the St Petersburg Philharmonic, the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory; concerts in Germany, Italy, Finland, Sweden, Kuwait, Bulgaria, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, and elsewhere.
Conductors: Igor Stravinski, Kurt Sanderling, Arvids and Māris Jansons, Kurt Mazur, Jevgeni Svetlanov, Paavo Berglund, Leif Segerstam, Yuri Temirkanov, Nikolai Alexeev, Neeme Järvi, Paavo Järvi, Kristjan Järvi, Eri Klas, Muhai Tang, Gilbert Kaplan, En Shao, Jorma Panula, Andres Mustonen, and many others. Guest artists: José Carreras, David and Igor Oistrakh, Gidon Kremer, Tatiana Grindenko, Liana Issakadze, Vladimir Spivakov, Viktor Tretiakov, Sergei Stadler, Yuri Bashmet, Natalia Gutman, Emil Gilels, Boris Berman, Olli Mustonen, Peter Donohoe, Kalle Randalu and many others.
See also other piano recordings by ERP: Waltzing Mephisto by the Danube, Keyboard Juggleress, Deus Ex Clavier, Enter Denter, Heino Eller, Estonian Preludes, Northern Lights Sonata, The Well-tempered Clavier I, Sergei Rahmaninov. Piano Works
See also other recordings of Neeme Järvi by ERP: series Great Maestros, 100 Years Of Estonian Symphony, OSR Neeme Järvi
PEETER VÄHI
TAMULA FIRE COLLAGE
Double CD: over 1.5 h music composed and arranged for a firework event.
| CD I #1 | The Flutish Kingdom | 15:34 |
| CD I #2 | Being And Nothingness In Kostabi’s Atelier | 25:12 |
| CD II #1 | Saatus / Fate | 21:55 |
| CD II #2 | 2000 Years After The Birth Of Christ | 27:28 |
Performed by: Neeme Punder – flutes (I, #1), Siiri Sisask – vocal (I, #2), Kirile Loo – vocal (II, #1), Early Music Consort Hortus Musicus / artistic director Andres Mustonen (II, #2), Kaia Urb – soprano (II, #2), the soloists of Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (I, #2), Igor Tõnurist – Jew’s harp, straw whistle, vocal (II, #1), Tuule Kann – kannel / psaltery (II, #1), Peter Finger – guitar (II, #1), Boris Salchak – vocal, shaman drum (II, #1), Mongush Mergen – vocal (I, #2), a nightingale of Estonian forests (I, #1), the bass group of Estonian National Male Choir RAM / conductor Kristjan Järvi, English Handbell Ensemble Arsis / conductor Aivar Mäe (I, #1), The Bad Orchestra (II, #2), Peeter Vähi – electronics, percussion, background vocals
Lyrics: trad (II, #1), German Christian poets of 16–18th cent (II, #2), Siiri Sisask (II, #1)
Recorded at the studios of Estonian Radio and Tallinn City Hall (Matrix Audio Studio), 1990–1999
Mastered at the studio of Estonian Academy of Music
Engineered by Teet Kehlmann, Priit Kuulberg, Rauno Remme
Photos by Ann Tenno, Jaanus Heinla, Tõnu Tormis, F G Hoephner
Commissioned by P & P Firework Centre
Published by Erdenklang (Germany) and Edition 49 (Germany)
Stereo
Salumuusik CD-1054
Rating at 
− the biggest database of audio recording: 5 / 5
Tamula Fire Collage is like a summary of Peeter Vähi’s projects of the 90ties in co-operation with various musicians of classical and early music, also ethno and rock. It is indeed a multiple collage – fragments of old recordings are mixed together with the most recent abstracts, acoustic sounds are in confusion with the electronic world of sounds, it is a meeting place for Fire and Music, Heaven and Water, New York and a little-known country called Maarjamaa (in Estonian ‘Virgin Mary’s Land’)...
The Flutish Kingdom: partly based on the melodies of Jacob van Eyck, a blind flautist of 17th cent. Co-arranger Neeme Punder.
Being And Nothingness In Kostabi’s Atelier: inspired by Mark Kostabi’s paintings The Cellist, For Love Or Money, Being And Nothingness In The Artist’s Atelier, Modern Times, Lovers, Automatic Painting, and Classic Decision. Lyrics and vocal arrangements by Siiri Sisask.
CD I #2, Being and Nothingness in Kostabi’s Atelier, fragm, 3 min 53 sec, mp3, 320 Kbps CD II #1, Saatus / Fate, fragm, 3 min 53 sec, mp3, 320 Kbps
See also other recordings of Siiri Sisask: Being And Nothingness In Kostabi’s Atelier, PS Best Regards From Tallinn And Moscow, Rahuriik
Saatus / Fate: partly based on Estonia folk tunes, trad lyrics (Cross Dance and Let’s Go, Men!) in different Estonian dialects, vocal arrangements by Kirile Loo.
2000 Years After The Birth Of Christ: lyrics by the German Christian poets of 17th−18th centuries – Martin Luther, Benjamin Schmolck, and Gerhard Tersteegen.
FRIDRICH BRUK
THE HAND OF GOD
“It is honest music, written from the heart.” (Journal Star, 29.06.03, USA)
CD 1
| Christmas oratorio The Hand Of God | ||
| 1 | Peace, Peace, Peace | 5:02 |
| 2 | The Birth Of The Saviour | 4:25 |
| 3 | The Journey To Bethlehem | 7:09 |
| 4 | The Fields Of Bethlehem | 7:30 |
| 5 | Gloria | 2:37 |
| 6 | At The Manger | 4:31 |
| 7 | Peace, Peace, Peace | 5:15 |
| Symphony No 1 for orchestra and trombone (1998) | ||
| 8 | Andante sostenuto | 8:12 |
| 9 | Larghetto | 5:25 |
| 10 | Con moto e pensiero | 7:39 |
CD 2
| Symphony No 2 for orchestra and piano (1999) | ||
| 1 | Sostenuto e tenebroso | 17:15 |
| 2 | Vivo | 11:33 |
| 3 | Largo | 15:27 |
| 4 | Sonata for piano No 2 (2002) | 13:04 |
CD I #1–7 performed by Girls’ choir Ellerhein, conductor Tiia-Ester Loitme, narrator the Very Reverend Gustav Piir, Dean of Tallinn, Grete Koik (Mary, sopr), Taavi Tampu (Joseph, bar), Marianne Jõgi (Angel, sopr), Neeme Punder, Jaanika Vilipo (recorders), Katrin Kuldjärv (piano), Igor Garshnek (keyboards), Kristjan Mäeots, Kaspar Eisel (perc)
CD I #8–10 performed by Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, conductor Paul Mägi, Heikki Kalaus (trombone)
CD II #1–3 performed by Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, conductor Paul Mägi, Mati Mikalai (piano)
CD II #4 performed by Bruce Polay
CD II, #2, Symphony No 2, Vivo, fragm, 79 sec, mp3, 160 Kbps
Engineered by: Priit Kuulberg
Recorded: in 2003 at Estonia Concert Hall, the Hall of Merchants’ Guild, Studio Chicago Inc
Edited by Marika Scheer / Estonian Radio
Photos by Nadezhda Bruk, private collections
Designed by Piret Mikk according to the ideas of Nadezhda & Fridrich Bruk
Produced by Peeter Vähi (#1–10, CD I; #1–3, CD II) and Studio Chicago Inc (#4, CD II)
© 2003 ERP
Manufactured by Sony DADC Austria
503
Fridrich Bruk, born in Kharkov, the Ukraine, 1937. At the age of 6 his mother became a victim of tragic events of the WW II, leaving Fridrich at the custody of grandparents. 1956 Bruk graduated with a silver medal from the Music College of Kharkov Conservatory and in 1961 with honours from Leningrad Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory as composer. He is married to choral conductor Nadezhda Bruk. Since 1974 the couple have been living in Finland.
Fridrich Bruk has composed opera, 9 symphonies, chamber music, music for theatres and films and teaching repertoire as well as popular songs. He has been awarded the Cross of Merit of the Order of the Lion of Finland, 1988; the artists’ supplementary pension of the Finnish state, 1998; different Finnish grants and scholarships.
Symphonies by Bruk in many ways further develop the line of Alban Berg – Dmitri Shostakovich. His creative interest in Jewish folklore makes him close to Shostakovich and Prokofjev.
Discography: Compositions by Fridrich Bruk, 1993; Lyrical Images, 1994; From Kalevala, 1994; The Snowdrop, 1996; Dialogues, 1996; Artist Chagall, 2002; A Wandering Minstrel; Nordic Legends, 2007.
Christmas oratorio The Hand Of God was commissioned for the Nokia town in 2002 and had its premier performance by the students of the music classes in the church of Nokia on November 29, the same year. The libretto was written by pastor Pertti Luumi (1939) who has worked for many years as the general secretary of the youth centre in Finnish Evangelic Lutheran Church.
Download the vocal parts of the oratorio (the full score available on ERP).
I Peace, Peace, Peace
Rauha, rauha, rauha
jo tullut päälle maan!
Taas tulkoot taivaan enkelit
rauhassa laulamaan!
Rauha, rauha, rauha
jo tulkoon päälle maan
Taas tulkoot taivaan enkelit
rauhasta laulamaan!
Kuin paimenien keto
on koti jokaisen.
Myös siellä kuulla voimme
sanoma enkelten.
Siis laula, sydämeni,
nyt laula elämän.
Et ole enää yksin,
vierelläs’ kulkee Hän.
Toivo, toivo, toivo
jo aamu valkenee.
On uusi päivä päivältä
pimeys pakenee.
Kun sydämesi avaat
nyt Joulun Lapselle.
Niin rakkaus ja lämpö
annetaan sinulle.
Usko, usko, osko!
Saat nähdä Jumalan!
Jo taivaan Herran kunnia
kaikuvat ääret maan.
Siis laula, sydämeni,
laulua Elamän.
Et ole enää yksin,
vierelläs’ kulkee Hän.
II The Birth of the Saviour
Syntymää Vapahtajan
oljille halvan majan
tulemme katsomaan.
Syntymää Vapahtajan,
alkua uuden ajan,
nyt käymme kaikki
juhlimaan.
Äitinsä ensimmäistä,
pilttiä pienimmäistä
seimessä hoidetaan.
Sä karitsa ja aasi,
nyt katso Jumalaasi:
Hän nukkuu olkivuoteellaan.
Maria äiti armain,
ja Joosef, isä parhain
valvovat pienoistaan.
On äidin mieli hellä
ja isan sydämellä
soi ilo, ilo lauluaan.
Syntymää Vapahtajan
oljille halvan majan
tulemme katsomaan.
Syntymää Vapahtajan,
alkua uuden ajan,
nyt käymme kaikki
juhlimaan.
III The Journey To Bethlehem
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was Governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
Miten pitkä on matka?
Miten raskas on tie?
On kaukana Betlehem,
Missä se lie?
Minä jaksanko kanssasi
kulkea tien?
Jos lapseni syntyy,
Mihin hänet mä vien?
Minä kanssasi kuljen
näytän sinulle tien.
Ole rauhassa rakkain,
sinut perille vien.
Tule, yhdessä kuljemme
Betlehemiin,
Betlehemiin et sinä,
ei lapsi jää vaikeuksiin.
Sinä lupaathän, Joosef,
sinä lupaathän sen:
Tuot takaisin minut,
tuot pienokaisen?
Mikä lieneekin kotinsa
tuntematon,
nyt lähdemme matkaan,
nyt kiire jo on.
Tovin jaksathan vielä
tuolla kaupungin näät.
Pian saavumme sinne
sinä lepäämään jäät.
On syntymäpaikka
myös pienokaisen
tämä kaupunki sukumme
Kuninkaiden.
Pidä kiirettä, Joosef,
minun aikani on.
Hae yösija meille,
vaikka vaatimaton.
Älä hellitä! Kolkuta!
Vaadi sä vain!
kohta jo iloita
pienosestain.
IV The Fields of Bethlehem
While they were there, the time came for Mary to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. In that regio there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Tähdet kirkkaat loistaa yössä.
katsoo taivaaltanasa kuu.
Paimenet vain ovat työssä,
nukkuu lampaat, luonto muu.
Mikä rikkoo öistä rauhaa?
Miksi tähdet kalpenee?
Soitto ihmeellinen pauhaa,
sitä kaikki kuuntelee.
Päivä paistaa kesken yötä,
valo silmät häikäisee.
Loiston kirkkauden myötä
Enkel’ ääni helisee:
Turhaa pelko! Rauha Teille!
Kuunnelkoon nyt koko maa!
Annetu on työksi meille
viesti suuri kuuluttaa.
Tänä yönä Vapahtaja
maailmaan on syntynyt.
Kotinansa karjamaja,
siellä nukkuu lapsi nyt.
Äidin hellät kädet laittoi
hänet seimeen nukkumaan.
Isä peitoksensa taittoi
lämpimiä vaatteitaan.
Nouskaa, menkää kiiruhtakaa!
Teitä hän jo odotaa.
Mennessänne julistakaa
tätä ilosanomaa.
V Gloria
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host, praising God and saying,
Jumalamme kunniaa, kunniaa, kunniaa
Avaruudet kuuluttaa, kuuluttaa, kuuluttaa.
Ihmisiä rakastaa, rakastaa, rakastaa,
Rauhan maahan rakentaa, rakentaa, rakentaa.
Hallelujaa, laulakaa, laulakaa, laulakaa
Jumalalle koko maa, koko maa, koko maa!
VI At the Manger
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.
Katsoo äiti onnellinen
katsoo isä poikaansa.
Rauha, hyvyys ihmeellinen
loistaa lapsen kasvoista.
Katselevat härkä ja aasi,
pienokaista seimessään.
Eivät muista ihmeissänsä
heiniänsä, einestään..
Paimenien kertomusta
tallissa nyt kuunnellaan.
Vaikka yhä yö on musta,
aamu tekee tuloaan.
Aamuun asti valvoo äiti.
Sydän hellä aprikoi:
„Mitä kaikki, minkä kuulin
tullessansa tuoda voi.
Iloa ja kärsimystä
kuuluu joka elamään.
Anna herra ymmärrystä
tehtäväni täyttämään.
Enkeleitä olkoon aina
ympärillä lapseni.
Herra, sydämeeni paina
usko, toivo, rauhasi“.
Katsoo äiti onnellinen
katsoo isä poikaansa.
Rauha, hyvyys ihmeellinen
loistaa lapsen kasvoista.
Katselevat härkä ja aasi,
pienokaista seimessään.
Eivät muista ihmeissänsä
heiniänsä, einestään.
VII Peace, Peace, Peace
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Rauha, rauha, rauha
jo tullut päälle maan!
Taas tulkoot taivaan enkelit
rauhassa laulamaan!
Rauha, rauha, rauha
jo tulkoon päälle maan
Taas tulkoot taivaan enkelit
rauhasta laulamaan!
Kuin paimenien keto
on koti jokaisen.
Myös siellä kuulla voimme
sanoma enkelten.
Siis laula, sydämeni,
nyt laula elämän.
Et ole enää yksin,
vierelläs’ kulkee Hän.
Toivo, toivo, toivo
jo aamu valkenee.
On uusi päivä päivältä
pimeys pakenee.
Kun sydämesi avat
nyt Joulun Lapselle.
Niin rakkaus ja lämpö
annetaan sinulle.
Usko, usko, osko!
Saat nähdä Jumalan!
Jo taivaan Herran kunnia
kaikuvat ääret maan.
Siis laula, sydämeni,
laulua Elamän.
Et ole enää yksin,
vierelläs’ kulkee Hän.
Symphony No 1 (1998) has been inspired by tragic events in the Civil War of Finland and is at the same time an ode to the beauty of Finnish nature.
Symphony No 2 (1999) expresses the joy of human life and multitude of emotions using elements of jazz as well as virtuosity.
Sonata for piano No 2 (2002) is dedicated to an American pianist Bruce Polay who has also done the recording of it. This romantic work in the form of sonata-allegro is dashing with virtuosity. According to the composer’s own words he tries to revive Liszt’s tradition with the concert piece in the modern musical language.
Tiia-Ester Loitme, chief conductor of Ellerhein, graduated from Estonian Academy of Music in 1965 under the supervision of Prof Gustav Ernesaks. For her contribution to Estonian music culture she has been awarded several Orders of Merit. Grammy Award 2004 for the CD “Jean Sibelius: Cantatas”.
Girls’ choir Ellerhein was founded on Sep 14th, 1951 by Prof Heino Kaljuste. Later it was renamed Ellerhein. Today its chief conductor is Tiia-Ester Loitme. Especially during the recent years the choir has won several international competitions.
The Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (ERSO) traces its roots back to December 18, 1926, to the first concert broadcast by Tallinn Radio. The ensemble’s ranks grew steadily, and by 1939 the Radio Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra included 39 performers. In 1939, one of Estonia’s most outstanding musical figures of the day, Olav Roots, accepted the role of orchestra director. With Roots as director, the orchestra continued to perform symphonies in Tallinn throughout the WW II period. In 1942 a sinfonietta was formed of those musicians mobilized to Yaroslavl. It was with this sinfonietta that the distinguished conductor Roman Matsov began his career. In Autumn 1944, having returned to Tallinn, the sinfonietta united with the Radio Symphony Orchestra. In the post-war years, the orchestra was directed by Leo Tauts, Sergei Prohhorov and Roman Matsov, who was principal conductor from 1950–63. By 1956 the orchestra had 90 members. Neeme Järvi joined the Estonian Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1960, where he continued as principal conductor from 1963–79. Under Neeme Järvi’s direction, the orchestra’s repertoire expanded markedly, as did its activities. In 1975 the orchestra was renamed the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. One year later, the ERSO co-operated with Estonian TV and Radio to present the regular concert series “Studio Hour with the ERSO” featuring classics as well as new works by Estonian composers. From 1980–90, Peeter Lilje was appointed principal conductor. From the season 2001/2002 the principal conductor and music director of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra is a renowned performer of St Petersburg’s new school of conductors, Nikolai Alexeev. For decades, the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra has been the sole professional symphony orchestra in Estonia. Today the orchestra has 100 musicians. The average season includes 60 concerts.
The ERSO records music for Estonian Radio regularly, and has also worked with such recording companies as: Virgin Classics, Alba Records, BIS, Antes Edition, Globe, Signum, Ondine, Warner Classics / Finlandia Records, ERP, Melodija and others.
Previous ERSO performances abroad have included Yehudi Menuhin’s festival Gstaad Musiksommer in Switzerland, the Europamusicale festival in Munich, Germany, and performances in the Grand Hall of the St Petersburg Philharmonic, the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory; concerts in Germany, Sweden, Kuwait, Bulgaria, Rumania, Italy, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and elsewhere.
Conductors: Igor Stravinski, Kurt Sanderling, Arvids and Māris Jansons, Kurt Mazur, Jevgeni Svetlanov, Paavo Berglund, Leif Segerstam; Yuri Temirkanov, Nikolai Alexeev, Neeme Järvi, Paavo Järvi, Kristjan Järvi, Muhai Tang, Gilbert Kaplan, En Shao, John Storgards, Rolf Gupta, Gintaras Rinkevičius, Jorma Panula, Olari Elts, Tõnu Kaljuste, Paul Mägi, Andres Mustonen, and many others. Guest artists: José Carreras, Montserrat Caballe, David and Igor Oistrakh, Gidon Kremer, Tatiana Grindenko, Liana Issakadze, Vladimir Spivakov, Viktor Tretiakov, Sergei Stadler, Yuri Bashmet, Natalia Gutman, Arto Noras, David Geringas, Gennady Zut, Emil Gilels, Boris Berman, Olli Mustonen, Håkan Hagegard, Peter Donohoe, Thomas Indermühle, Frederic Chiu, Kalle Randalu and many others.
Download: Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, photo by Jarek Jõepera, jpg, 300 dpi, 1300 KB
Paul Mägi, a conductor, has been the founder of Estonian Radio Chamber Orchestra and chief conductor and artistic director of the Estonian National Opera and the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. He has given guest performances all over the world and is praised by critics for his style and sensitivity. For his contribution to music culture in Estonia and elsewhere Paul Mägi has received numerous awards.
Heiki Kalaus (1950) graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music in 1974 under the supervision by Prof Paul Karp. 1977–80 he completed his studies at St Petersburg Conservatory named after Rimsky-Korsakov. He is a professor of the Estonian Academy of Music.
Mati Mikalai (1971) has graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music. He has won a number of international competitions. Mati Mikalai has also performed together with Gidon Kremer and Kremerata Baltica. Currently he is teaching at the Estonian Academy of Music.
