History of Song Festivals
The Estonian Song Festivals (Laulupidu) take place every five years in summer converging in the city of Tallinn. The song festival takes place on the Song Festival grounds (Lauluväljak) next to the Baltic Sea under an enormous concrete structure that serves as an acoustical shell. The stage built in 1959 was designed to hold up to 15,000 singers and the hill in front of the stage slopes to create an amphitheater that holds from 75,000 up to 100,000. Next to the stage is an olympic-style flame that burns throughout the festival. During the festival numerous choirs participate performing in various combinations of men only, women only, children, and mixed choirs. The audience may be listeners or active participants joining the mass choir for singing familiar songs. The concerts last over four hours into the night. (Puderbaugh, 29).
The movement in the 1860's where Estonia began to yearn for independence is called the "national awakening." This era culminated in the 1869 Song Festival held in Tartu. This first festival was organized by Johann Voldemar Jannsen and included 845 participants and an audience between ten and fifteen thousand people (Wolverton, 21). Baltic expert Vance Wolverton says, "It provided a powerful stimulus to the development of a national consciousness and musical culture and established a national tradition." Through the years the song festivals became more and more centered on Estonian music including new music by Estonian composers and settings of Estonian folk songs. A Symbol of National Pride
Beginning in 1923 the song festivals were held every five years instead of once per decade. The number of participants grew each festival until the participants ranged from 12,000 in 1923 to 17,500 in 1938. And by the 1938 festival nearly 100,000 people were in attendance. By 1988 sixty thousand people participated in what was called the Night Song Festival in which thousands of young people waved flags until dawn to rock music. Activist Heinz Valk dubbed the summer of 1988 "The Singing Revolution." By September 11, 1988 the demonstration drew an estimated 250,000 - 300,000 people an all-time record.
The 1994 festival was the 125th jubilee and was the first to be held in an independent Estonia. "From that point forward, the national song festivals have come to symbolize the survival of an unbreakable national unity and purpose in the face of all political conflicts and disputes" (Wolverton, 25). |
Further ReadingEstonian National Awakening - Wikipedia
Estonian Song Festival - Wikipedia Singing Revolution - Wikipedia Song Festival Grounds - Wikipedia Song Festival Ground Website |
Multimedia
2009 Song Festival