Dr Bruce Polay (1949) – a pianist, composer and conductor, has been music director and conductor of Knox-Galesburg Symphony, USA since 1983 and a professor of music at Knox College where he is head of chair of the music department. He has performed as soloist and recitalist in Europe and USA, has served as head judge for an international piano competition and has performed in New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall.
Other recordings of Fridrich Bruk on ERP: Nordic Legends, Artist Chagall
Other recordings with Ellerhein: Missa Nona. Green Tārā, Ellerhein. Estonian Choral Music, Tormis. Nüüd Ep on ilus elada
PEETER VÄHI
SUPREME SILENCE
Estonian National Male Choir
English Handbell Ensemble Arsis
Irén Lovász
Kristjan Järvi
What is “Supreme Silence”? This is a composition that could not easily be accommodated under any style or genre. It is not a typical instrumental or vocal work. It is not Buddhist sacred music, nor is it usual for concert music. “Supreme Silence” is reminiscent of stylized Oriental music.
| 1 | Mandala Offering | 12:45 |
| 2 | Vajrasattva Mantra | 12:44 |
| 3 | The Supreme Silence | 5:52 |
| 4 | Aspiration for the “Pure Land” | 16:43 |
Performed by:
Estonian National Male Choir RAM
English Handbell Ensemble Arsis
Irén Lovász – mezzo soprano
Kristjan Järvi – conductor
Ants Soots – choral conductor
Konchok Lhundrup – dung chen, damaru, mantra recitation
Recorded in the Studio of Estonian Radio, Nov 1997
Engineered by Maido Maadik
Mastered by Markus Herzog / Syrinx Music & Media (Hamburg)
Booklet: 64 pages in German, English, French, and Tibetan languages
Translations by Ngari Thingo Rinpoche, Wangpo Bashi, Ieva Gaidulis, Judi Larsen, Ngawang Tsering, Sven Thielmann
Photos by Graham Harrison, Peeter Vähi, and University of California Press
Design by Fang Yu Liao and Thomas Kunadt
Special thanks: His Holiness Drikung Chetsang Rinpoche, NYYD Festival, Ulrich Rützel, Lembit Traks, Kai Vassiljeva
Published by CultureWare Music Publ, Germany
© 1998 CCn’C Records 00182
DDD, Stereo
Rating at − the biggest database of audio recording: 5 / 5
Supreme Silence − music beyond style and time
On the NYYD New Music Festival in 1997 and in the music program of EXPO 2000 Hannover, a new work by the composer Peeter Vähi was performed. The press reviews ranged from laudatory to downright denouncing. The work was hailed as the highest achievement or condemned as a total failure. Some reviewers fathomed its religious depth, others thought that the pseudo-religious story was there to compensate the lack of musical accomplishment. The composer was praised for his originality of ideas and the novelty of his musical language as much as critized for shameless imitation. It is very seldom that one meets such contradictory opinions from the critics.
What is Supreme Silence? This is an approximately 50-min long composition for female voice, male choir and handbell ensemble, in places supplemented by Buddhist musical instruments and discrete electronics. The subtitles give us an idea of the overall tonality: Mandala Offering, Vajrasattva Mantra, The Supreme Silence, and Aspiration For The Pure Land. The second movement is based on the traditional Sanskrit mantra, the last on Tibetan lyrics by Lord Jigten Sumgon (1143−1217). Both texts have been specially chosen by His Holiness Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, the head of the Buddhist Drikung Kagyu school. This is almost all that we know for certain about “Supreme Silence”. Everything else might be subject to debate, proof and contradiction.
What is “Supreme Silence”? This is a composition that could not easily be accommodated under any style or genre. It is not a typical instrumental or vocal work. It is not Buddhist sacred music, nor is it usual for concert music. “Supreme Silence” is reminiscent of stylised Asian music. This is reflected by the male choir resemblant of the chanting of Buddhist monks and the use of ritual instruments (Tibetan cymbals, damaru, dung chen). But it is not the stylised East, because the work relies on European and American musical tradition. It is more like stylised early music. And it is not, because it is modern music or, we could even say that it is “the music of tomorrow”. It seems to derive from traditional melodies, but they are invented by the composer. Nor is it possible to classify the work using the terms of acoustic or electronic. It sounds like Philip Glass or Steve Reich, but no, it is neither. Over the past decades a number of stylistic terms have been coined: new age, cross culture. crossover. But they do not apply, either. And what about the third movement consisting of 5 minutes of absolute silence. Is it an imitation of John Cage? Not quite. One of the principal tenets of the teaching of Buddha is the concept of shunyata or emptiness. The third movement is empty and the only musical equivalent for emptiness is Supreme Silence.
And yet, what is Supreme Silence? It is the Glasperlenspiel, so characteristic of the end of the Millennium, where the spiritual and the secular, the oriental and the occidental, the analogue and the digital systems, the past and the present seem to be interwoven. In a 1993 CD introduction to one of Vähi’s compositions it says: “... in my eyes the 2000 Years After The Birth Of Christ is like a philosophical-musical summary of the history of Europe.” And now, five years after, it seems that the composer has moved even further on the path of abstraction. Every page of the score radiates with the composer’s conviction that he is viewing “the end of world’s cultural history”. What comes next? Or does anything come at all?
Kristjan Järvi (b 1972, Tallinn, Estonia) is chief conductor of the Vienna Tonkünstler Symphony Orchestra. As a child he moved with his family to New York, where he studied piano and conducting at the Manhattan School of Music. He attended master classes in piano taught by Tatiana Nikolajeva in Salzburg. In New York in 1993, Kristjan Järvi founded the Absolute Ensemble, which today is one of the world’s leading chamber ensembles. CD recordings with Järvi and Absolute Ensemble have been nominated for a Grammy Award and won the German Record Critics’ Prize. As musical director of Absolute Ensemble, Järvi plays repertoire ranging from the 16th to the 21st century, from Baroque to rock. He is an avid explorer and advocate of contemporary music and has conducted the premières of numerous works by such composers as Daniel Schnyder, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Charles Coleman, etc. From 1998 to 2000 Kristjan Järvi was assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conducted a sensational debut with this orchestra in the Hollywood Bowl. Since the 2000−2001 season, he has been Principal Conductor of the Norrlands Operan and Symphony Orchestra in Sweden. He appears world-wide as a guest conductor of such fine symphony orchestras as the Hallé Orchestra of Manchester, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, the WDR Symphony Orchestra of Cologne, the Radio Symphony Orchestras of Berlin and Frankfurt, the Stuttgart Philharmonic, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the RAI National Symphony Orchestra of Italy, the Adelaide Symphony and the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra.
Aspiration For The Pure Land
English translation
To the west, up in the space, there is the Pure Buddha-land,
Dewachen, with Buddha Amitābha, who has fulfilled his great resolution;
he is surrounded by infinite numbers of bodhisattvas.
To these we pay homage.
May we be born in that Pure Buddha-land,
where the earth is made of precious elements, with a smooth surface, vast and boundless,
where the oceans, mountains, rivers and continents
display attributes of clarity, radiance, bliss and happiness beyond human imagination.
May we be born in that graceful land,
where the ground is covered with trees of precious elements,
where scented rivers flow, with precious lotuses floating on it,
giving off sweet fragrances, and with trees bearing flowers and fruits.
May we be born in that glorious land,
where miraculous birds make sweet sounds of the Dharma,
where the wind of bliss causes a shower of flowers,
arranging themselves smoothly and beautifully on the ground in bright lustre.
May we be born in that land, where wishes are fulfilled without effort.
There, the wood, the wind, the water and the lotus
give rise to pleasant form, sound, smell, taste and touch.
These increase the bliss and give rise to a cloud of offerings.
May we be born in that perfect realm,
where all beings are perfect and radiating,
fully endowed with 32 major and 80 minor marks of a Buddha,
filling the whole sky, listening to the profound Dharma.
May we be born in that land, which is totally free from the defects of samsāra,
where beings lacking the opportunity of practicing the Dharma do not exist even by name
where there are neither women nor birth from the womb,
where there are no impure deeds, nor even the slightest suffering.
May we be born in that land, fully endowed with supreme qualities,
where the bodies of men and celestial beings are not differentiated into male or female,
all possessing the similarly graceful body with 32 major and 80 minor marks of a Buddha,
the 5 wisdoms, 5 kinds of eyesight free of any attachment.
May we be born in that land of supreme mahāyāna teachings,
where the beings are free from the attachment to place, possession and body;
they get all the things they desire without effort,
and they enjoy the bliss of the profound mahāyāna Dharma.
May we be born in that supreme land, miraculously created,
where the beings can go to limitless numbers of other Buddha-land by the power of miracles.
Clouds of myriad kinds of offerings coming from the palm of the hand,
making offerings to all Buddhas and liberating beings from samsāra.
May we be able to see the tree of Enlightenment there
which is called “the clear radiating lotus”,
spreading over an area of 1600 pag-tse, bearing myriad of flowers and fruits.
May we be able to see the precious earth, covered with myriad kinds of flowers.
In the middle of it is a lotus with lotus stems,
bearing flowers with kesar, bright and radiating.
May we be able to see Amitābha Buddha.
There, with the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara on the right,
and the Bodhisattva Vajrapāņi on the left side,
surrounded by numerous bodhisattvas.
May we be born in that land,
with the Buddha of Infinite Light, the Buddha of Infinite Glory,
Infinite Life and Infinite Merit,
surrounded by infinite numbers of bodhisattva disciples.
Having been born from a lotus in that land,
may we develop the celestial ears and eyes,
and the power to remember our past lives, being well versed in the Dharma,
and possessing the highest wisdom and miraculous powers.
May we be able to see our protector,
the Lord of the world, Buddha Amitābha.
Having received Dharma teachings from him with great devotion,
at that moment, may we instantly attain the perfection of the 10 bodhisattva levels.
Having been prophesied by Buddha Amitābha,
we will make offerings to millions of Buddhas
and through visiting many Buddha-lands by miracles,
may we be able to make offerings to the Buddhas and liberated beings.
May we be born in that supreme land with qualities beyond human imagination.
There the outer world is beyond human imagination.
The beings there and their experiences of supreme bliss are beyond human imagination.
The Buddhas, bodhisattvas and their emanations are beyond human imagination.
At the time of my death may I be able to see Buddha Amitābha,
surrounded by his attendants; and with full devotion and mindfulness
may this vision never depart from my mind, not even for a moment.
May I die in this state of mind and be born in Dewachen miraculously.
May we be born in that land in space,
after getting a warm reception from dākas and dākinīs
through banners, umbrellas, music
and other myriad kinds of offerings.
May we be able to follow the example
of the bhikşu bodhisattva, Dharmakara,
who with his mindfulness, insight,
realisation and diligence accomplished his great aspirations.
By the blessing of the great truth of the three precious jewels,
by the blessing of the perfect reality of Dharmadhatu,
by the power of the unfailing cause and effect of the relative truth,
and by the power of bodhicitta
and all accumulated merit and the merit to be accumulated,
may our aspirations be fulfilled with certainty.
I pray to the Lord Buddha Amitābha,
may we be looked after by the compassionate eyes of Avalokiteśvara,
may we be blessed by the powerful Vajrapāņi,
may we be led by the torchlight of wisdom.
May we be led by the light of compassion.
May we be led by the power of your Buddha activity.
In the west from here
there is the land of Buddha Amitābha.
Anyone who recites his name,
may he be born in that supreme land.
May we be born in Dewachen from a lotus,
free from the defilements of the three realms of samsāra
like the lotus untouched by the mud.
Worldwide distribution by DA-Music, Germany
Distribution in Estonia by Easy-Living Music:
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; www.easylivingmusic.ee
Distribution in Japan by Amazon
See also other recordings of Kristjan Järvi: Musica Triste, Celestials, World Festival of Sacred Music, Light, Somnium Boreale
See also other recordings of Estonian National Male Choir RAM: In the Mystical Land of Kaydara, Artist Chagall, People of Kalevala, Planetentöne Vol 2, World Festival of Sacred Music, The Best of Arsis Bells, Wagner Strauss Seeger
See also other recordings of Handbell Ensemble Arsis: Handbell Symphony, The Best of Arsis Bells, Night Music, The Flutish Kingdom, Music Box, In dies, World Festival of Sacred Music, Legend, Terra Mariana, Prelude, Quarter of a Century with Friends
See also other recordings of Peeter Vähi: Maria Magdalena, In the Mystical Land of Kaydara, A Chant of Bamboo, Handbell Symphony, The Path of Mantra, The Path to the Heart of Asia, Celestials, Tamula Fire Collage, Sounds of the Silver Moon, PS Best Regards from Tallinn and Moscow
THE FLUTISH KINGDOM
Neeme Punder
The excellent flautist Neeme Punder improvises on the variations by Jacob van Eyck in quite the same way as van Eyck himself improvised on folk melodies. In the last stage, the improvisations performed by Neeme Punder provided the basis for the electronic arrangements by Peeter Vähi.
| 1 | Pavaen Lachrymae | J van Eyck, arr by P Vähi | 7:08 |
| 2 | Ballette Gravesand | trad, arr by P Vähi & N Punder | 2:17 |
| 3 | Amarilli Mia Bella | J van Eyck, P Vähi, N Punder | 4:36 |
| 4 | Laura | J van Eyck, arr by P Vähi | 3:35 |
| 5 | Onse Vader In Hemelryck | trad, J van Eyck, P Vähi | 2:16 |
| 6 | De Eerste Licke-Pot | J van Eyck, arr by P Vähi | 3:14 |
| 7 | The Flutish Kingdom | trad, arr by P Vähi, N Punder | 4:13 |
| 8 | Questa Dolce Sirena | J van Eyck, P Vähi, N Punder | 4:08 |
| 9 | Engels Nachtegaltje | J van Eyck, P Vähi, N Punder | 5:45 |
| 10 | Courant, Of Harte Diefje Waerom Zoo Stil | J van Eyck, arr by P Vähi | 4:13 |
| 11 | Doen Daphne D’Over Schoone Maeght | J van Eyck, P Vähi, N Punder | 3:18 |
| 12 | Na Dien U Godlyckheyt | J van Eyck, P Vähi, N Punder | 4:23 |
#4, Laura, fragm, 86 sec, mp3
Performed by:
Neeme Punder (recorders, transverse flutes, folk-like flutes)
English handbell ensemble Arsis (#5, 10, 11) directed by Aivar Mäe
The natural nightingale recorded in the forests of Northern Estonia
Peeter Vähi (keyboards)
Recorded in the studio of Estonian Radio in 1996
Engineered by Priit Kuulberg
Design by Everi Vähi
Layout by Thomas Kunadt
Special thanks: Fred Jüssi, Forte Records
Recording producer – Peeter Vähi
Co-producer – Ulli A Ruetzel
Erdenklang Records 1996
Published by Edrenklang Musikverlag
60932
Stereo
Made in Germany
The blind Dutch recorder-player Jacob van Eyck (1589/90−1657) was engaged as a carillonneur, first in his hometown Heusden and later in Utrecht. He was apparently a great master on carillons; he had several students, he looked after a number of carillons and church bells in Utrecht. As a conductor van Eyck left us a collection of music called Der Fluiten Lusthof for unaccompanied descant-recorder. Nearly all of the 144 pieces are variations on the popular melodies of that time. Besides folksongs, he used the more popular themes by current conductors of his time and church melodies from the Geneva Psalter.
On this CD we have just single melodies. Music written for solo instruments − even for the ones on which one cannot play chords − was not scarce in the 17th cent. Yet, the music that was written down was nevertheless an improvisation. When considering “authentic” interpretation, one may even present a rhetorical question; whether van Eyck himself had ever played these variation-cycles as exactly as they were written down. After studying van Eyck’s collection and in view of the performance practices of that time, the musicians on this current CD have been inspired to interpret the conductor’s text very freely. The flautist Neeme Punder improvises on the variations by Jacob van Eyck in quite the same way as van Eyck himself improvised on folk melodies. In the last stage, the improvisations performed by Neeme Punder provided the basis for the electronic arrangements by Peeter Vähi.
Neeme Punder (b 1958) studied classical flute at the Estonian Academy of Music in Tallinn, and for a long time is a leading soloist in the early music consort Hortus Musicus, playing recorders, bamboo flutes and other ancient and ethnic woodwinds. He has also studied Baroque flute in the Netherlands and Germany. Neeme Punder has worked as the artistic director of Viljandi Early Music Festival, the teacher at Estonian Academy of Music and Viljandi Academy of Culture, also as a concert producer of the National Concert Institute of Estonia.
Peeter Vähi graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music as composer under the supervision of Prof Eino Tamberg. Peeter Vähi has worked as a free-lance conductor and record producer, the music producer at the National Concert Institute of Estonia, the artistic director of Estonian Record Productions and several international music festivals − Eastern Music Festival Orient, Glasperlenspiel Festival. He is a member of the board of Estonian Composers’ Union. His most important works are Mary Magdalene Gospel, Supreme Silence, Chant Of The Celestial Lake, Mystical Uniting, A Chant Of Bamboo.
Other recordings with participation of Neeme Punder: The Hand Of God, Ave..., To His Highness Salvador D, 2000 Years After The Birth Of Christ
See also other recordings of Arsis produced by ERP: The Best of Arsis Bells, Awake, My Heart!, In Dies, Night Music, Music Box, Legend, Terra Mariana, Prelude, Quarter of a Century with Friends
See also other records of Peeter Vähi: Maria Magdalena, Supreme Silence, A Chant of Bamboo, Tamula Fire Collage, The Path To The Heart Of Asia, Handbell Symphony, Sounds Of The Silver Moon
Distribution in Estonia by Easy Living Music,
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, phone +372 51 06058
Distribution in Germany and worldwide by DA Music
SOUNDS OF THE SILVER MOON
PEETER VÄHI
An exciting dialogue between Western and Asiatic cultures. A subjective expression of musicians’ spirituality rooted in deep faith, which they contrast with a modern complex world and it’s actually intellectual and perfect, but often just as inexplicable and soulless contemporary music.
| 1 | trad / Krishna Kumar Kapoor / Peeter Vähi | Sound One | 28:24 |
| 2 | Peeter Vähi | Sound Two | 1:16 |
| 3 | trad / Abhay Phagre / Peeter Vähi | Sound Three | 9:28 |
| 4 | Peeter Vähi | Sound Four | 1:03 |
| 5 | Peeter Vähi | Sound Five | 3:22 |
| 6 | trad / Peeter Vähi / Abhay Phagre | Sound Zero | 13:42 |
Performed by:
Krishna Kumar Kapoor – vocal, tānpūrā
Abhay Phagre – bānsurī, tānpūrā
Anup Roy – tablā
Peeter Vähi – keyboards, tānpūrā, śatatantrī vīņā, pūngī, kartāl, tāla, background vocal
Recorded at the Tallinn City Hall (Matrix Audio Studio)
Engineered by Jüri Tamm and Indrek Patte
Mastered by Enno Mäemets / Editroom, Finland
Cover photo by Gustav German
Published 2002 by Erdenklang Musikverlag, Germany
Manufactured in Finland
1996 Forte Records
FD 0038/2
ADD, Stereo
Sound One, fragm, 3 min 55 sec, mp3
Sound Three, fragm, 3 min 4 sec, mp 3
Although the music on this record is premordially based on Indian classical traditions, in essence it is a synthesis of Oriental and Occidental music. The base for the improvisations and compositions provide several North Indian melody patterns, including rāga Kaunsi Kanhara and the pentatonic rāga Hamsadhwani. According to indian traditions Kaunsi Kanhara and Hamsadhwani belong to evening melodies, therefore the meditative feeling of Sound One and Sound Zero should fit harmoniously into the evening-time atmosphere. Besides the common quadrate rhythms (Sound Five) some movements employ complicated 7- and 14-beat rhythm patterns (Sound Three, Sound Zero).
Sound of the Silver Moon was recorded in Matrix Audio Studio, Tallinn, where usually electronic or rock music is recorded. This time the process was in a way extraordinary. After a short period of meditation the musicians performed all pieces, including the nearly half-hour Sound One, once from the beginning to the end, without any interruptions and cuts. Why not use the facilities of cutting provided by the studio? To let the improvisational music develop logically and to keep up the feeling. So, the greater part of music was recorded at phenomenal speed (ca 60 min!), only sound effects, electronic background, nature voices, etc, were added later.
Performers:
Krishna Kumar Kapoor was born in Lucknow. For centuries Lucknow has been famous all over India for its brilliant art of singing. Krishna K Kapoor took the Master’s degree of vocal music at the University of Kanpur and the Sangit Nipun degree at Bhatkhande Sangeet Vidhyapith Academy of Music. Besides concert tours and radio broadcasts Krishna K Kapoor works as the professor of singing at Bhatkhande College of Hindustani Music.
Abhay Phagre was born in 1961. At seven he began to learn to play the tablā at Ratlam School of Music, followed by systematic studies of flute-playing under Ravindra Garud. Simultaneously, he continued his tablā-training under Kiran Deshpande. In addition to his flute and tablā studies he found time and resolution to study khayāl-style singing. In 1987–1989 Phagre went on to study the flute in Bombay with Raghunath Seth who is also a famous instrument maker. Today Abhay Phagre is a free-lance flutist and performs often with such musicians as the sitār player Ravi Sharma and the singer Madhu Mudagal.
Anup Roy was born in Calcutta in a Brahman family of musicians in 1963. He had the luck to learn to play the tablā under the well-known guru Shankar Ghosh, and later under Anup Ghosh. When not giving concerts, he works as tablā instructor at Maharishi Gandharva Veda University in Delhi.
Musical intruments:
Bānsurī – a transverse flute made of bamboo, known as Kŗşņa’s main attribute. While bānsurī usually has 7 or 8 holes, the instrument used in this recording has 9, which makes the range of the instrument wider.
Tablā – a set of 2 drums; the most common rhythm instrument in the North Indian and Pakistani classical music. The inventor of tablā is thought to be Amir Khusro (13th cent), but some musicologists believe tablā to have existed in the 10th cent already.
Pūngī – a wind instrument that is known under different names in different parts of India. It belongs to the outfit of nearly every snake charmer.
Śatatantrī vīņā (‘hundred-string vīņā’) – a dulcimer-like instrument. It is evidently an archaic instrument, as it is mentioned already in the Veda literature. On this record the instrument is not used in the usual manner, but rather in the function of a zither, plucking the strings with a plectrum.
Tānpūrā – one of the most important background instruments in Indian classical music. Usually a tānpūrā has 4 strings. The hellow neck gives the instrument an unique timbre.
Kartāl – rattle, consisting of a wooden frame with the attached chiming metal plates.
Tāla – gong, mainly used in temples on ritual occasions.
Distribution by Easy-Living Music, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , www.easylivingmusic.ee
See other records of Peeter Vähi: Maria Magdalena, A Chant of Bamboo, Supreme Silence, To His Highness Salvador D, 2000 Years after the Birth of Christ, Tamula Fire Collage, The Path to the Heart of Asia, Handbell Symphony
TERRA MARIANA
ARSIS Handbell Ensemble
Heldur Harry Põlda, boy-soprano
Bell ringers from Terra Mariana... An exciting performing of classical hits by Arsis Handbell Ensemble. The festive bronze sound of the bells gives a new dimension to the well-known pieces.
| 1 | J S Bach – Ch Gounod / arr A Hartley | Ave Maria | 2:57 |
| 2 | G Caccini / arr V Soonberg | Ave Maria | 5:15 |
| 3 | C Franck / arr J Meredith | Panis angelicus | 4:05 |
| 4 | J S Bach / arr V Soonberg | Aria | 2:38 |
| 5 | T Albinoni / arr K McChesney | Adagio | 4:49 |
| 6 | E Grieg / arr A B Sherman | Morning | 3:43 |
| 7 | E Grieg / arr F A Merrett | Anitra’s Dance | 3:17 |
| 8 | C Saint-Saëns / arr M R Keller | Dance Macabre | 2:52 |
| 9 | C Debussy / arr R Ivey | Colliwogg’s Cake-Walk | 2:38 |
| 10 | G Bizet / arr B B Garee | The Ball | 2:10 |
| 11 | Fr Schubert / arr W H Griffin | Ave Maria | 5:00 |
| 12 | A-Ch Adam / arr V Soonberg | O Holy Night! | 4:12 |
| 13 | F Grüber / arr F L Callahan | Silent Night, Holy Night! | 4:35 |
| 14 | G Bizet / arr K McChesney | Festive Dance | 3:17 |
Performed by Arsis Handbell Ensemble and Heldur Harry Põlda (boy-soprano)
Conducted by Aivar Mäe
Recorded: Apr 10–11, 2010 in Swedish St Michael’s Church, Tallinn
Engineered and mastered by Tanel Klesment
Photos by Viljo Pettinen
Designed by Piret Mikk / Inox DM
Texts translated by Tiina Jokinen
Management by Tiina Kodumäe
Recording supervisor – Peeter Vähi
Scores published by Harold Flammer Inc (#1), Meredith Music Press (#4), Jeffers Handbell Suply Inc (#5, 17), AGEHR (#6–9, 12, 16), Agape (#10, 11), Warner Bros Publications Inc (#13), Beckenhorst Press Inc (#14, 15)
DDD, Stereo
n©b
© Arsis & ERP
ERP 3810
#3, Franck. Panis Angelicus, fragm, 128 sec, mp3
#11, Schubert. Ave Maria, fragm, 74 sec, mp3
The bells are ringing
The song they’re singing
The sound is bringing the people ’round…
Church and temple bells, carillons, chime clocks, tinkler bells, death knells… their timeless ringing has carried through centuries and cultures, accompanying man from birth to death, always present on important moments. Uniting and parting, rejoicing and mourning, calling and cautioning (wedding and funeral bells, Christmas and alarm bells), their sound embodies strong emotions that have inspired composers and instrument masters, poets and writers from Bach and Shakespeare to Hemingway.
The roots of the handbells date back to the 17th century England where the first miniature copies of church bells were cast. The bells that first and foremost were meant for practice by carillon players, soon acquired a status of independent musical instruments and were called hand bells. Their heyday was left in the 18th century when most self-respecting civilized people practiced hand bell music as their hobby. Today, those in the meantime obsolete instruments, are gaining more and more world-wide recognition.
Arsis Handbell Ensemble (Tiina Kodumäe, Lemme-Liis Elp, Marge Saarela, Heli Kask, Aivar Mäe, Margus Bubert, Mart Schifrin, Indrek Jürimets) formed in 1993 from the singers of Arsis Chamber Choir, consists today of eight professional players and has one of the biggest handbell collections in the world (7 + 4 octaves of English handbells and 7 octaves of chimes). Arsis can boast of an impressive list of concert tours that have taken them to Canada, South Africa, Italy, France, Germany, Spain, England, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Russia, Belgium, Latvia, Lithuania and 5 times to the USA. In addition to the current one, the ensemble has released 5 solo recordings and participated in numerous recordings with orchestras and other music projects. Arsis has had close collaboration with many composers and has premiered more than 10 new works.
The conductor and Artistic Director of the ensemble is Aivar Mäe who introduced handbell music to Estonia. However, Aivar Mäe’s work is not only limited to handbell music, he is one of the most prominent figures in the Estonian musical life, having occupied positions of director at various music theatres, Estonian National Concert Agency, being the founder of new concert halls as well as co-initiator of several festivals. And why not also remember his youth as a pop singer (Ensemble Vitamiin). Since 2009 he holds the position of general manager of Estonian National Opera. Aivar Mäe is a Honorary Member of the Estonian Society for Music Education.
Together with hand bells on the current CD we also hear the crystal clear voice of a boy soprano Heldur Harry Põlda, a violin and conducting student at the Tallinn Music College who has rocketed to stardom as a singer and performer of classical music. Born in Kuressaare, the boy began his career 6 years ago after the family moved to Tallinn. Besides violin studies with Prof Mari Tampere-Bezrodny and vocal studies with Zoja Hertz, Heldur Harry sings in the Estonian National Opera Boys’ Choir and performs regularly as a soloist with different musicians and orchestras. He made his stage debut at the age of 8. Now, 5 years later, his repertoire contains several musical and opera roles as well as soprano parts in various oratorial works. He has performed together with renowned opera singers in Estonia, Latvia, Spain and Germany. In 2008, Heldur Harry received the Estonian Culture Endowment Annual Award for his role of Miles in Britten’s opera The Turn of the Screw, being the youngest ever laureate of the prize.
Worldwide distribution by Note 1 Music (Carl-Benz-Straße 1, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany, phone +49 6221 720351, fax +49 6221 720381,
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, www.note-1.de) / Naxos Global Logistics
Distribution in Estonia by Arsis,
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; +372 6621855
See also other recordings with Arsis: Handbell Symphony, Supreme Silence, In Dies, Planetentöne Vol 2, Legend, Om Mani Padme Hung, Traumzeit, The Flutish Kingdom, World Festival Of Sacred Music Europe, Awake, My Heart!, Night Music, Prelude, The Best of Arsis Bells, Quarter of a Century with Friends
See also other recordings with Heldur Harry Põlda: Vater unser, Cantus angelicus
SOMNIUM BOREALE
Estonian flute music
Maarika Järvi, flute
A collection of Estonian flute concertos.
| Eugen Kapp | Flute Concerto | ||
| 1 | Aria | 4:17 | |
| 2 | Scherzo | 6:20 | |
| Heino Eller | Three Pieces | ||
| 3 | Orus | 2:44 | |
| 4 | Jõel | 2:53 | |
| 5 | Aasal | 2:05 | |
| Eugen Kapp | Flute Concertino | ||
| 6 | Allegro | 7:12 | |
| 7 | Andante | 5:56 | |
| 8 | Allegro vivace | 3:14 | |
| René Eespere | Flute Concerto No 1 | ||
| 9 | Larghetto | 5:26 | |
| 10 | Largo | 7:02 | |
| 11 | Andante | 6:11 | |
| 12 | René Eespere | Flute Concerto No 2 (Concerto flauto) | 13:24 |
Performed by: Maarika Järvi – flute, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Kristjan Järvi – conductor
#3, Eller, Three Pieces, fragm, 127 sec, mp3
#, Eespere, Flute Concerto No 1, fragm, 2 min 1 sec, mp3
Recorded in Estonia Concert Hall
Engineered and mastered by Tanel Klesment
Edited by Marika Scheer
Booklet compiled by Inna Kivi
Design by Piret Mikk
Co-produced by Peeter Vähi
Stereo
ERP 2009
Maarika Järvi was born in Tallinn. Until the family’s emigration to the USA in 1980 she studied flute at Tallinn Music School with Kaljo West and Samuel Saulus. Thereafter she continued her studies at the New England Conservatoire in Boston. She took her Master’s at the Carnegie Mellon University supervised by Julius Baker, working for a short period also assistant to the latter. She has attended master-classes of several renownes flautists, participated in numerous festivals and won prizes at international competitions in the USA and Canada.
During 1992–1998 Maarika Järvi worked as first flute in three Spanish orchestras, among them Spanish Radio and TV Symphony Orchestra. Since then she has performed as soloist with many famous orchestras of the world, West-Deutsche Rundfunk Orchestra, St Petersburg Maria Theatre Orchestra, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra – to name just a few. She holds regulas performances with Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra et al. 2003 saw Maarika Järvi’s debute with Japanese Philharmonic Orchestra in Tokyo performing Peeter Vähi’s Chant of the Celestial Lake under direction by Neeme Järvi.
For years, she has had close collaboration with the Absolute Ensemble of New York, directed by her brother Kristjan and she has formed a flute-bassoon duo Martinika together with Martin Kuuskmann. She has participated in recordings with a number of orchestras and chamber ensembles. In 2004 the first CD of Martinika was released, featuring music for this unusual staff. Maarika Järvi has performed or recorded all the most important Estonian concert-compositions for flute, several of those premiered by her. The following CDs with her participation are especially note-worthy: Musica Triste with flute concertos by Tubin, Sink, Jürisalu and Tamberg (Warner / Finlandia) and Celestials with two flute flute concertos dedicated to Maarika Järvi (CCn’C).
Download: photo of Maarika Järvi, jpg, 300 dpi, 3.3 MB
Download: Maarika Järvi in Detroit Orchestra Hall (2002), photo by P Vähi, jpg, 300 dpi, 4.7 MB
The Estonian-born conductor Kristjan Järvi has forged a special connection with audiences across the globe. Renowned as one of the best communicators on the international stage, he has been hailed by The New York Times as “a kinetic force on the podium, like Leonard Bernstein reborn”. In his capacity as chief conductor of both the Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich, Vienna, with which he has toured the UK, Spain, Germany, Japan and the Baltic countries, and New York’s celebrated Absolute Ensemble, which he founded, he has become well known for his musical insight into repertoire ranging from the classical period to the 21st century. His flair for imaginative programming is reflected in his appointment as artistic adviser to the Kammerorchester Basel. In high demand among the top orchestras of the world, Kristjan Järvi maintains regular relationships with the London Symphony Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Nationale de France and Sydney Symphony. In addition, Kristjan Järvi is founding conductor and music director of the Baltic Youth Philharmonic.
The Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (ERSO) traces its roots back to Dec 18th, 1926, to the first concert broadcast by Tallinn Radio. The ensemble’s ranks grew steadily, and by 1939 the Radio Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra included 39 performers. In 1939, one of Estonia’s most outstanding musical figures of the day, Olav Roots, accepted the role of orchestra director. With Roots as director, the orchestra continued to perform symphonies in Tallinn throughout the WW II period. In 1942 a sinfonietta was formed of those musicians mobilized to Yaroslavl. It was with this sinfonietta that the distinguished conductor Roman Matsov began his career. In autumn 1944, having returned to Tallinn, the sinfonietta united with the Radio Symphony Orchestra. In the post-war years, the orchestra was directed by Leo Tauts, Sergei Prohhorov and Roman Matsov, who was principal conductor from 1950−1963. By 1956 the orchestra had 90 members. Neeme Järvi joined the Estonian Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1960, where he continued as principal conductor from 1963−1979. Under Neeme Järvi’s direction, the orchestra’s repertoire expanded markedly, as did its activities. In 1975 the orchestra was renamed the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. One year later, the ERSO collaborated with Estonian TV and Estonian Radio to present the regular concert series “Studio Hour with the ERSO” featuring classics as well as new works by Estonian composers. From 1980−1990, Peeter Lilje was appointed principal conductor. From the season 2001/2002 the principal conductor and music director of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra is a renowned performer of St Petersburg’s new school of conductors, Nikolai Alexeev. For decades, the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra has been the sole professional symphony orchestra in Estonia. Today the orchestra has 100 musicians. The average season includes 60 concerts.
Press resonance: “Maarika Järvi, ERSO ja dirigent pillutavad kiireloomuliste osade tantsulisi teemasid lausa prokofjevliku peene huumoriga, Kapi aeglased osad on seevastu eesti muusika väljendusrikkaimate seas. /.../ Tunnustada tuleb helirežiid (Tanel Klesment), fotosid ja kujundust (Aline Kundig, Piret Mikk) ning saateteksti (Inna Kivi).” (Ene Pilliroog, Muusika, 4 / 2010, Estonia)
Worldwide distribution by Note 1 Music (Carl-Benz-Straße 1, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany, phone +49 6221 720351, fax +49 6221 720381,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
, www.note-1.de) / Naxos Global Logistics
Distribution in Estonia by Easy-Living Music,
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, phone +372 51 06058
See also other recordings of Maarika Järvi: “Celestials”, “Musica triste”
See also other recordings of Estonian National Symphony Orchestra: “100 Years Of Estonian Symphony”, “Eduard Tubin And His Time”, “Handbell Symphony”, “Koidust Kodumaise viisini”, “Nordic Legends”, “The Hand Of God”, “Tubin”
See also other recordings of Kristjan Järvi: “Supreme Silence”, “Perfume”
EDUARD OJA
VAIKIVAD MEELEOLUD
SILENT MOODS
Chamber music
| Vaikivad meeleolud / Silent Moods (1930) | ||
| 1 | Lento, con moto | 1:52 |
| 2 | Lento assai | 2:03 |
| 3 | Andante | 2:32 |
| Sugestioonid / Suggestions (1929–31) | ||
| 4 | Yearning / Le Désir | 3:07 |
| 5 | Sighs / Les soupirs | 1:42 |
| 6 | Melancholy / Mélancholie | 2:14 |
| 7 | Shadows Of Hades. Death / Les Ombres de Toonela. La mort | 1:54 |
| Aeliita süit / Aelita’s Suite (1932) | ||
| 8 | Iidne laul /Ancient Song | 3:43 |
| 9 | Magri haud / Magri’s Grave | 2:24 |
| 10 | Magatsitlite tants / Magatsitles’ Dance | 3:09 |
| Ajatriloogia / Trilogy Of Time (1934) | ||
| 11 | Elu / Life | 2:24 |
| 12 | Igavik / Eternity | 2:38 |
| 13 | Tänapäev / The Present-Day | 1:11 |
| Kolm soololaulu / Three Songs | ||
| 14 | Ööpoeem / Night Poem (1933, lyrics by Anna Haava) | 3:14 |
| 15 | Ei näe enam / I Can’t See Anymore (1933, lyrics Juhan Liiv) | 4:37 |
| 16 | Sügisemaru / Autumn Storm (1934, lyrics by Marie Under) | 2:16 |
| 17 | Talveöine / In The Winter Night (1930, lyrics by Jaan Kärner) | 5:27 |
| 18 | Klaverikvintett / Piano Quintet (1935) | 17:23 |
Eduard Oja. Silent Moods. Lento, con moto, 107 sec, mp3
Eduard Oja. Trilogy Of Time. Eternity, 150 sec, mp3
Performed by: Vardo Rumessen (piano), Teet Järvi (cello), Urmas Vulp (violin), Ivo Kuusk (tenor), Maaja Rumessen (soprano), Tallinn String Quartet
Recorded in Estonia Concert Hall, House of Blackheads, Estonian Composers’ Union, and Estonian Radio, 1984–2006
Engineered by Maido Maadik, Priit Kuulberg, Mati Brauer, Aili Jõeleht, and Enn Tomson
Mastered by Maido Maadik
Total time 64:38
2008 Estonian Classics
EC 001
Eduard Oja
Eduard Oja was born on Jan 17th, 1905 in Palupõhja, in the rural municipality of Vana-Põltsamaa in Viljandi county. The son of a forest warden, he studied at Tartu Teachers College from 1919–24, after which he was employed as a schoolteacher of Tamsa primary school (1924–25) followed by an position as a teacher in the town of Elva (1925–30). He began studying music independently, and continued his studies in the violin at the Tartu Teachers College and the Tartu Higher School of Music. He and Eduard Tubin, another well-known Estonian composer, were enrolled concurrently at the Tartu Teachers Seminar. Tubin helped Oja prepare for entrance to the Tartu Higher School of Music, where Oja studied composition under Heino Eller from 1927–1932.
At the Teachers College, Oja entered musical life as concertmaster of the school’s string orchestra and a violin soloist. Here he made his first forays into composition. Later he served as choral director and music teacher in Pangodi, Elva and Tartu. From 1935–41, he taught music theory at the Tartu Higher School of Music. He also conducted the school’s student orchestra. Oja was simultaneously music director for the Tartu Drama Theatre Studio and from 1934–38, he was music critic for the daily newspaper Postimees, contributing numerous articles. In Tartu, Oja served as choral conductor, leading the Tartu Women’s Singing Society’s Women’s Choir from 1930–34.
Eduard Oja’s work as a composer is noteworthy for its rich imaginative power, variegated tone colour and invention. His most notable works (Poem of Beauty, Song of the Sea, the Piano Quintet, solo songs) display the composer’s extraordinary musical talent and singular expressive style, frequently featuring tragic motifs of great poignancy. Unfortunately, his extraordinary musical talent would never be fully consummated, although he did compose a number of works that according to Eduard Tubin placed him squarely “in the circle of geniuses”.
The central work in Oja’s oeuvre is the opera Oath Redeemed (“Lunastatud vanne”), which captured first place at a competition of works for the stage organized by the Estonia Theatre in 1940. Unfortunately the composer destroyed the score after many revisions. Also occupying an important spot in Oja’s creative work is a cantata for mens’ choir, solo voice and orchestra The Return Home (“Kojuminek”) on the lyrics by Marie Under. The 1943 and 1944 performances of the cantata were greatly acclaimed. As with the opera, unfortunately, the score for this work, too, is not extant, destroyed in the fire at the Estonia Theatre in 1944 following the aerial bombing of Soviet troops.
Oja was far from prolific as a composer. His most significant work consists of symphonic short forms and chamber music, along with songs for solo voice and choir.
Vardo Rumessen
Vardo Rumessen (b 1942) graduated from Prof Bruno Lukk and Eugen Kelder’s piano class at Estonian Academy of Music in 1971. Today he is one of the best known performers and promoters of Estonian piano music. Rumessen, who has frequently performed abroad – in Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Canada, the USA, Turkey, Australia, and Russia.
Vardo Rumessen has recorded most of piano and chamber music by Rudolf Tobias, Mart Saar, Heino Eller, Eduard Oja and Eduard Tubin. He is recognized as a master performer of Eduard Tubin’s piano music. Rumessen was a personal friend of Tubin and had the opportunity to discuss the composer’s intentions in depth. Eduard Tubin has to a high degree authorized Vardo Rumessen’s interpretations of his music. Rumessen performed the American première of Tubin’s Piano Concertino in 1993 with the Longview Symphony Orchestra. Also, Rumessen is the founder and artistic director of the festival “Eduard Tubin ja tema aeg” (‘Eduard Tubin And His Time’) organized by Eesti Kontsert, the National Concert Institute of Estonia since 2001. He is also the chairman of the board of International Eduard Tubin Society.
Rumessen has performed works by Beethoven, Franck, Tobias and Tubin for piano and orchestra with the Estonian and Göteborg symphony orchestras, conducted by the late Peeter Lilje and Neeme Järvi. He has also performed frequently in ensemble with numerous singers, violinists, cellists, string quartets and other musicians.
Although Rumessen has achieved his success mainly as a performer of Estonian classical music, he has performed a lot of music from other parts of the world. His largest undertakings have been such as the complete Bach’s “Well-Tempered Clavier I”, Scriabin’s 10 sonatas, Chopin’s 27 etudes, Rachmaninoff’s 15 etudes-tableaux, etc.
Rumessen is not only the foremost performer of Estonian piano music but also a musicologist with a vast knowledge of Estonian music. He has published a lot of Estonian music, by R Tobias, M Saar, E Oja and H Eller, which have naturally found a place in Rumessen’s repertoire as both soloist and ensemble player. Among other works he restored and published R Tobias’ oratorio “Jonah’s Mission”. In addition, Rumessen has written many articles and has served as an editor of several books about Rudolf Tobias, Mart Saar, Artur Kapp, Eduard Oja, Eduard Tubin and others.
Recordings of Vardo Rumessen on ERP: Northern Lights Sonata, Estonian Preludes, Eduard Tubin and his Time, Koidust Kodumaise viisini, The Call of the Stars, Melancholy, The Well-Tempered Clavier I, Sergei Rachmaninov. Piano Works
Other performers
Teet Järvi is a graduate of the Tallinn Secondary School of Music, where he studied under Laine Leichter, followed by the Estonian Academy of Music, as a student of Prof Peeter Paemurru. He went on to study in Moscow with Natalia Shakhovskaya, Mikhail Homitser and Ivan Monighetti. In 1974, Järvi won 1st prize in a young cellists competition in Czechoslovakia. He also won the national (1981) and Baltic (1976) competitions. From 1982–90 Järvi was concertmaster for the cello section of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. He has often performed as a soloist with orchestra, played as a member of the Tallinn String Quartet and the Baltic Trio in many European countries and the USA, and performed as a solo cellist. Since 1993 Järvi has been employed in Finland, where he performs with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra and the string quartet FinEst, and teaches cello at the Lahti Higher School of Music.
Urmas Vulp graduated from the Tallinn Secondary School of Music in 1972, where he studied piano under Ivi Tivik. In 1978 he graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music as a violinist studying with Prof Vladimir Alumäe. He studied under Prof Yevgenia Tschugayeva at the Moscow Conservatory, which he graduated in 1981. That same year, Vulp won 2nd prize at a national strings competition. Since 1981, Urmas Vulp has been violin teacher at the Estonian Academy of Music. His initiative led to the founding, in 1984, of the Tallinn String Quartet, in which he plays first violin. He has performed, both with quartets and as a soloist in many countries.
The Tallinn String Quartet was founded on the initiative of Urmas Vulp in 1984. Along with performances abroad, the quartet has performed numerous concerts in venues around Estonia and taken part in local music festivals. In the 1996–97 season, the quartet played a 5-part series entitled devoted to the 250th anniversary of the string quartets, providing a cross-section of the genre through different eras. The Tallinn String Quartet’s extensive repertoire places a special emphasis on Estonian composers. The quartet has recorded 4 CDs, including 2 ones for the Swedish label BIS; their Tobias string quartets recording has won international acclaim.
Maaja Rumessen (soprano) is a 1972 graduate of the Estonian Academy of Music, where she studied under Linda Saul. She has sung in the Estonian National Opera’s opera choir since 1972 and has appeared as a soloist. As a chamber singer, she has performed programmes featuring solo songs by many Estonian (Saar, Tubin, Oja) and Latvian composers (Kalninš, Zalitis).
Ivo Kuusk graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music in 1967 and went on to study at the Gnessin State Musical College in Moscow. Since 1978, he was a featured soloist of the Estonian National Opera. He has also been a chamber and oratorio singer. Since 1979, he has taught at the Estonian Academy of Music. His repertoire includes over 80 opera and operetta roles. He has performed with the “Estonia” Theatre in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, and Russia, among other countries.
WORKS FOR SOLO VIOLIN
Bach • Paganini • Ysaÿe
Sigrid Kuulmann
“From the first moment I heard her I realized that there was an uncommonly talented violinist, with individuality, temperament, performing personality and imaginative musicality...” (Prof Yfrah Neaman)
| Johann Sebastian Bach | Partita No 2 in D minor, BWV 1004 | ||
| 1 | I Allemanda | 5:02 | |
| 2 | II Corrente | 2:33 | |
| 3 | III Sarabanda | 4:16 | |
| 4 | IV Giga | 3:48 | |
| 5 | V Ciaccona | 14:54 | |
| 6 | Niccolò Paganini | Nel cor più non mi sento – Introduction, Theme and Variations on Paisiello’s La Molinara, Op 38, MS 44 | 14:38 |
| 7 | Eugéne Ysaÿe | Sonata in D minor “Ballade”, Op 27 No 3 | 7:01 |
| 8 | Eugéne Ysaÿe | Sonata in E major, Op 27 No 6 | 7:58 |
#5, Bach Ciaccona, fragm, 82 sec, mp3
#6, Paganini Nel cor più non mi sento, fragm, 2 min 2 sec, mp3
Performed by: Sigrid Kuulmann (violin)
Recorded in Dec 2006 in the studio of Estonian Public Broadcasting
Engineered by Maido Maadik / ERR
Liner notes compiled and edited by Inna Kivi and Tiina Jokinen
Design by Regina Kari and Mart Kivisild
Co-produced by Peeter Vähi
Special thanks: Association of Estonian Professional Musicians, Estonian Cultural Endowment, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Estonian Broadcasting Corporation, Pille Lill Music Fund
ERP 3109
2010
© Sigrid Kuulmann
Manufactured at Baltic Disc
Sigrid Kuulmann started her violin studies at the age of seven. She studied at the Estonian Academy of Music, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, and at Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf. Her teachers include Tiiu Peäske, Yfrah Neaman and Rosa Fain, a former pupil of David Oistrakh. She has taken part in masterclasses with Igor Bezrodny, Michaela Martin and Dmitry Sitkovetsky.
Sigrid Kuulmann is a laureate of Heino Eller International Violin Competition in Tallinn and is gaining further accolades for her performances of Estonian music, especially in Eduard Tubin’s works.
She Estonia-premièred Partita by Lutoslawski, Sequenza VIII by Berio, Violin Concerto No 2 by Virkhaus. She has performed as a soloist with conductors Neeme Järvi, Andres Mustonen, Andrei Chistyakov, Gregory Rose, Nicholas Smith etc, and given recitals in England, Germany, Scandinavia and Estonia. Sigrid Kuulmann has been broadcasted and recorded by Estonian Radio and TV.
Press resonance
... reljeefsed kulminatsioonid erakordse poeesia taustal /.../ sean selle märgiliseks meie kammermuusika elus... (Toomas Velmet, Sirp, 20.06.08, Estonia, whole article)
... Sigrid Kuulmann esitas tõsise väljakutse meie viiulikunstnikele /.../ kontsert, mis võiks saada etaloniks ka järgmistele... (Toomas Velmet, Sirp, 07.07.06, Estonia, whole article)
Tekkis küsimus, kas sellele šarmantsele noorele daamile leidubki praegu meil viiulimängijate seas vastast. Tundus, et ka orkester oli solisti lummuses... (Toivo Peäske, Sirp, 13.08.04, Estonia, whole article)
Worldwide distribution by Note 1 Music (Carl-Benz-Straße 1, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany, phone +49 6221 720351, fax +49 6221 720381,
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, www.note-1.de) / Naxos Global Logistics
Distribution in Estonia by Easy-Living Music,
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, phone +372 51 06058
See also other recordings of Sigrid Kuulmann produced by ERP: Eduard Tubin. Works for Violin and Piano Vol I, Eduard Tubin. Works for Violin and Piano Vol II
See also other violin recordings by ERP: , Suonata à Solo facto per Monsieur Pisendel del Vivaldi; 3-CD Mari Tampere-Bezrodny
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
PIANO WORKS
Vardo Rumessen, piano
Double-CD. Release: Dec 2010. “Rachmaninov was made of steel and gold: the hard alloy was in his hands; the precious one, in the heart.” (Józef Hofmann, Los Angeles, 1945)
CD I
| 1–6 | 6 Études-Tableaux, Op 33 | 15:05 |
| 7–8 | 2 Études-Tableaux, Op posth | 9:33 |
| 9–17 | 9 Études-Tableaux, Op 39 | 39:39 |
CD II
| 1 | Prelude C sharp minor, Op 3 No 2 | 4:18 |
| 2–3 | 2 Moments Musicaux, Op 16 | 10:36 |
| 4–7 | 4 Preludes, Op 23 | 14:18 |
| 8–10 | 3 Preludes, Op 32 | 12.28 |
| 11–13 | Sonata No 2 B flat minor, Op 36 | 29:28 |
Étude-Tableau in A minor, Op 39 No 2, fragm, 2 min 9 sec, mp3
Étude-Tableau in A minor, Op 39 No 6, fragm, 80 sec, mp3
Prelude B flat major, Op 23 No 2, fragm, 101 sec, mp3
Instrument: Steinway & Sons D-274
Recorded 1997 – 2003 in Vanemuine and Estonia Concert Hall
Engineered by Vello Meier and Mati Brauer
Mastered by Maido Maadik / Estonian Broadcasting Corporation 2009
Liner notes by Vardo Rumessen
Translations by Kristopher Rikken
Liner notes edited by Virve Normet and Inna Kivi
Front cover: painting by Boris Shaliapin, 1940
Design by Tiina Sildre
Co-produced by Peeter Vähi
Manufactured by Baltic Disc
Printed by Tallinna Raamatutrükikoda
Total time 65:33 + 71:53
Special thanks: Estonian Cultural Endowment, Neeme Järvi
© Estonian Record Productions, Estonian Classics
2010
Stereo, DDD
ERP 4011-1/2
EC 006-1/2
ISBN 978-9949-21-323-8
Sergei Rachmaninov and His Études-Tableaux
The music of Sergei Rachmaninov is often characterized by the picture-like nature of the musical motifs. Many of his compositions were inspired by scenes from nature or the viewing of artworks. The composer himself said: “In the process of creating music, I am greatly aided by the books or poems I have read as well as by superb paintings. I often try to express a definite idea or event in my work without referring to the direct source of the inspiration.” In some cases, though, the sources of his inspiration are known. For instance, the symphonic poem The Isle of the Dead was inspired by Arnold Böcklin’s painting of the same name. Pianist Benno Moiseiwitsch has recalled that one of Rachmaninov finest preludes, the one in B minor Op 32 No 10, was inspired by Arnold Böcklin’s painting The Return.
Although Rachmaninov does not mention any programmatic associations in the titles of his works, he later made indirect reference to some of them. In many cases, however, Rachmaninov did not wish to disclose these associations. The pictorial nature of Rachmaninov’s music emerges with greatest clarity in his Études-Tableaux.
As we know, virtuoso piano “études” developed above all as a part of concert tradition in performances by the 19th century pianists Friedrich Kalkbrenner, Ignaz Moscheles, Sigismund Thalberg and others. These were meant as show pieces, to demonstrate the performer’s technical prowess. They were quite impressive but in general quite superficial encores. A new page in the history of études was opened by Chopin, whose études aimed to lyricize a specific textural element. Liszt’s études, on the other hand, are notable for the programmatic interpretation of the genre (for instance, Mazeppa, Wild Hunt, Eroica etc).
Rachmaninov’s études are based on both Chopinesque and Lisztian tradition, but he created an entirely new style of piano music and ventured into territory new for him. All of Rachmaninov’s études are based on various symbolic associations, as a result of which he termed them not études but études-tableaux. In composing these pieces, he focused more on the experience that an image conjured for him, not on solving some specific technical problem. Even though his source of inspiration was some artwork, vignette, or motif from a fairy tale, it was generally transmuted through a certain mood state into an independent theme, thus proving much broader and more generalized than the idea on which it was based. This may have been the reason that the composer abandoned his intention to add programmatic titles to his études-tableaux, as they would have been too limiting and would not have been able to encompass the entire spectrum of expression. We know that the basis for nearly all of these works was some definite programme on the part of the composer, but what this programme was he did not wish to reveal. Yet Rachmaninov did mention a few of the programmatic associations in his letter to the Italian composer Ottorino Respighi, who in 1930 orchestrated five études-tableaux at the request of Sergei Kussevitzky. On 2nd January 1930 Rachmaninov wrote Respighi: “Allow me to give you a few personal explanations which I think will allow you to best understand their character and to find the necessary orchestral colours.”
Rachmaninov composed two cycles of Études-Tableaux, Op 33 and Op 39, which rank among the finest achievements of world piano literature. The first cycle, Op 33, was written in August 1911; the second, in 1916–1917. Both of the cycles were written at a mature stage when the composer’s individual signature had already developed and most of his best-known works had been written. Having primarily focused primarily on piano works, Rachmaninov now walked his own path in interpreting the étude genre, proceeding above all from poetic imagery and a graphic or pictorial style.
Rachmaninov’s études-tableaux are somewhat similar to his preludes. Many of the études-tableaux might be categorized as preludes and vice versa – even some of the preludes are comparable to études-tableaux in terms of their technical character. However, as the études-tableaux were written later, they emanate the increased drama, tragedy, occasional darkness and often elegiac melancholy undertone typical of Rachmaninov’s later creative period. It is especially characteristic of his second cycle, Op 39, written immediately before he left Russia in 1917. As with many works by Rachmaninov, a Russian quality always emphasized by Rachmaninov comes to the forefront in the etudes. But Rachmaninov’s Études-Tableaux are not only among the greatest achievements of Russian music; they have a definite claim to being the most demanding and difficult pieces ever written for the piano. They are frequently reminiscent of huge frescoes that mesmerize with their unique melodic line and their musical imagery. The fact that they are exceedingly pianistic works gives them special meaning. As Rachmaninov was a superb pianist and an unexcelled interpreter of his piano works, it must be said that few other pianists succeeded in performing works on an artistic level equal to that of the composer himself. In Rachmaninov’s case, the internal sensibility of the piece would be revealed as compellingly as the technical aspects. In spite of his extraordinary popularity, it is rare for the special character of Rachmaninov’s music to be understood and sensed in a deeper way and often the deeper background of his music is eclipsed by superficial virtuosity.
The Études-Tableaux Op 33 were composed in summer 1911 at the estate in Ivanovka, which was very dear to him. What is astonishing about this cycle is the speed at which it was composed. The pace of the composing was aided by the natural scenery of Ivanovka and the calm surroundings, where the composer could practice the piano undisturbed and concentrate.
All six études-tableaux on the manuscript are marked with the exact date on which they were composed, which reveals they were mainly composed in just one day. Rachmaninov initially wrote a cycle of eight pieces, of which he omitted three – Nos 3, 4 and 5. Of these, he reworked the last one (the one in A minor) later and added it to the cycle Op 39 No 6 A minor. The manuscript bears the inscription “8 September 1911. Ivanovka. Corrected on 27 September 1916. Moscow”. The other two appeared in print only after Rachmaninov’s death.
Op 33 No 1 in F minor is the earliest of all of the études-tableaux; its manuscript is dated 11th August 1911. It has a characteristically energetic rhythm, which never turns into a stationary rocking but is rather active and full of motion. On its background a melody does not have an ordinary leading role but rather is dictated by the rhythmic motion. In fact the melody is not the leading element here, but rather the rhythmic accompaniment, which gives the piece its characteristically active character. The ostinato rhythmic motion almost feels like a “fatal inevitability”, it keeps the melodic pattern from taking on a life of its own; rather, it calls it to order. This is the foundation for the dramaturgical conflict in the piece, and when it recedes, just before the end, distant church bells are heard. This is so typical for Rachmaninov: we can hear the bells tolling in many other pieces of his.
Op 33 No 2 in C major was composed on 16th August. As opposed to the first étude, which is heavy and pessimistic and in which we can barely discern any scenes from nature, this piece was inspired by the Russian outdoors, which was so loved by Rachmaninov. In terms of texture and musical themes, it is close kin to Prelude in G sharp minor Op 32 No 12, which was composed in Ivanovka a year earlier. Both of them have the same shimmering, occasionally inapprehensible aural background on which can be heard a passionate melody. This is a typical Rachmaninovian scene from nature, in which one can sense yearning for something distant and unattainable. In a letter, the composer has called this “misting rain” (моросяк), suggesting that its meaning eluded even Sergei Taneyev. From this we get an idea of how close this tableau was to the author in its almost imperceptible shades of emotion. At the same time, the tableau features a very sustained and nuanced pianistic texture, in which the idea of the piece cum étude comes clearly to the forefront.
Op 33 No 3 in E flat minor was composed on 23rd August, and is well-known for its subtitle: Drifting Snow (Метель). Although the name was not bestowed on it by the author, it is quite fitting. The piece begins with an introduction with cold descending thirds, which strike a stark contrast with all that is to follow. Passages like gusts of wind follow, almost as if threatening to stormily wipe its path clean. Here, too, we have a scene from nature, which strikes a stark contrast to the previous one, creating a feeling of solitude and abandonment in a breathtakingly cold and icy world. We can also see a generalization, the composer’s view toward the surrounding world where man feels alone and forsaken.
Op 33 No 4 in E flat majorwas dated from 17th August. It is a complete contrast to the previous one, one can feel a happy thrill in the air; festive fanfares. As the composer wrote on 2nd January 1930 in a letter to Ottorino Respighi, it is a scene from a marketplace or fair. But nothing commonplace or banal – one can hear real music even amid the din of the marketplace! One must only listen! The composer has expressed a happy and festive ambience – authentically Russian, irresistible and infectious. In this piece we can hear the sounds of bells, especially toward the end of the piece, where they are reminiscent of sleigh bells. Here they sound grandiose and confident, as on a sunny day in spring.
Op 33 No 5 in G minorwas written on 15th August and could very well bear the subtitle Elegy, recalling Elegy Op 3 No 1 in its mood. The melancholy of the piece brings up parallels to the painting Golden Autumn by Isaac Levitanxe “Levitan, Isaak”. Although it is not perhaps the most impressive piece in the cycle, it does merit attention for its sudden dynamic build-up in the middle part. It sounds like a gust of wind that shakes the last autumn leaves from the trees, leaving a solitary sad melody to repeat forlornly.
Op 33 No 6 in C sharp minor was composed on 13th August. One can sense Rachmaninov’s characteristic pathos, which sounds oppressively tragic here. Some kind of inevitability also is suggested here, manifested in the tense contrast between minor and major thirds. This impression is deepened by the motif in thirds that is heard already at the beginning, recalling the fate motif at the beginning of Beethoven’s Fifth. The piece’s technically étude-like character is characterized by wide-ranging arpeggios in the left hand, on the background of which a chromatically descending theme is poignantly heard in the closing section. But there is nothing here that would be reminiscent of surrender or giving up. On the contrary it is a compelling, powerful calling-out to Fate.
We should mention two more étude-tableaux, which were initially included in the cycle Op 33, but which were omitted by the author when the collection went to print, feeling them not to have of sufficient merit. They appeared in print for the first time posthumously in 1948, in the Pavel Lamm edition.
The Étude-Tableau in C minor Op posth was composed on 18th August 1911 in Ivanovka. In fact it lacks a true étude-like aspect. It is more reminiscent of two contrasting and opposing musical themes, of which the first points to an engrossed, introverted state of mind riven by inner doubts and conflicts, while the second rises as if on an updraft to heavenly heights, as if signifying liberation from the dark afflictions that were prevalent in the first part. The work begins tragically with chords while in the second part it shifts to a major key. Here we see Rachmaninov’s superb ability to use the entire piano keyboard’s aural texture, which creates nothing short of a three-dimensional sense of spaciousness. At the end of the piece, a chromatically ascending, expressive melody comes to the forefront; the composer used this later in the second movement of his Piano Concerto No 4.
The Étude-Tableau in D minor Op posth was composed on 11th September 1911 in Ivanovka and is the latest of the pieces that were initially included in Op 33. From the first measures, a short motif reminiscent of the opening theme from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is repeated like a question. As with many of the études-tableaux, this, too, has a complex, multilayered piano texture, in which rhythmic background themes nevertheless remain prevalent. Although the thematic material for the piece is not especially typical compared to the other pieces, and the development does not reveal as much of an organic character as in the composer’s best pieces, the sphere of Russophonic intonations is fairly discernible here: something that is more or less typical of all of Rachmaninov’s works.
The Études-Tableaux Op 39 were composed from September 1916 to February 1917 in Moscow and were performed for the first time as a complete cycle in St Petersburg by the composer on 21st February 1917. Compared to the first cycle, the second cycle is larger and consists of nine études-tableaux. They are characterized by greater development and a poem-like nature and as a result they are more wide-ranging and technically more complicated. The nature imagery that prevailed in the first opus is here relegated to the background; on the other hand, psychological imagery is greater. It is almost as if some sort of fateful dark shadow were hovering above the entire cycle, and dark and dramatic blocks of sound such as in Op 39 No 5 in E flat minor are reminiscent of genuine symphonic poems for piano. Their musical expressiveness is based on extraordinarily tense development. Undoubtedly the composing of the Études-Tableaux Op 39 was impacted by the tragic events that shook all of Russia in those years. Possessed of a sensitive artist nature, Rachmaninov was deeply affected by World War I and the communist terror, which led to the violent coup d’etat in 1917 and forced him into exile. Thus the cycle is more marked by elements of tragedy (only the last piece is in a major key) and its greater expressiveness.
Op 39 No 1 in C minor was composed on 5th October 1916. This is typified by its extraordinary dynamism with great swells and calm periods. Passages hasten forth, creating the impression of a stormy sea amid which a sunbeam might flit, just for a moment. With its momentum and energy, it is somewhat reminiscent of the first Étude-Tableau in E flat minor from the first album. From the aspect of texture, the technical aim of the piece is fairly clearly discerned, as a result of which the étude-like aspect is less prominent. This is very characteristic of Rachmaninov and is clearly evident in his own interpretation, where technical virtuosity was never a goal unto itself but rather a way to bring out certain musical themes. The end of the piece is especially noteworthy –the culmination is followed by the same successions of chords, requiring desperate exertion, and expressing desperation and a powerful spirit of protest.
It is not known exactly when Op 39 No 2 in A minor was composed. With its calm and regular triads, this piece is a major contrast to the previous one. As with the previous étude-tableau, it, too, is related to maritime themes, but unlike the previous stormy picture, here we hear waves rolling in, one behind the other. The regularly repeated triad figures are reminiscent of the first movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. These repeated triad passages are accompaniment to the expressive melody that hovers like a bird above them. At the same time, the regularly repeated triad figures are reminiscent of Rachmaninov’s symphonic poem Isle of the Dead, all the more that the dies irae (death) theme can be heard in the lower voice as in the abovementioned symphonic poem. In a letter to Respighi, Rachmaninov subtitled the piece Sea and Seagulls (Море и чайки), which quite aptly describes the soundscapes here. As the author did not add this in the work’s manuscript, it is more of an indirect reference to a general mood that gripped the composer at that instant. It appears that the “tableau” reflects the author’s immersion in his inner world, and the emotions that grip people who have been left alone with their thoughts about nature and the sea, people, life and death.
Op 39 No 3 in F sharp minorwas written on 14th October 1916. The composer focused on a specific piano texture technique that he developed on a number of variations. In essence it is an étude for the right hand, which clearly serves a specific technical goal – double notes with a repetition. Yet at the same time, in spite of the minor mode, one can feel some sort of levity and the call of spring. It is manifested in the internal movement of the musical themes, which creates the illusion of a road leading into the distance across a wide steppe, of the kind Rachmaninov loved to drive, to feel intoxicated from the motion and open spaces.
Op 39 No 4 in B minor was composed on 24th September 1916. It could be termed a scherzo-like intermezzo, as a counterweight to the full-bodied and dramatic nature of the other pieces. This is sustained in even motion, with the rhythmic symbolism and multitextural style typical of Rachmaninov. At the same time, one can find a certain grotesqueness, which, it seems, refers to concealed programmatic nature.
Op 39 No 5 in E flat minor was composed on 17th February 1917. It is the last of the études-tableaux, the last piece Rachmaninov wrote before leaving his homeland, and the culmination of the entire cycle, expressing the composer’s inner anguish and dark foreshadowing of coming catastrophe. Although the composer did not made any comments indicating the programmatic nature of the piece, the subtitle of this piece might be Desperation. It is based on a long and expressive melody – characteristic of Rachmaninov – which has a very expressive impact with the thick, ponderous texture of the accompaniment. Thanks to its drama and full-bodied sound, this is a soundscape that transfixes the listener with its tense development and pathos. The composer’s melodic resourcefulness and invention also merits attention. As a result of these, the entire piece comes off as if it were declaimed in one lungful of air. Rachmaninov uses variational development, allowing him to create an integral sound poem: we can only wonder with amazement at its sculptural beauty. We may note a certain multi-layered form in the texture, which is expressed in the way melody and full-bodied chords are contrasted as well as in the various sub-voices. This is one of Rachmaninov’s most outstanding and brilliant works for the piano, which due to its power of expression is completely unique in world piano literature.
Op 39 No 6 in A minor was, as said, composed in its original form on 8th September 1911 in Ivanovka and reworked on 27th September 1916 in Moscow. According to Rachmaninov himself in a letter to Respighi, the piece is based on the fairy tale Little Red Riding-Hood. But one must only listen to those chromatically ascending passages – like predatory threats – to be convinced that this piece’s symbolism is far from that of a simple fairy tale. We can hear some kind of destructive power in it, something that stalks a person who, panicked, tries to flee from fate. In the context of the era, we hear the icy footfall of death here, making the piece a true drama in musical form.
It is not known exactly when Op 39 No 7 in C minor was composed. This is one of the most tragic and yet most broad-ranging tone poems in the entire cycle. In a letter to Respighi, Rachmaninov called it a mourning procession and added a definitive programmatic comment: “The Etude in C minor is a funeral march. […] The second theme depicts a choral song. From the movement of sixteenth notes in C minor and a bit later in E flat minor – this portrays fine misting rain, unceasing and hopeless. The development leads to C minor – these are church bells. And finally the finale – it is the original theme, i.e. the march.” Themes of death are expressed in many of Rachmaninov’s works. Just recall the symphonic poems Isle of the Dead and The Bells, Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, and the Symphonic Dances, in which we often hear the dies irae theme, the symbol of death. In this Étude-Tableau as well, the main image is a funeral march – the piece begins with it and it ends, after a major dynamic upswell, with the deafening ringing of church bells. This étude-tableau is among Rachmaninov’s darkest and most poignant sound poems, and astonishes the listener with its vision of fleeting nature of human life.
It is also not known exactly when Op 39 No 8 in D minorwas composed. The piece begins with an even, regular motion of triads, the technical objective here involving doubled notes in the right hand, which after the middle section become a chordal movement. In spite of this fairly clear technical objective, as a musical theme it is very lyrical. It seems that it is the only work in this cycle where Rachmaninov was inspired by thoughts of his homeland. It refers with a melancholy undertone to Levitan’s autumn landscapes. Of course, it does not perhaps call to mind the landscapes themselves so much as the experiences and emotions prompted by the landscapes. In this piece, too, the psychological aspect comes to the fore, a yearning for something distant and unattainable...
Op 39 No 9 in D major was composed on 2nd February 1917 in Moscow. According to Rachmaninov himself, this is an “Oriental march”. It is the only piece in the cycle written in a major key and it is characterized by energetic and active motion. Everything here is dictated by the rhythmic momentum that runs through the piece. It is like a toccata in terms of its sustained motion and character. The striking church bells at the beginning of the piece resonate with particular significance. In the middle part, they yield for a moment to a dance-like theme, followed by an aurally interesting passage reminiscent of church bells. At first the sound is heard from a distance, quietly like sleigh bells, then becoming louder and louder. Little by little, it blossoms into a powerful symphony of church bells.
Vardo Rumessen
Vardo Rumessen (1942) graduated from Prof Bruno Lukk and Eugen Kelder’s piano faculty at Tallinn Conservatory in 1971. Today he is one of the best known performers and promoters of Estonian piano music. Rumessen, who has frequently performed abroad – in Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Canada, the USA, Turkey, and Australia.
Rumessen has recorded piano and chamber music by Rudolf Tobias, Mart Saar, Heino Eller, Eduard Oja and Eduard Tubin. Vardo Rumessen is recognized as a master performer of Eduard Tubin’s piano music. He recorded a set of 3 CDs with piano music by Eduard Tubin for the Swedish company BIS in 1988. Rumessen was a personal friend of Tubin and had the opportunity to discuss the composer’s intentions in depth. Eduard Tubin has to a high degree authorized Vardo Rumessen’s interpretations of his music. Rumessen performed the American première of Tubin’s Piano Concertino in 1993 with the Longview Symphony Orchestra. Rumessen has performed works by Beethoven, Franck, Tobias and Tubin for piano and orchestra with the Estonian and Göteborg Symphony Orchestras, conducted by the late Peeter Lilje and Neeme Järvi. He has also performed frequently in ensemble with numerous singers, violinists, cellists, string quartets and other musicians.
Although Rumessen has achieved his success mainly as a performer of Estonian classical music, he has performed a lot of music from other parts of the world. His largest undertakings have been such as the complete Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier I, Scriabin’s 10 sonatas, Chopin’s 27 etudes, Rachmaninov’s 15 études-tableaux, etc.
Rumessen is not only the foremost performer of Estonian piano music but also a musicologist with a vast knowledge of Estonian music. He has published a lot of Estonian music, by R Tobias, M Saar, E Oja and H Eller, which have naturally found a place in Rumessen’s repertoire as both soloist and ensemble player. Among other works he restored and published R Tobias’s oratorio Jonah’s Mission. In addition, Rumessen has written many articles and has served as an editor of several books about R Tobias, M Saar, A Kapp, E Oja, E Tubin and others.
Press resonance:
- The piano sound is very open and natural... Recommended with enthusiasm. (Fanfare, USA)
- Vardo Rumessen does not fit under any ordinary pianistic standard. (Sirp ja Vasar, Estonia)
- Undoubtedly Rumessen is unparalleled as a performer of Tubin... (Aftonbladet, Sweden)
- Rumessen is a pianist of very considerable stature and Tubin is fortunate in having so commanding and sensitive an advocate. (Gramophone, UK)
- Vardo Rumessen, himself an Estonian, is as Tubin seems to have acknowledged, a master of the music. (Hi-Fi News)
- Rumessen’s visit was not only a great musical event; it was a reminder for us to keep alive in our minds the struggle for Iceland’s independence and culture. (Morgunbladid, Iceland)
- A master pianist... one of the most notable interpreters of Tubin... (Länstidningen, Sweden)
- It would hardly be possible to play the music any better... (Goteborgs-Posten, Sweden)
- The world will largely depend upon Rumessen for interpretive insight into Eller’s work, as he is one of the best known advocates not only Eller, but of Estonian music in general. (The Morning Journal, USA)
- He plays them here with extraordinary sensitivity and poetic freedom... (American Record Guide, USA)
Download: Vardo Rumessen in 2005, photo by P Vähi, jpg, 300 dpi, 1235 KB
Distribution by Easy-Living Music
See also other recordings of Vardo Rumessen by ERP: Koidust Kodumaise viisini, The Call of the Stars, Wiegenlieder der Schmerzen, Eduard Tubin And His Time, Northern Lights Sonata, Estonian Preludes, The Well-Tempered Clavier I, Fryderyk Chopin. Melancholy, Silent Moods
SAATUS / FATE
“You have probably never heard anything quite like this music, which is spare, haunting, melodic, and compelling...” (The $ensible Sound)
| 1 | Vana kannel | The Ancient Psaltery | trad / P Vähi / K Loo | 6:16 |
| 2 | Loomine | The Creation | trad / P Vähi / K Loo | 5:07 |
| 3 | Taevalaotuse tekkimine | Genesis Of The Welkin | P Vähi | 3:06 |
| 4 | Hõikumised | Holla | trad / P Vähi / K Loo | 2:48 |
| 5 | Ristitantsi | Cross Dance | trad / P Vähi / K Loo | 4:57 |
| 6 | Igatsus | Longing | trad / P Vähi / K Loo | 3:30 |
| 7 | Äia-tuija | Äia-tuija | trad / P Vähi / K Loo | 4:26 |
| 8 | Joodiku nädal | Drunkard’s Week | trad / P Vähi / K Loo | 1:55 |
| 9 | Ei mina mõista | I Do Not Apprehend | trad / P Vähi / K Loo | 2:58 |
| 10 | Äiu-äiu, kõssi-kõssi | Lullaby | trad / P Vähi / K Loo | 4:31 |
| 11 | Oh minu elu igava | O, My Life! | trad / P Vähi / K Loo | 3:13 |
| 12 | Saare tants | Island Dance | P Vähi | 1:18 |
| 13 | Akkame, mehed, minema! | Let’s Go, Men! | trad / P Vähi / K Loo | 3:26 |
| 14 | Roopilli hüüd | Reed Pipe Skirl | K Loo | 2:04 |
| 15 | Surnuitk | Song Of Lamentation | trad | 2:34 |
| 16 | Õhtu ilu | Evening Song | trad / P Vähi / K Loo | 2:08 |
#5, Cross Dance, fragm, 86 sec, mp3
#3, Genesis Of The Welkin, fragm, 97 sec, mp3
Lyrics: trad, in North Estonian, Setu and Kihnu dialects, and standard Estonian
Performed by:
Kirile Loo – vocal (all tracks, except #3 & 12)
Tuule Kann – kannel (Estonian trad psaltery), vocal (#1, 5, 10, 13)
Margus Rahuoja – bagpipe, reed pipe, vocal (#5, 7, 13, 14)
Igor Tõnurist – Jew’s harp, straw whistle, vocal (#3, 5, 10, 12, 13)
Peter Finger – guitar (#3, 6, 11, 12)
Peeter Vähi – keyboards, lokk (wooden gong), percussion, vocal (all tracks, except #14)
Consulting for ancient folk-lore: Igor Tõnurist
Recorded in the studio of Estonian Radio from Apr to Jun 1994
Engineered by Teet Kehlmann
Frontpage artwork by Kaljo Põllu (Fate – Heaven And Earth, coloured mezzotinto, 1987)
Layout by Thomas Kunadt
Photo by Tõnu Tormis
Liner notes by Dr Ingrid Rüütel, Igor Tõnurist, Peeter Vähi
Music arranged and produced by Peeter Vähi
Co-produced by Ulrich Rützel
Erdenklang Records 1994
Published by Edrenklang Musikverlag
40772
Stereo
Made in Germany
Other releases:
Si-Wan Records SRMC 4044 (for Asia)
1997 Alula Records ALU-1004 (for North America)
1994 Origins 855788-2 (for Europe)
The music presented in this recording is based on so-called regi-song. This is considered to be the oldest style of traditional Estonian music. The regi-verse song-form (verse in the Kalevala-metre) is common to the majority of Balto-Finnic cultures. It is presumed to date back to the 1st Millenium BC.
The present recordings introduce a wide variety of traditional Estonian music instruments. Piece No 1 introduces the oldest Estonian string instrument, the kannel, which is a traditional instrument common to the 10 cultures residing on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. The kannel’s venerable age is at least 2000 years.
Vibrant and magical, the regi-verse songs of Kirile Loo are as timeless as the primeval forests that blanket the Estonian landscape, and as haunting as the dreams one just barely remembers upon waking. And there is the pure, soulfully direct and totally captivating voice of this echanting artist: Kirile Loo was born in a Northern Estonian village called Varinurme. She spent the majority of her childhood at her grandmother’s home at Alutaguse, which is a place in Estonia covered by primeval forests and untouched by civilization. There was no electricity, no telephone, no TV in her grandmother’s home, but close ties with nature in such a place; bear, elk, wolves and snakes lived nearby the house. The artistic creed of Kirile Loo cannot easily be put into words. From a human perspective, the ideals of Kirile Loo are rooted in ancient times, when primitive man expressed thoughts in a straightforward manner, without unnecessary philosophical speculations.
Press resonance
Distribution in Estonia by Easy Living Music,
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, phone +372 51 06058
Distribution in Germany by Erdenklang Records,
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See also www.hrmusic.com/discos/fadisc10.html#dot6;
www.ethnotempos.org/chroniques/kirile_loo.htm
PS BEST REGARDS FROM
TALLINN AND MOSCOW
truly yours
Peeter Vähi
Fedor Vetkalov
Dmitri Tkachenko
An interesting combination of the works by young and already experienced composers, all of whom have been influenced by orient and electronics as a common denominator. Works based on art by Mark Kostabi, sung by pop star Siiri Sisask make an exciting listening. Sold out!
| 1 | Being And Nothingness In The Artist’s Atelier | 2:46 |
| 2 | Modern Times | 2:42 |
| 3 | Lovers | 4:19 |
| 4 | Rip Off Culture | 5:55 |
| 5 | In Search Of Eucalyptus | 5:06 |
| 6 | He Who Has The Key | 4:39 |
| 7 | Forty-two* | 3:57 |
| 8 | Internal Illusions | 4:03 |
| 9 | City | 1:18 |
| 10 | 4 Us | 3:17 |
| 11 | Mystical Dance | 3:03 |
| 12 | In Abysso | 4:23 |
| 13 | Fuji | 4:42 |
| 14 | Oriented By C | 3:11 |
| 15 | Galeon | 3:09 |
| 16 | Falling Star | 1:43 |
| 17 | Eyes To Eyes | 3:09 |
| 18 | Disappearing Dew | 6:03 |
| 19 | Kursk | 4:33 |
*Dedicated to Elvis Presley, Joe Dassin and Vladimir Vysotsky died in the age of forty-two
#2, Peeter Vähi, Modern Times, fragm, 2 min 10 sec, mp3, 320 Kbps #14, Fedor Vetkalov, Oriented By C, fragm, 58 sec, mp3
Performed by:
Siiri Sisask − vocal
Maria Fomina − vocal
Dmitri Tkachenko − piano, electronics
Fedor Vetkalov − electronics
Pärt Tarvas − cello
Jüri Leiten − trumpet
Kristjan “Kotkas” Mäeots − percussion
Peeter Vähi − keyboards
Music composed by Peeter Vähi (#1−7), Fedor Vetkalov (#8, 10, 12, 14−16, 18, 19), Dmitri Tkachenko (#9, 11−13, 17)
Co-composed and lyrics by Siiri Sisask (#1, 3−6)
Engineered by Rauno Remme, Dmitri Tkachenko, Fedor Vetkalov
Recorded at the Estonian Academy of Music, JustX Studio and Abyssus Studio
Mastered by Marika Scheer at Estonian PUblic Broadcasting
Designed by Piret Mikk
Booklet edited by Tiina Jokinen and Maria Kramp
Published by Edition 49 (#1−6), Eres Edition (#7), Erdenklang Musikverlag (#8−19)
Special thanks: Marina Tee, Irina Tomberg, Baltic Department of Russian Culture Foundation, Colours of the Earth, Orbital Vox Studios
Total time 73:40
Stereo
n©b
© 2002 ERP
302
Manufactured by Sony DADC, Austria
The current CD represents Russian and Estonian musical trends from the borderline period between the 20th and the 21st century. What is characteristic of that music? On the one hand the state border between Russia and Estonia has taken a firmer shape, on the other hand the music by Fedor Vetkalov, Dmitri Tkachenko, Peeter Vähi and Siiri Sisask is characterized by total lack of any kind of borders − here one can feel the friendly coexistence of America and Europe, East and West, Russia and Estonia, different philosophies as well as different views. The first seven tracks have been inspired by works of an artist residing both in New York and Rome; the electronic visions of the young Moscow composers are tightly entwined with Indian landscapes, Japanese touches of brush and graceful oriental dance movements.
Being and Nothingness in Kostabi’s Atelier belongs to musical-choreographic productions which resist being unequivocally categorized. Being and Nothingness… is not out-and-out avant-garde, neither is it completely classical nor purely pop. The production as a whole was originally inspired by the paintings of Mark Kostabi, whose world can be characterized by key-words like urbanization, computerization, surrealism, metropolis, olden art. The author of music Peeter Vähi and the co-author Siiri Sisask, have maintained the poly-stylistics of the paintings; if anything, the composers have exacerbated the conflicts inherent in Kostabi’s work. The music embraces seemingly incompatible elements: soloists of symphony orchestra and a rock singer, the electronic sounds imitating a cathedral organ, a drum machine. This music in its turn inspired the choreographer, then the dance production prompted the video-program. However, the overall result is not an eclectic abracadabra, but a syncretistic work of multi-media art realized with a fine sense of style.
Watch a fragment of the work in 
YouTube
Internal Illusions is dedicated to an unearthly being, a muse who is always close by and ready to catch you when you fall...
City. The city that never sleeps, contemporary metropolis, complicated mechanism full of various small details which together form gigantic impression − all that being built by small people like ants in an anthill.
4 Us. A vision about and dedicated to all of us living on the planet Earth.
Mystical Dance. The encounter of East and West on a dance floor of a medieval castle. Colourful dancers from the Orient trying to penetrate the twilight zone of the Middle Ages shaking the onlookers deeply with their different grace and beauty.
In Abysso. Standing high up on the mountain and looking down into the darkness of an abyss can be compared to looking down on simple things from the peak of our hi-tech life and not seeing them through our own obscured vision.
Fuji. The famous mount Fuji in Japan, standing eternally through all changes of seasons, weather, history, nature. Thunderstorms come and go while Fuji is still stoically standing.
Oriented by C. Today’s East still cherishes its historical roots and is at the same time developing with all the influence of the hi-tech age, thus forming an interesting and colourful composition.
Galeon. A vision about a submariner approaching an alien sunken ship Galeon.
Falling Star. Everything in this world is temporary, just a falling star.
Eyes to Eyes. Eyes − oceans of powerful feelings and inner wisdom, reflecting the depth of one’s soul.
Disappearing Dew. The images of dawn, morning chill and dewdrops in the high mountain ranges of Himalayas.
Kursk. A real challenge to express the profound compassion and depth of emotion after the tragedy of the submarine Kursk.
See also other recordings of Peeter Vähi: Supreme Silence, A Chant Of Bamboo, Maria Magdalena, In the Mystical Land of Kaydara, Handbell Symphony, The Path Of Mantra, The Path To The Heart Of Asia, Celestials, Tamula Fire Collage, Sounds Of The Silver Moon
See also other recordings of Siiri Sisask: Being And Nothingness in Kostabi’s Atelier, Tamula Fire Collage, Rahuriik
ARVO PÄRT
PILGRIM’S SONG
Award: Record of the Year 2009! (Choral Music category, Estonia). Two works show the choir at its peak... their Summa, available in more versions than you can shake a baton at, is on of the best. Performance 5/5, Recording 5/5 (Barry Witherden, BBC Music Magazine, 2010, the UK)
| 1 | Pilgrim’s Song | 10:12 |
| 2 | Magnificat | 6:33 |
| 3 | Summa | 4:36 |
| 4 | Nunc dimittis | 7:33 |
| 5 | Te Deum | 29:50 |
Performed by: chamber choir Voces Musicales and Tallinn Sinfonietta, conductor Risto Joost
Sound engineer: Maido Maadik
Assistant engineers: Priit Karind and Rein Palo
Liner notes: Jorma Sarv, Maria Mölder
Translations: Pirjo Püvi, Gerhard Lock
Photos: Mait Jüriado, Peeter Vähi
Booklet compiled by Riin Eensalu
Design: Mart Kivisild
Producer: Peeter Vähi
Recorded in Tallinn St Nicolaus church in 2009 by Estonian Public Broadcasting
Manufactured by Baltic Disc
Scores published by Universal Edition
ERP 2309
Arvo Pärt. Pilgrim’s Song, fragm, 4 min 3 sec, mp3
Arvo Pärt. Te Deum, fragm, 3 min 42 sec, mp3
Chamber choir Voces Musicales was founded in 1999 by Risto Joost mainly from the students of the Estonian Academy of Music. Audiences received the choir well already during the first season, which was highlighted by prizes from several competitions. In April 2001, as a great acknowledgment Voces Musicales won 1st prize in the category of chamber choirs at the international choir competition Tallinn 2001. Success in the Tallinn choir competition was continued by another victory in 2005, when besides two 2nd prizes in minor categories the choir also won the Grand Prix.
The repertoire of the choir includes music from Renaissance polyphonies to contemporary compositions. Voces Musicales has been a guest performer at festivals in France, Israel and Finland and has participated in the performance of several oratorical works. The choir has premièred the compositions of several composers (Toivo Tulev, Helena Tulve, Timo Steiner, Ülo Krigul, etc). Voces Musicales has co-operated with conductors Neeme Järvi, Olari Elts, Arvo Volmer, Andres Mustonen, Jüri Alperten and orchestras such as the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Corelli Baroque Orchestra, NYYD Ensemble, Hortus Musicus, Pärnu City Orchestra. In autumn 2009, the choir celebrated their 10th anniversary with a jubilee concert.
Conductor Risto Joost (b 1980) studied singing as well as choral and orchestral conducting at the Estonian Academy of Music, and received further training at the University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. He has participated in the conducting master classes of Neeme Järvi, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Eri Klas, Paul Mägi, Paul Hillier and several early music master classes in Denmark and Sweden.
In 1999 Risto Joost founded the chamber choir Voces Musicales. Since 2000, Risto Joost has regularly participated in the Estonian Music Days and NYYD Festival, conducting approximately 50 première performances ranging from chamber music to symphonic repertoire. From 2001–2002, he was a singer in the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. In 2002, he founded his own orchestra, Ensemble Voces Musicales, which is focused on performing Baroque and contemporary music.
In spring 2008 Risto Joost graduated from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm majoring in orchestral conducting with Prof Jorma Panula. He has conducted the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Pärnu City Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Tallinn Baroque Orchestra, Corelli Baroque Orchestra, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Gävle Symphony Orchestra, Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra as well as the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Estonian National Male Choir RAM, Swedish Radio Choir, State Choir Latvija, Ars Nova Copenhagen.
Since autumn 2006 Risto Joost is the principal conductor of the Tallinn Music High School Symphony Orchestra. In June 2007 he made his debut in the Estonian National Opera conducting Erkki-Sven Tüür’s opera Wallenberg and in spring 2008 he conducted Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera in co-operation with the opera studio of the Estonian Academy of Music. Since Sep 2009, Risto Joost is a conductor at the Estonian National Opera. From 2010–2011 the artistic adviser to Glasperlenspiel Festival.
Tallinn Sinfonietta was established with the aim of performing symphonic repertoire written primarily in the 18th and 19th centuries and focusing on music from the classical and romantic periods. The orchestra’s debut concert was titled Mozart and his symphonies; with this concert series the orchestra strives to perform all the symphonies of W A Mozart.
Tallinn Sinfonietta consists of young professional musicians who pursue active careers as soloists and chamber musicians, performing in Estonia as well as abroad.
Arvo Pärt was born in Estonia on Sep 11th, 1935. His musical studies began in 1954 at the Tallinn Music Secondary School, interrupted less than a year later while he fulfilled his National Service obligation as oboist and drummer in an army band. He returned to school for a year before joining the Estonian Academy of Music in 1957, where his composition teacher was Prof Heino Eller. Pärt started work as a recording engineer with Estonian Radio, wrote music for the stage and received numerous commissions for film scores so that, by the time he graduated from the Academy of Music in 1963, he could already be considered a professional composer. He won 1st prize in the All-Union Young Composers’ Competition for the children’s cantata Our Garden and the oratorio Stride of the World.
Living in the USSR, Pärt had little access to what was happening in contemporary Western music but, despite such isolation, the early 60s in Estonia saw many new methods of composition being brought into use and Pärt was at the fore front. His Nekrolog was the first Estonian composition to employ serial technique. He continued with serialism through to the mid 60s in the Symphony No 1, Symphony No 2 and Perpetuum Mobile, but ultimately tired of its rigours and moved on to experiment, in works such as Collage über BACH, with collage techniques.
Official judgement of Pärt’s music veered between extremes, with certain works being praised and others, like the Credo of 1968, being banned. This would prove to be the last of his collage pieces and after its composition, Pärt chose to enter the first of several periods of contemplative silence, also using the time to study French and Franco-Flemish choral music from the 14th to 16th centuries: Machaut, Ockeghem, Obrecht, Josquin. At the beginning of the 70s, he wrote a few transitional compositions in the spirit of early European polyphony, like his Symphony No 3.
Pärt turned again to self-imposed silence, but re-emerged in 1976 after a transformation so radical as to make his previous music almost unrecognizable as that of the same composer. The technique he invented, or discovered, and to which he has remained loyal, practically without exception, he calls tintinnabuli (‘little bells’), which he describes thus: “I have discovered that it is enough when a single note is beautifully played. This one note, or a silent beat, or a moment of silence, comforts me. I work with very few elements – with one voice, two voices. I build with primitive materials – with the triad, with one specific tonality. The three notes of a triad are like bells and that is why I call it tintinnabulation.” The basic guiding principle behind tintinnabulation of composing two simultaneous voices as one line – one voice moving stepwise from and to a central pitch, first up then down, and the other sounding the notes of the triad – made its first public appearance in the short piano piece Für Alina.
Having found his voice, there was a subsequent rush of new works and three of the 1977 pieces – Fratres, Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten, and Tabula Rasa – are still amongst his most highly regarded. As Pärt’s music began to be performed in the west and he continued to struggle against Soviet officialdom, his frustration ultimately forced him, his wife Nora and their two sons, to emigrate in 1980. They never made it to their intended destination of Israel but, with the assistance of his publisher in the West, settled firstly in Vienna. One year later he moved to Berlin.
Pärt has concentrated on setting religious texts, which have proved popular with choirs and ensembles around the world. Among his champions in the West have been ECM Records who released the first recordings of Pärt’s music outside the Soviet bloc, Hilliard Ensemble who have premièred several of the vocal works, and Neeme Järvi who conducted the première of Credo in Tallinn in 1968, and has, as well as recording the tintinnabuli pieces, introduced Pärt’s earlier compositions through performances and recordings.
Pärt’s achievements were honoured in his 61st year by his election to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In May 2003, he also received the Contemporary Music Award at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and in May 2011, again in Royal Albert Hall won the Classic BRIT Award Composer of the Year 2011.
Worldwide distribution by Note 1 Music (Carl-Benz-Straße 1, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany, phone +49 6221 720351, fax +49 6221 720381,
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, www.note-1.de) / Naxos Global Logistics
Distribution in Estonia by Easy-Living Music,
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, phone +372 51 06058
See also other recordings of Arvo Pärt at ERP: Vater unser, Early Music of 3rd Millennium, Contra aut pro?, 100 Years of Estonian Symphony, Ellerhein
See also other recordings of Risto Joost at ERP: Maria Magdalena, A Chant of Bamboo, Cantus angelicus, De spe, Modigliani − the Cursed Artist, In the Finnish Mode, La donna è mobile
EDUARD TUBIN
VIRMALISTE SONAAT
NORTHERN LIGHTS SONATA
Vardo Rumessen, piano
String Quartet
of St Petersburg Philharmonic Society
“The whole sky was in motion. Everything around me flashed and whirled, all of nature”, Tubin said.
| 1 | Sonata allegro E Major ETW 31-1 (1928) | 14:27 |
| 2 | Ballade on a Theme by Mart Saar ETW 40 (1945) | 10:08 |
| 3 | Variations on an Estonian Folk Tune ETW 41 (1945) | 12:12 |
| Sonata No 2 Northern Lights ETW 44 (1950) | ||
| 4 | I Rubato e agitato | 10:04 |
| 5 | II Andante. Variations on Laplandian Tunes | 7:41 |
| 6 | III Allegro | 6:07 |
| 7 | Piano Quartet C-sharp minor ETW 59 (1929–1930) | 16:23 |
#2, Ballade on a Theme by Mart Saar, 10 min 5 sec, mp3, 224 Kbps
#7, Piano Quartet, fragm, 1 min 46 sec, mp3
Performed by Vardo Rumessen (piano), members of the String Quartet of St Petersburg Philharmonic Society (#7): Lev Klytschkov (violin), Andrei Dogadin (viola), Sergey Tschernjadjev (violoncello)
Published by AB Gehrmans Musikförlag
Recorded in Estonia Concert Hall in June 2004 and October 2005
Engineered by Maido Maadik / Estonian Radio
Liner notes by Vardo Rumessen
Translated by Eino Tubin
Cover photo: Dennis Anderson (Alaska, USA)
Design by Tiina Sildre
Co-produced by Peeter Vähi
Supported by Ministry of Culture of Estonia, Estonian Cultural Endowment
© 2007 International Eduard Tubin Society
n©b
Manufactured by Sony DADC, Austria
ERP 1707
Northern Lights Sonata
Piano works
Tubin’s piano works form an important part of his oeuvre in the development of his musical style. Of Tubin’s early piano works the Piano Sonata No 1 merits special attention. It was written in 1928 in Heino Eller’s composition class in Tartu. It is the first of Tubin’s works on a large scale. The sonata was written in four movements, the first of which was later released by the composer as an independent piece with the title Sonata-allegro. Here the composer’s most passionate and emotional way of expression reveals itself, finding a way out in a Scriabin-like ecstatic culmination, where we find Tubin as above all a great romantic. Although this work may be a bit uncharacteristic for Tubin, it shows how the composer’s rich and versatile creativity developed from the ideals and starting points of his first creative period. The Sonata-allegro was first performed by the composer on May 13th, 1928 on a concert celebrating the centenary of the Tartu Teachers College.
The next work was created in Sweden in 1945, soon after the composer’s flight from his homeland. In the Ballade in the Form of Chaconne on a Theme by Mart Saar Tubin has used the theme from Saar’s choir song Seven Moss-clad Tombs. The text of the song is based on the national epic Kalevipoeg and the seven tombs are symbolizing seven centuries of serfdom for the Estonian people. Tubin was inspired by the ancient legends of the past of the Estonian people, which got a personal meaning for him after losing his homeland. With its carefully wrought musical material and formal concentration, this is one of the most seminal of Tubin’s piano works: it impresses with its dramatic development and suggestive expressiveness. The Ballade was first performed on June 6th, 1945 in the Stockholm YMCA hall by the pianist Olav Roots. Later the Ballade became one of Tubin’s best known piano pieces.
At the end of the same year Tubin also wrote other piano works using Estonian folk tunes. The theme of Variations on an Estonian Folk Tune of two different tunes, joined together to form an integral whole. Compared with the Ballade, the Variations are more subjective, fascinating us with the poetic sound peculiar to folk music and narrative presentation suggestive of a ballade. A typical feature of Tubin’s works inspired by folk tunes, is the generalization of the artistic and figurative world implicit in folk music, and because of that it sounds like a paean to Estonian folklore. The Variations were first heard on January 19th, 1946 in the Stockholm Borgarskola hall, played by Olav Roots. The composer later withdrew his manuscript and didn’t want it performed again. The work was somewhat revised when Vardo Rumessen played it in 1981 in the great hall of the Royal College of Music in Stockholm.
One of the high points in Eduard Tubin’s career was the Piano Sonata No 2. A strong inspiration for the sonata were the northern lights seen above Stockholm in the autumn of 1949. “The whole sky was in motion. Everything around me flashed and whirled, all of nature”, Tubin said. The Sonata was completed in 9 months in 1950. It begins with a whirl of sounds in free rhythm, in which one can trace the play of the northern lights. Obviously the “theme of the Northern Lights” assumed a deeper meaning for the composer. The “image of the northern lights” is contrasted in the sonata to the main theme of the first movement as well as of the finale, which symbolizes some kind of inner resistance. 1st movement shows the main theme together with the “northern lights theme” developed through variations. 2nd movement consists of variations on two Saami folk themes. Tubin has joined two rather different melodies into an integrated whole on which he builds up free variations in three large passages. An extensive cadenza reminiscent of the fantastic shimmer of the northern lights before the final section. The finale starts with the sound of drums reminiscent of shaman ritual and develops into a great symphonic drama. Two contrasting themes are of essential importance. These themes, developed and transformed together with the ostinato rhythm of Saami drums, make up the axis of the finale. Like the 1st movement, the finale is formally based on a sonata allegro scheme although it has been used very freely. Tubin’s Sonata No 2 is undoubtedly his most remarkable piano work. It was first performed by Olav Roots on March 26th, 1951 in the Konserthuset of Stockholm.
The Piano Quartet in C-sharp minor was written during Tubin’s studies with Heino Eller at the Tartu Higher Music School in 1929–1930. The première performance took place on May 11th, 1930 at a concert by the students of Heino Eller’s composition class. It was performed a few times in Tallinn and Tartu, but was then forgotten for many decades. Only on April 16th, 1977 was it played again, at the Estonian Theatre and Music Museum in Tallinn at an event organized by Vardo Rumessen. Although it was already written during Tubin’s time as a student, the Piano Quartet has great musical value, found in the inventiveness of the melody, in interesting harmony and in the mastery of composition. The Piano Quartet is in one movement, starting with the slow introduction. It is succeeded by the main theme with energetic movement. The secondary theme is a somewhat Nordic melody, played by the viola. In the recapitulation the main theme emerges in a forcefully transformed shape, this being like an extra step before the main culmination of the work in the coda. The last Presto section finishes the quartet with brisk movement.
As the whole of Tubin’s oeuvre reveals the composer’s deeply personal world of thoughts, where his individuality is united with national distinctions. Building on the traditions of Estonian classical music, Tubin has enriched them with his deep personality. Thanks to the imagery and dramaturgically clear development in Tubin’s music, one work after another rises to the level of universal human problems, seizing with inner strength and philosophical hidden meanings. Therefore his piano works have earned a conspicuous place in the whole piano music of the 20th century.
Vardo Rumessen was born in 1942 to a family of musicians. In 1971 he finished the piano class of professors Bruno Lukk and Eugen Kelder at the Tallinn Conservatory, beginning a wide-ranging career as concert pianist as well as musicologist. Vardo Rumessen is above all known as an interpreter and champion of Estonian classical piano music. Besides appearing in his homeland Estonia, he has performed in several foreign countries – in Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Canada, the USA, Latvia, Australia, Turkey, Switzerland, Italy, Russia, Japan…
Vardo Rumessen has been characterized in the press as a “heroic” and “masterly” pianist, “unique and competent”, his piano recitals have been called “great and unforgettable events”, in his performance has been found “fine interpretation”, “dynamic force”, “technical confidence”, “good ability to interpret”, his playing has been characterized “soft or powerful, his touch is always constantly sensitive” and “his sound is open and natural”.
He has recorded the piano and chamber music of Rudolf Tobias, Mart Saar, Heino Eller and Eduard Tubin. He has achieved great recognition above all as an interpreter of Eduard Tubin. He has repeatedly performed Tubin’s Concertino for piano with various orchestras in Estonia, America, Sweden, Turkey and Switzerland. He has also played together with singers, violinists and cellists and with various ensembles. Vardo Rumessen has published a lot of works by the Estonian composers Tobias, Saar, Eller, Eduard Oja and Tubin. His greatest work was the restoration and publishing of Tobias’ oratorio Des Jona Sendung. He has written numerous articles and compiled books about Tobias, Saar, Artur Kapp, Oja and Tubin. He is chairman of the International Eduard Tubin Society founded in 2000.
Other recordings of Eduard Tubin on ERP: 100 Years of Estonian Symphony, Kratt, Estonian Preludes, Musica triste, Tubin, Eduard Tubin and His Time, Works for Violin and Piano Vol I, Works for Violin and Piano Vol 2
Other recordings of Vardo Rumessen on ERP: Estonian Preludes, The Call of the Stars, Wiegenlieder der Schmerzen, Koidust Kodumaise viisini, Eduard Tubin and His Time, The Well-Tempered Clavier I, Sergei Rahmaninov. Piano Works, Fryderyk Chopin. Melancholy
FRIDRICH BRUK
POHJOLAN LEGENDOJA
Fridrich Bruk valmistui säveltäjäksi vuonna 1961 Leningradin valtiollisesta N A Rimski-Korsakovin konservatoriosta, ja hänet lähetettiin työhön Neuvosto-Karjalaan kolmeksi vuodeksi. Siitä alkoi nuoren säveltäjän kiinnostus vepsäläistä, karjalaista ja suomalaista kansantaidetta kohtaan ja hän alkoi tutkia näiden kansojen musiikkia sekä sen ohella myös Kalevalaa.
CD 1
| Sinfonia n:o 7 Gallen-Kallelan Kalevala | ||
| 1 | Aino-Taru | 16:56 |
| 2 | Kullervon kirous | 12:56 |
| 3 | Sammon ryöstö | 18:36 |
| Sinfonia n:o 1 orkesterille ja pasuunalle | ||
| 4 | Andante sostenuto | 8:13 |
| 5 | Larghetto | 5:27 |
| 6 | Con moto e pensiero | 7:45 |
CD 2
| Sinfonia n:o 2 orkesterille ja pianolle | ||
| 1 | Sostenuto e tenebroso | 17:17 |
| 2 | Vivo | 11:36 |
| 3 | Largo | 15:32 |
| Sinfonia n:o 6 Muuttolinnut orkesterille, käyrätorvelle ja tuuballe | ||
| 4 | Susi | 9:01 |
| 5 | Rannikon ääni | 7:31 |
| 6 | Muuttolinnut | 8:43 |
Sinfonia n:o 6, Muutolinnut, III osa, 104 sek, mp3
Sinfonia n:o 7, Gallen-Kallelan Kalevala, II osa, 3 min 4 sek, mp3
CD I #1–3 Liepajan Sinfoniorkesteri, kapellimestari Andres Mustonen
CD I #4–6 Eestin Kansallisorkesteri, kapellimestari Paul Mägi, Heiki Kalaus (pasuuna)
CD II #1–3 Eestin Kansallisorkesteri, kapellimestari Paul Mägi, Mati Mikalai (piano)
CD II #4–6 Liepajan Sinfoniaorkesteri, kapellimestari Andres Mustonen, Rait Eriksson (käyrätorvi), Gustavo Subida (tuuba)
Äänitys: 2003–07, Tallinn, Liepaja
Miksaus, masterointi: Tanel Klesment, Priit Kuulberg, Marika Scheer
Tekstit: Nadezhda Bruk
Käännökset: Arto Lehmuskallio
Tuotaja: Peeter Vähi, ERP
Kokonaiskesto 69:57 + 69:45
Stereo
Sony DADC, Itävalda
n©b
1307 – 1 & 2
Fridrich Bruk on syntynyt 18.09.1937 Ukrainassa Harkovan kaupungissa insinöörin ja kuuluisan pianistin perheeseen. Vuonna 1956 Fridrich Bruk päätti Harkovam valtionkonservatorion yhteydessä toimineen kymmenvuotisen musiikkikoulun ja sai palkinnoksi hopeamitalin. Samana vuonna Fridrich Bruk pääsi opiskelemaan Leningradin Rimski-Korsakovin valtiollisen konservatorion sävellysosastolle professori V V Voloshinovin luokalle. Vuonna 1961 Fridrich Bruk valmistui säveltäjäksi Leningradin Rimski-Korsakovin konservatoriosta professori B A Arapovin luokalta. Vuosina 1961–64 hän toimi Karjalassa Petroskoissa, missä hänet hyväksyttiin Neuvostliiton Säveltäjäliiton jäseneksi. Vuonna 1964 Fridrich Bruk palasi Leningradiin, missä hän jatkoi luomistyötään. Samoihin aikoihin säveltäjä Fridrich Bruk sävelsi musiikkia teatterinäytelmiin ja elokuviin. Hän sävelsi myös suosittuja viihdelauluja ja toimi Lennauchfilm-elokuvastudion musiikkiosaston johtajana.
Vuodesta 1974 Fridrich Bruk on asunut Suomessa, missä hän on säveltänyt joukon laajamuotoisia sinfonisia teoksia, kamari- ja kuoromusiikkia sekä suosittuja viihdelauluja. Vuonna 1988 Suomen Presidentti palkitsi hänet Suomen Leijonan Ritarikunnan Ansioristillä. Vuonna 1998 säveltäjä Bruk sai valtion taiteilijaeläkkeen Suomen taiteen ansioituneena toimihenkilönä. Fridrich Bruk on Suomen Säveltäjät ry:n jäsen, Venäjän Säveltäjäliiton jäsen, Suomen Säveltäjät ja Sanoittajat Elvis ry:n jäsen, Teosto tekijänoikeusyhdistyksen jäsen.
Fridrich Bruk valmistui säveltäjäksi vuonna 1961 Leningradin valtiollisesta N A Rimski-Korsakovin konservatoriosta, ja hänet lähetettiin työhön Neuvosto-Karjalaan kolmeksi vuodeksi. Siitä alkoi nuoren säveltäjän kiinnostus vepsäläistä, karjalaista ja suomalaista kansantaidetta kohtaan ja hän alkoi tutkia näiden kansojen musiikkia sekä sen ohella myös Kalevalaa.
Myöhemmin asuessaan jo Suomessa Fridrich Bruk sävelsi v 1980 Muunnelmia pianolle karjalaisesta sävelmästä Mansikka, jota on esitetty usein konserteissa. Vuonna 1985 syntyi Konserttimuunnelmia sellolle ja pianolle vanhasta Kalevalasävelmästä, joihin suuri yleisö tutustui v 1986, kun Fridrich Brukin teoksia esitettiin säveltäjän TV-konsertissa.
Vuonna 2001 syntyi Sinfonia n:o 4 Carelia, jonka Viron Kansallinen Sinfoniaorkesteri Paul Mägin johdolla levytti v 2003. Tässä teoksessa säveltäjä käyttää runsaasti karjalaisen folkloren piirteitä ja tämän lisäksi hän yhdistää instrumentaaliseen kehittelyyn runon Kalevalasta, joka kertoo siitä, kuinka Väinämöinen loi kanteleen. Sinfonian finaalissa karjalaiset intonaatiot sulautuvat luontevasti yhteen Eino Leinon kalevalaiseen oodiin Aunuksen aamu.
Fridrich Brukin uuden teoksen Sinfonia n:o 7 Gallen-Kallelan Kalevala (2006) on levyttänyt latvialaisen Liepajan Sinfoniaorkesteri johtajanaan tunnettu virolainen kapellimestari Andres Mustonen. Kalevalan ja Akseli Gallen-Kallelan (1865–31) sen pohjalta luomien vaikuttavien taulujen innoittamana säveltäjä palaa taas suomalais-ugrilaisten intonaatioiden pariin ja varioi niitä sinfonian hahmojen kehittelyssä. Vähitellen koko teoksen tematiikka yhdistyy yhteen perusajatukseen, melodiaan onnesta, joka saavutetaan ankaralla työllä usein suuria uhrauksia tehden.
I osa Aino-Taru: Aino, kaunis metsänneito, aikoo riistää itseltänsä hengen. Metsässä Aino kohtaa vanhan Väinämöisen, joka rakastuu häneen kiihkeästi. Mutta kaunotar torjuu Väinämöisen, kävelee veteen ja häviää pinnan alle muuttuen vedenneidoksi.
II osa Kullervon kirous: Orpo paimenpoika Kullervo elää orjuudessa setänsä Lemminkäisen luona, joka on tappanut Kullervon vanhemmat. Lemminkäisen vaimo haluaa kiusata Kullervoa, orporaukkaa, ja piilottaa leivän sisään kiven. Kun Kullervo leikkaa leipää puukollaan, joka on ainoa, mitä hänelle on vanhemmilta jäänyt jäljelle, hän osuu sillä kiveen, ja terä menee pilalle. Viha, joka hänen sisässään leimahtaa, saa hänet ryhdistäytymään ja tuntemaan oman ihmisarvonsa. Hän vannoo kostavansa orjuuttajilleen ja hänestä tulee urhea sotilas. Kullervo kyllästyy kuitenkin sotimiseen ja valitsemaansa tiehen ja päättää tehdä itsemurhan.
III osa Sammon ryöstö: Louhi on kaapannut itselleen Sammon, jonka kalevalainen kansa on työllään saanut luoduksi. Hän suojelee suurta aarrettaan pitäen sitä piilossa luotettavassa paikassa. Joukko rohkeita miehiä lähtee kuitenkin hakemaan Sampoa takaisin, ja rajun taistelun jälkeen he saavat Sammon anastajilta ja palauttavat sen ikuisesti Kalevalan kansalle.
“Teoksen maailma on hyvin etäällä sellaisesta sävelmaailmasta, joka Suomessa on assosiotunut juuri kalevalaisuuteen. Näin sinfonia tuo uusia, erilaisia äänenpainoja Kalevalan musiikillisiin kuvauksiin. Teos on Brukin värikkäimmin soiva orkesterisävellys ja sinfonia kuulu ylipäänsä hänen tärkempiin teoksiinsa.” (Kalevi Aho, Kalevalan kulttuurihostoria, 2008, Finland)
Sinfonia n:o 1 orkesterille ja pasuunalle (1998) ilmestyi ensimmäisen kerran säveltäjä Fridrich Brukin levyllä vuonna 2003 (samoin kuin Sinfonia n:o 2). Levy sai hyvän vastaanoton, ja näiden sinfonioiden ilmestyminen uudelleen Pohjolan legendoja-levyllä kertoo niiden suosiosta. Sinfonia n:o 1 orkesterille ja pasuunalle viittaa tematiikaltaan siihen, mitä tapahtui kansalaissodassa Suomessa vuonna 1918.
Säveltäjä asuu aivan Tampereella sijaitsevan laajalti tunnetun Pyynikin puiston vieressä, ja juuri Tampereella ja tällä seudulla käytiin kansalaissodassa erittäin ankaria taisteluja. Hän on kuullut suuren joukon tarinoita ja lukenut paljon kirjoja, joissa kerrotaan, mitä silloin tapahtui mm. näillä suorastaan satumaisen kauniilla paikoilla. Tuo sota, kansakunnan jakautuminen, kaikki silloiset tapahtumat opettivat Suomen kansalle kuitenkin malttia, suvaitsevaisuutta ja yhteistyökykyä ja auttoivat myöhemmin demokratian kehittämisessä.
Teoksen jännittynyt ja synkkä alku muuttuu jatkuessaan vielä tummemmaksi ja etenee laukauksiin ja hävinneiden teloituksiin, jotka tapahtuvat ihanassa, luonnonkauniissa Pyynikin puistossa. Sinfonian kolmannessa osassa etualalle tulevat puiston lehvästön äänet ja sen ylväs luonto. Kaikki tämä on luotu synnyttämään iloa ja rauhaa niille, jotka pitävät huolen siitä, että Pyynikin puisto Tampereella voi hyvin ja kukoistaa myös tuleville sukupolville.
Sinfonia n:o 2 orkesterille ja pianolle (1999) ei ole varsinaista tematiikkaa, mutta jo ensimmäisessä osassa Sostenuto e tenebroso kuulija seuratessaan teemojen dramaattista kehitystä joutuu jännittyneiden törmäyksien maailmaan ja päätyy kuulemaan koko orkesterin hermoja raastavia räjähdyksiä. Kyseessä ovat hyvin ilmeisesti säveltäjän kokemukset raskaina sotavuosina, tavallisen elämän tuhoutuminen ja äidin menetys.
Toisessa osassa Vivo tulevat kuitenkin esiin valoisan nuoruuden hahmot ajalta, jolloin seurusteltiin ystävien kanssa, vitsailtiin sekä haaveiltiin tulevaisuudesta ja omasta rakkaasta. Säveltäjä tuo mukaan pianosoolon, jonka osuus kasvaa niin paljon, että vähitellen alkaa tuntua, kuin kyseessä olisi pianokonsertto. Pianistin esitellessä virtuoosimaisia taitojaan vaikuttaa jonkin aikaa siltä, että orkesteri alkaa väistyä taka-alalle.
Sinfonian kolmannessa osassa Largo orkesteri palaa kuitenkin sinfonialle ominaiseen suuntaan, vaikka piano jatkaakin vyörytystään. Lopuksi orkesteri ja piano löytävät luovan tasapainon. Molemmat myöntyvät niille suunniteltuun rooliin sinfoniassa, ja partituurin viimeisillä sivuilla on tarjolla pehmeitä sävyjä sekä valoisia ja lyyrisiä sointuja.
Säveltäjä korostaa sinfoniassaan hahmojen nuoruutta ja sijoittaa mukaan myöskin jatsahtavia, teräviä rytmejä.
Sinfonia n:o 6 Muuttolinnut orkesterille, käyrätorvelle ja tuuballe (2006) perustuu merkittävän suomalaisen runoilijan Viljo Kajavan (1909–98) kolmen runoelman teemoihin. Sinfonia on omistettu tunnettulle musiikkialan merkkihenkilölle Helena Hiilivirralle.
Ensimmäinen osa Susi on allegoria suomalaisen luonteen miehistymisestä lapsesta kokeneeksi johtajaksi. Kuitenkin tilanteen sitä edellyttäessä hän vaatii iskemään raateluhampaat itseensä, jotta hänen ohjattavansa, joka on jo vahvempi, saisi hänen paikkansa.
Toinen osa Rannikon ääni on elämän kouliman runoilijan filosofista pohdinta elämän hauraudesta ja rauhallisen laguunin etsinnän turhuudesta.
Kolmas osa on nimeltään Muuttolinnut. Korkealta taivaalta näkyy maapallo. Eteen avautu kaikki: kaunis luonto ja avaruuden ääretön maisema... ja hirtetyn runoilijan ruumis ja lapsi, joka huvikseen tappaa ritsallaan viattoman linnun, ja synnytystuskissaan vääntelehtivä työhevonen ja kylläinen petoeläin, joka repii hennon kauriin lihaa. Miksi? Runoilija ei anna vastausta esittämiinsä kysymyksiin. Niinpä sinfonian lopussa, yhdistämällä luonnon äänet ja musiikki, esitetään nykyajan kuulijalle mahdollinen vastaus.
GYÖRGY ORBÁN. MISSA NONA
PEETER VÄHI. GREEN TĀRĀ
Girls’ choir ELLERHEIN
Sevara Nazarhkan
Tiia-Ester Loitme
Contemporary Christian and Buddhist music.
| Missa Nona for girls’ choir | ||
| 1 | Kyrie | 4:43 |
| 2 | Gloria | 3:51 |
| 3 | Sanctus – Benedictus | 4:30 |
| 4 | Agnus Dei | 5:58 |
| 5 | Green Tārā, cantata for a female voice, girls’ choir, trombones and percussion | 26:45 |
Performed by:
Girls’ Choir Ellerhein
Tiia-Ester Loitme, conductor
Sevara Nazarkhan, vocal (#5)
Trombonists and percussionists of the Estonian National Opera (#5)
Ülle Sander, chorus master (#1−4)
Katrin Kuldjärv, piano (#1−4)
Patronaged by His Holiness XXXVII Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche (#5)
Recorded at Estonian Radio in 2002 (#5) and 2008 (#1−4)
Engineered by Mati Brauer (#1−4), Maido Maadik (#5) and Priit Kuulberg (#5)
Photos from internet and by Peeter Vähi
Designed by Piret Mikk
Booklet texts compiled by Liina Viru
Produced by Ellerhein, Estonian Broadcasting Corporation and Estonian Record Productions
Special thanks to Real World Records (#5)
CD108
2008 Ellerhein
n©b
Manufactured by Sony DADC, Austria
György Orbán. Missa Nona, Sanctus − Benedictus, fragm, 2 min 32 sec, mp3
Peeter Vähi. Green Tārā, fragm, 3 min 5 sec, mp3
A fragment (compilation) of Green Tārā on YouTube
Missa Nona
Lyrics – trad
Missa Nona is a concert setting of the traditional mass ordinary text. György Orbán’s writing is harmonically centric and modal.
The piece was commissioned by the Japanese Women’ Choir Angelica and premièred on March 14th, 2000. Missa Nona requires an ensemble with great mental and physical stamina. The piece is characterised by intricate rhythms and modal shifts that should all blend in beautiful and free choral singing.
| Kyrie Kyrie, eleison, Christe, eleison, Kyrie, eleison. |
Kyrie Lord, have mercy on us, Christ, have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us. |
| Gloria Gloria in excelsis Deo Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, Qui tollis peccata mundi, Miserere nobis, Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostrum. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, Miserere nobis. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus. Tu solus Dominus. Tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe. Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris, Amen. |
Gloria Glory to God in the highest. And on earth peace to men of good will. We praise Thee. We bless Thee. We worship Thee. We glorify Thee. We give Thee thanks for Thy great glory. O Lord God, Heavenly King, God the Father almighty. Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten Son. Lord, God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, Who takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For Thou alone art holy. Thou alone art Lord. Thou alone, O Jesus Christ, together with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of Father, Amen. |
| Sanctus – Benedictus Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis. |
Sanctus – Benedictus Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. |
| Agnus Dei Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: dona nobis pacem. Amen. |
Agnus Dei Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world: grant us peace. Amen. |
Green Tara
Avalokiteshvara strived many years to help all beings achieve Enlightenment. When he had delivered millions of beings, he noticed that there were many more suffering. He started crying out of compassion and his tears formed a lake in which a lotus sprung up. When the lotus opened, the goddess Tārā was revealed, saying “Don’t be sad, I will help you.”
Green Tārā sits on the lotus with her right hand in the mudra of supreme generosity, expressing the ability to give all beings what they need. Her left hand that is raised above her heart is in the refuge-granting mudra: her thumb and index finger are pressed together, symbolising the unity of method and wisdom. The remaining three fingers are extended upward, symbolising Buddha, dharma and sangha. She holds a blue lotus flower in both hands. Both flowers have three blossoms, showing that Tārā, the representation of enlightened action, is the mother of past, present and future Buddhas. Green Tārā has royal silk clothes, rainbow-coloured stockings, a short white blouse and jewellery. The latter symbolise Tārā’s perfect generosity and her high morals. The tiara that she wears on her black hair is adorned with jewels. There is a red ruby in the middle, the symbol of Amitabha, the mentor of Tārā and the head of a Buddhist school. Tara sits on the throne of lotus with her left leg bent up against her body, symbolising the renunciation of earthly pleasures and her right leg extended, showing her readiness to attend to those who call upon her. Her eyes are filled with compassion towards all beings. Her emerald green colour is connected with change and the element of air, expressing her ability to act quickly in order to help all beings. Modern Buddhist folklore is full of stories in which Tārā has snatched people from the jaws of death or has helped people to get away from robbers. Tārā protects from eight fears that have internal and external aspects, such as lions = pride, thieves = delusions, floods = desire and attachment, fire = hatred and anger, elephants = ignorance, snakes = jealousy, evil spirits and demons = doubts and bondage = avarice.
Traditional lyrics compiled by Ven Khenpo Konchok Gyaltsen Rinpoche
English translation by Michael G Essex
To the assembly of the Bhagawati deities,
the embodiment of the Triple Gem,
I and others take refuge until Enlightenment is achieved.
In order to protect all sentient beings from fears of sansara
I cultivate the two types of bodhicitta.
Om Shunyata Jana Vajra Svabhava Atma Koham
All the phenomena of grasping and fixation dissolve into emptiness.
The vast protections manifest from that emptiness.
At the center is a lotus and moon disk.
On that is a green TAM, the nature of ones awareness.
Light radiates and purifies the obscuration of all sentient beings.
It then makes offering to all the Buddhas and returns.
I become Tārā with one face and two arms in giving mudra,
holding a green lotus, two legs in the half lotus posture,
with a dignified youthful form, blue-green in colour,
wearing silken robes and jewel ornaments,
radiating light, in the Sambhogakaya form.
Light manifests to all directions from three syllables
in the three places bringing all the Buddha’s wisdom,
compassion and activities, which dissolve into me.
I become the embodiment of the Sugatas of three times.
Om arya Tare sapari vara argham pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara padyam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara pushpam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara dhupam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara alokam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara ghandhe pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara nevidyam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara shapta pratitsa svaha.
The crowns of gods and demigods pay homage to your lotus feet,
you, who liberate from all unfavorable conditions,
I praise and prostrate to Mother Tārā.
On a moon disk at the heart level is a TAM syllable surrounded by the mantra,
radiating light to all the Buddhas bringing back the blessings which dissolve into me,
revealing the inseparability of appearance and emptiness,
the nature of the infinite qualities of all Buddhas.
Again from the mantra,
infinite light radiates which transforms all outer phenomena into Dewachen,
all beings into Tārā’s forms, all reciting the secret mantra.
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha
Om arya Tare sapari vara argham pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara padyam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara pushpam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara dhupam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara alokam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara ghandhe pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara nevidyam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara shapta pratitsa svaha.
The crowns of gods and demigods pay homage to your lotus feet,
you, who liberate from all unfavorable conditions,
I praise and prostrate to Mother Tārā.
All outer and inner phenomena melt into light and dissolve into me.
I also melt into the nonobjectified unfabricated Dharmadhatu,
the ultimate clear light Dharmakaya, the great bliss.
All is in the Mahamudra state – ordinary mind.
By this virtue and virtue accumulated in sansara and nirvana,
and the innate nature,
may all the mother sentient beings countless as infinite space attain the form of Noble Tārā,
free from rejection and acceptance,
the state of great wisdom which is liberated from the five poisons.
Dorje Chang, Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, Dharma Lord Gampopa,
Phagmodrupa and Lord Drikungpa,
please bestow upon us the most auspicious blessing of all the Kagyu Lamas.
By this virtue may I achieve the all knowing state and may all who travel on the waves of birth,
old age, sickness and death cross the ocean of sansara by defeating all enemies-confusion (the cause of suffering).
Bodhicitta, the excellent and precious mind.
Where it is unborn, may it arise.
Where it is born, may it not decline, but ever increase, higher and higher.
I pray that the Lama may have good health and long life.
I pray that your Dharma activities spread far and wide.
I pray that I may not be separated from you.
As Manjushri and likewise Samantabhadra realized the ultimate state, Buddhahood,
I will follow in their path and share the merit for all sentient beings.
By the blessing of the Buddha who attained the three kayas;
by the blessing of the truth of the unchanging Dharma-as-such;
by the blessing of the indivisible Sangha order;
may the merit I share bear fruit.
By the virtues collected in the three times by myself and all beings in sansara and nirvana,
and the innate root of virtue,
may I and all sentient beings quickly attain unsurpassed, perfect, complete, precious Enlightenment.
May the teaching of the Great Drikungpa Ratna Shri,
who is omniscient, Lord of the Dharma, Master of interdependence,
continue and increase, trough study, practice,
contemplation and meditation until the end of sansara.
Sarva Mangalam.
In the unborn Dharmathatu abides the Reverend Mother, the deity Tārā.
She bestows happiness on all sentient beings.
I request to protect me from all fears.
Trough not understanding oneself as Dharmakaya, one’s mind is overpowered by the kleshas.
Our mother, sentient beings, wander in sansara.
Please protect them, Deity Mother.
If the meaning of Dharma is not born in one’s heart,
one just follows the words of conventional meaning.
Some are deceived by dogma.
Please protect them, Perfect Mother.
It is difficult to realize one’s mind.
Some realize, but do not practice.
Their minds wander to worldly activities.
Please protect them, Deity Mother of Recollection.
Non-dual wisdom is the self-born mind.
By the habits of grasping at duality, some are bound, no matter what they do.
Please protect them, Deity of Non-dual Wisdom.
Although some abide in the Perfect Meaning (shunyata),
they don’t realize the interdependence of cause and effect.
They are ignorant of the meaning of object of knowledge.
Please protect them, Omniscient Deity Mother.
The nature of space is free from boundaries.
Nothing is different from that.
Still, practitioners and disciples don’t realize this.
Please protect them, Perfect Buddha Mother.
Ellerhein
Tallinn Children’s Choir was founded in 1951 by Heino Kaljuste. In 1969 the choir was named Ellerhein. A year later, Tiia-Ester Loitme began working with the choir as an assistant conductor and since 1989 she has been the choir’s chief conductor. The choir’s current assistant conductor and music theory teacher is Ülle Sander, the accompanist is Katrin Kuldjärv and the vocal coach is Eha Pärg.
Ellerhein has received wide international acclaim for its beautiful sound and is the winner of many choir competitions. The choir has received the 1st prize in Celje (Slovenia, 1977), Powell River (Canada, 1988), Giessen (Germany, 1990 and 1997), Tolosa (Spain, 1990 and 1997), Nantes (France, 1993), Tallinn (Estonia, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2008), Arezzo (Italy, 1994), Ankara (Turkey, 2005), Wuppertal (Germany, 2007), as well as the European Grand Prix in Tolosa (Spain, 1997), Takarazuka (Japan, 1995), Tolosa (Spain, 1997). In 2007 the choir won the Estonian Radio prize “The Best Estonian Choir” and in 2008 they won the Grand Prix at the international choir competition Kathaumixw in Canada. At the same competition they also received the 2nd prize in folk & cultural traditions category.
The choir has been a frequent visitor to Japan, where the highlight of their tour in 2005 was the performance at Tokyo City Opera concert hall. The choir has worked closely with conductor Chifuru Matsubara and as a result, the recording companies BMG, Victor JVC and M&I Company have produced five discs with Ellerhein performing Estonian music. In 2004 the choir’s recording career culminated with the winning of the prestigious Grammy Award for the Virgin Classics recording of Jean Sibelius’ cantatas. In 2005, New York Times named their Virgin Classics recording of Peer Gynt one of the most outstanding recordings of the year. The next year the choir received the BBC Music Magazine award in the category of orchestral music.
Ellerhein has worked with prominent conductors such as Paavo Järvi, Neeme Järvi, Gilbert Kaplan, Andrey Chistyakov, Peeter Lilje, Saulius Sondeckis, Arvo Volmer, Eri Klas, Anu Tali, Chifuru Matsubara, Tõnu Kaljuste, Olari Elts, Andres Mustonen, Paul Mägi and others.
Since 2003 Ellerhein is a member of Europa Cantat, European Federation of Young Choirs.
Tiia-Ester Loitme
Tiia-Ester Loitme graduated from Estonian Academy of Music in 1965 (Prof Gustav Ernesaks). In 1970 she started working with the girls’ choir Ellerhein and since 1989 she has been the choir’s chief conductor. In 1975–81 she simultaneously taught at Estonian Academy of Music, and in 1980 she studied under the guidance of Prof V Sokolov at the Moscow State Conservatoire. Tiia-Ester Loitme has lead Ellerhein to many international victories and her contribution to Estonian music has earned her several prizes, such as Gustav Ernesaks Choir Music Award (1995), Order of the White Star (1997), the Tallinn City Honorary Decoration (1998), the Estonian Cultural Endowment prize (2003), Grammy Award for the best choral performance for the Virgin Classics record of Jean Sibelius’ cantatas (2004), the Third class Order of the White Star (2005), Honorary Member of the Estonian Choral Association (2007), Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette (Japan, 2008), Musician of the Year (2008).
Sevara Nazarkhan
Sevara Nazarkhan is a talented Uzbek singer, songwriter and musician, who possesses a repertoire of beautiful songs based on the sufi tradition and on the rich national Uzbek tradition. Sevara, having a natural enchanting voice, began her career as a singer in 1998 when she started singing at the all female doutar quartet. Her breakthrough came in 2000 when she took part in the Festival WOMAD (World of Music, Art and Dance) in Redding, England. She was signed up by the recording company Real World.
In 2003 Sevara Nazarkhan was nominated the top singer in the Asia-Pacific Region – and won the title in the contest of BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards. A year later, she earned the title “Musician of the Year 2004” in the category of World Music by the BBC. In 2005, she debuted as a producer on the Calabash-released, BBC3-award-winning Gozal Dema.
Distribution in Estonia by Easy-Living Music,
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, phone (+372) 51 06058
Download Green Tārā from CCn’C
Other recordings with Ellerhein: Tormis. Nüüd ep on ilus elada, The Hand Of God, Ellerhein. Estonian Choral Music
Other recordings of Peeter Vähi: Supreme Silence, A Chant Of Bamboo, To His Highness Salvador D, 2000 Years After The Birth Of Christ, The Path To The Heart Of Asia, Tamula Fire Collage, Sounds Of The Silver Moon
● Maria Magdalena, oratorio by Peeter Vähi. Sevara Nazarkhan, Riga Dom Cathedral Boys Choir, State Choir Latvija, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, conductor Risto Joost. New RUSSIAN RELEASE by record company Misteriya Zvuka (Moscow) on Aug 28th, 2013
FRIDRICH BRUK
NORDIC LEGENDS
Symphonies
Double-CD with recordings of symphonies by Jewish-Russian-Finnish composer Fridrich Bruk. Inspired by the mystical paintings of Axel Gallen-Kallela.
CD I
| Symphony No 7 Kalevala by Artist Axel Gallen-Kallela | ||
| 1 | The Aino Myth | 16:56 |
| 2 | Kullervo Cursing | 12:56 |
| 3 | Robbery of the Sampo | 18:36 |
| Symphony No 1 for orchestra and trombone | ||
| 4 | Andante sostenuto | 8:13 |
| 5 | Larghetto | 5:27 |
| 6 | Con moto e pensiero | 7:45 |
CD II
| Symphony No 2 for orchestra and piano | ||
| 1 | Sostenuto e tenebroso | 17:17 |
| 2 | Vivo | 11:36 |
| 3 | Largo | 15:32 |
| Symphony No 6 Birds Of Passage for orchestra, French horn and tuba | ||
| 4 | Wolf | 9:01 |
| 5 | Sound of the Shore | 7:31 |
| 6 | Birds of Passage | 8:43 |
Symphony No 6, Birds Of Passage, Mov III, fragm, 104 sec, mp3
Symphony No 7, Kalevala by Artist Alex Gallen-Kallela, Mov II, 3 min 4 sec, mp3
CD I #1–3 performed by Liepaja Symphony Orchestra, conductor Andres Mustonen
CD I #4–6 performed by Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, conductor Paul Mägi, Heiki Kalaus (trombone)
CD II #1–3 performed by Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, conductor Paul Mägi, Mati Mikalai (piano)
CD II #4–6 performed by Liepaja Symphony Orchestra, conductor Andres Mustonen, Rait Eriksson (French horn), Gustavo Subida (tuba)
Engineered by Tanel Klesment, Priit Kuulberg
Recorded in 2003–07 in Estonia Concert Hall and Liepaja Culture Centre
Sounds of nature (CD II #6) recorded by Ivar Vinkel
Edited by Marika Scheer, Tanel Klesment / Estonian Radio
Liner notes by Nadezhda Bruk
Translated by Tiina Jokinen
Recording supervision by Peeter Vähi
Manufactured by Sony DADC, Austria
Total time 69:57 + 69:45
Stereo
n©b
1307 – 1 & 2
Fridrich Bruk was born in Kharkov, the Ukraine on Sep 18th, 1937 as a son of an engineer and a famous pianist. In 1956 he graduated with a silver medal from Kharkov Music College of the Kharkov Conservatory. The same year Bruk continued his education in Prof Voloshinov’s composition class at Leningrad Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory. In 1961 he graduated as composer from the class of Prof Arapov. During the years 1961–64 Fridrich Bruk worked in Petroskoi, Karelia where he was also awarded membership in the Society of the Soviet composers. In 1964 Bruk returned to Leningrad where he continued his creative work composing music also for theater and movies as well as several popular songs. He headed the department of music in Lennauchfilm studio.
Since 1974 Fridrich Bruk has resides in Finland where he has composed numerous symphonic works, chamber and choral music as well as popular songs. In 1988 he was awarded the Cross of Merit of the Order of the Lion of Finland. In 1998 he received the artists’ supplementary pension of the Finnish State.
Fridrich Bruk is a member of the Society of the Finnish Composers, the Society of Russian Composers, the Guild of Light Music Composers and Authors ELVIS.
Ever since then the composer has taken a profound interest in Vepsan, Karelian and Finnish folk art and musical folklore as well as in the epos Kalevala. In 1980, already living in Finland, Fridrich Bruk composed Variations for the piano on the theme of a Karelian folk song Strawberry which is frequently performed at concerts. The year 1985 sees the birth of Concert Variations for cello and piano on an ancient theme from Kalevala – a work which became famous after its performance at Fridrich Bruk’s concert on Finnish TV in 1986.
In 2001 Symphony No 4 Carelia was composed and later, in 2003 it was recorded by the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maestro Paul Mägi. In this work the composer widely uses elements of Karelian folklore uniting the intonational-instrumental development of the symphony with a Karelian poem about Väinämöinen creating Kantele. In the symphony’s finale the Karelian intonation in a natural way melts together with a Kalevalan ode Aunuksen Aamu (‘Daybreak Over Aunus’) by Eino Leino.
Symphony No 7 Kalevala By Artist Axel Gallen-Kallela (2006) was recorded by Liepaja Symphony Orchestra (Latvia) and an Estonian conductor Andres Mustonen. Being inspired by Kalevala and Gallen-Kallela’s (1865–1931) impressive paintings on that theme the composer once again returns to fenno-ugric intonations and their variations in the development of the symphony’s musical characters, gradually uniting the thematic canvas with the principal idea – a melody of happiness which is achieved by hard work and great sacrifice.
Movement I The Aino Myth: A beautiful forest nymph Aino is intending to take her own life. In the forest she meets wise old Väinämöinen who falls passionately in love with her. But the beauty refuses Väinämöinen, walks into the water and becomes a mermaid.
Movement II Kullervo Cursing: An orphan shepherd boy Kullervo lives in slavery at his uncle Lemminkäinen’s place who has killed the boy’s parents. The wife of Lemminkäinen wants to torment Kullervo and hides a stone in the orphan’s bread loaf. Upon Kullervo cutting the bread with a knife which is his only memorabilia of his deceased parents, it hits the stone, thus breaking the blade. The anger flaming up in the boy makes him stand up and find his dignity. He swears to revenge his enslaver and becomes a brave soldier. However, Kullervo grows tired of waging war and decides to commit suicide.
Movement III Robbery Of The Sampo: An evil woman Louhi has stolen Sampo, creation of Kalevala people’s hard labour. She keeps the great treasure in a secret safe place. A group of brave men, however, decide to go and bring Sampo back and after a severe battle they get it from the usurpers and return it to the Kalevala people for ever.
Downoad first 5 pages (pdf) of 1st, 2nd and 3rd movement.
Symphony No 1 for orchestra and trombone (1998) was first released on a CD of Fridrich Bruk’s works in 2003 together with Symphony No 2. The CD was warmly received by the audience and the new release of the afore-mentioned symphonies on the Nordic Legends CD is a telling sign of their popularity. Symphony No 1 for orchestra and trombone is dedicated to commemorate events of the Civil War in Finland in 1918.
The composer, living next to, in Finland well-known Pyynikki Park of Tampere, has heard lots of stories and read numerous books about the cruel and dramatic battles that took place in that fairy-tale-like nature of placid Nordic beauty during the Civil War. That war, the split of people then and all the events of that time, however, taught the Finnish people patience, tolerance, mutual understanding and in the long run gave their contribution to the development of democracy.
The tense and gloomy beginning of the symphony gets even darker, culminating in gunshots and execution of the conquered, all that taking place in the naturally beautiful spot of Pyynikki Park. In the 3rd movement the sounds of park nature and greenery take the upper hand, though, thus giving an impression of spiritual peace and joy created by those who take care that the Park of Pyynikki would flourish and blossom for ever.
Symphony No 2 for orchestra and piano (1999) is not based on a specific thematic script, however, already in the 1st movement Sostenuto e tenebroso, while listening to the dramatic development of the intertwining themes one enters a world of tense collisions that lead to nervous outbursts of the whole orchestra. It is quite obvious that those are the memories of the composer’s childhood during the years of war, of losing his mother and of the everyday world collapsing around him.
Already in the 2nd movement Vivo this dramaticism is changing into the mood of the happy time of youth with its jokes, laughs, dreams and first love. Here the composer introduces a piano solo, the role of which is gradually growing, almost giving an impression that the work in question is more a piano concerto than a symphony. The pianist displays his virtuosity creating an atmosphere where the orchestra nearly surrenders and stays in the background.
In the 3rd movement, though, despite the piano’s continuing cascades the orchestra fights back its typical-to-symphony position. In the end the orchestra and piano find a balance accepting their roles in the symphony and one can enjoy softer and lyrical melodies of lighter colour.
The composer, underlining the youthful moods in the symphony, with great skill uses also sharper rhythms characteristic of jazz.
Symphony No 6 Birds Of Passage for orchestra, French horn and tuba (2006) is based on the themes of 3 poems by a Finnish poet Viljo Kajava (1909–98). The symphony has been dedicated to a well-known expert of music Helena Hiilivirta.
The 1st movement Wolf is an allegory of the growth of the Finnish nature from a child to a experienced leader. Though in the course of events the situation makes him savage himself in order to give way to his stronger subordinate for taking his place.
The 2nd movement Sound Of The Shore is philosophic contemplation of a poet beaten by life about the latter’s fragility and futility of the search for a peaceful lagoon.
The 3rd movement is called Birds Of Passage. From high in the sky the Earth is seen – with its beautiful nature and endless vastness... and the dead body of a hanged poet and a child who just for fun kills an innocent bird with a catapult and a work horse writhing in labour and a satiated predatory animal tearing apart a gracious deer. Why? The poet does not give answers to the questions asked by him. Hence at the end of the symphony the uniting of sounds of nature with music offers the contemporary listener a possible explanation.
Download first 5 pages (pdf) of 1st, 2nd and 3rd movement.
Download: CD-booklet, 12 p, pdf, 462 KB
Press resonance
The scores and orchestral parts available on ERP
Other records of Fridrich Bruk on ERP: Artist Chagall, The Hand Of God and A Wandering Minstrel
Other recordings of Estonian National Symphony Orchestra released on ERP: 100 Years Of Estonian Symphony, Koidust Kodumaise viisini
Other recordings of Paul Mägi released on ERP: Cyrano de Bergerac
Other recordings of Andres Mustonen: Ave..., 2000 Years After The Birth Of Christ, To His Highness Salvador D, A Wandering Minstrel
NONSTOP
Martin Kuuskmann, bassoon
Kristjan Randalu, piano
Released in April 2010.
| Johann Sebastian Bach | Partita BWV 1013 | ||
| 1 | Allemande | 3:55 | |
| 2 | Corrente | 2:21 | |
| 3 | Sarabande | 3:52 | |
| 4 | Bourrée anglaise | 1:45 | |
| 5 | Luciano Berio | Sequenza XII | 17:31 |
| 6 | Arvo Pärt | Spiegel im Spiegel | 10:27 |
| Daniel Schnyder | Sonata for bassoon and piano | ||
| 7 | Quarter note = 112 | 3:41 | |
| 8 | Langsam / Tempo rubato | 3:10 | |
| 9 | Schnell, quarter note = 132 | 1:25 | |
| 10 | Sehr schnell; alla breve, half note = 144 | 3:43 | |
| 11 | Tõnu Kõrvits | Song for a Distant Friend | 7:13 |
| 12 | Miguel Kertsman | Nocturne and Lullaby | 5:02 |
| 13 | Kristjan Randalu | Rignana | 5:56 |
| 14 | Antonio Carlos Jobim | Inutil Paisagem | 2:27 |
#2, Bach. Partita. Allemande, fragm, 78 sec, mp3
#6, Pärt. Spiegel im Spiegel, fragm, 4 min 31 sec, mp3
#10, Schnyder. Sonata, Mov IV, fragm, 2 min 12 sec, mp3
Recorded on June 10 and 11, 2008 at the Tallinn Methodist Church and the Chamber Hall of the Estonian Academy of Music
Recorded and mastered by Tanel Klesment
Edited by Marika Scheer
Photos by Karl J Kaul
Designed by Signe Kaljurand
Produced by Martin Kuuskmann
Co-produced by Peeter Vähi
Manufactured by Sony DADC, Austria
ERP 2209
This album was recorded on a Heckel bassoon #4561. Since 2008 MartinKuuskmann has been playing on a Fox 601 Red Maple bassoon. Martin Kuuskmann plays and endorses Gumin reeds.
Estonian born bassoon virtuoso, Martin Kuuskmann is a commanding force bent on redefining the bassoon as a top caliber solo instrument. His charismatic and entertaining performances throughout the world have earned him repute as one of the leading young instrumentalists around. Anthony Tomassini of the New York Times praised Kuuskmann’s playing as “dynamic... amazing... gripping...” and in 2007 he received a Grammy Nomination for his recording of David Chesky’s bassoon concerto. To date Martin Kuuskmann’s has given premieres of eight new bassoon concerti and numerous chamber and solo works written exclusively for him by leading composers of our time including Erkki-Sven Tüür, Eino Tamberg, Christopher Theofanidis, John Patitucci. Martin Kuuskmann is a faculty at the Manhattan School of Music Contemporary Performance Program.
As a featured soloist and composer, Kristjan Randalu has performed in classical, jazz, and cross-over projects in Europe, Israel, Turkey, Canada, and the USA. He has worked with Quincy Jones, David Liebman, Christian McBride, Vince Mendoza, Bob Mintzer, the Modern String Quartet, Dennis Russell Davies, and Maria Schneider. While at the Henry Mancini Institute Kristjan Randalu performed on the two-time Grammy nominated Concord Jazz album Elevation. He currently splits his time between Germany, Estonia, and New York City.
Worldwide distribution by Note 1 Music (Carl-Benz-Straße 1, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany, phone +49 6221 720351, fax +49 6221 720381,
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, www.note-1.de) / Naxos Global Logistics
Distribution in Estonia by Easy-Living Music,
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, phone +372 51 06058
Distribution in the USA and Canada: www.martinkuuskmann.com
Other recordings of Martin Kuuskmann on the web of ERP: The Path of Mantra, Bassoon Concertos
Other recordings of Kristjan Randalu produced by ERP: Enter Denter