tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post4523672533876290813..comments2023-11-05T09:55:13.077+02:00Comments on Itching for Eestimaa: hingame üheskoosGiustinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04756707910693785516noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-11817699938501687162009-07-19T03:03:22.018+03:002009-07-19T03:03:22.018+03:00I agree that Saturday night had some dull moments,...I agree that Saturday night had some dull moments, but that was mostly because it rained at times, I suppose. There is nothing to do about the weather, but I was happy to have bought only a cheap "on the grass" ticket for that day.<br /><br />What puzzled me a bit, though, was why so many people in the audience remained standing, or rather walking, instead of sitting down. It reminded me a bit of the traffic of Tallinn - always restlessly on the move, but where from and where to? <br /><br />Anyway, the weather caused only the dedicated to stay, which was all right. I enjoyed the orchestra pieces and the works by Carl Orff at the end of the day. The Laulupidu is an Estonian occasion of course, but maybe it's also a good opportunity for popularising works by foreign composers.<br /><br />Sunday with the more popular repertoire was absolutely fabulous and had some very magical moments. I enjoyed being close to the singers and I found it easy to identify with the "Nordic" tune of Estonian singing.<br /><br />I was in awe when the boy's choir cheered at one of the composers, and conductor Hirvo Surva finally silenced all 5.000 with a single move of his hand. Crowd control - Malcolm X style!<br /><br />It was a great üldlaulupidu!Troels-Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16352302240715963641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-68268793484050718752009-07-11T10:54:18.669+03:002009-07-11T10:54:18.669+03:00As I mentioned, it was a life affirming event.As I mentioned, it was a life affirming event.Giustinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756707910693785516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-75312587482446446042009-07-08T00:24:48.615+03:002009-07-08T00:24:48.615+03:00Being at the laulupidu made me unsure of myself a ...Being at the <i>laulupidu</i> made me unsure of myself a bit though. All those early-developed jailbait chicks. THEY WERE FRIGGIN' EVERYWHERE! I was constantly like "Ooh yeah, look at that ass right there! I'd do nasty things with tha--- OH MY GOD IS SHE LIKE 13??"Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17076822279861048442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-68380168686402820322009-07-06T22:52:35.085+03:002009-07-06T22:52:35.085+03:00Hehh, just realized that my PS was also not topica...Hehh, just realized that my PS was also not topical. Sorry! :-)Mysthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03111657302405172980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-26355245055458393352009-07-06T22:42:37.945+03:002009-07-06T22:42:37.945+03:00That was pretty amusing. After the clerical inaugu...<i>That was pretty amusing. After the clerical inauguration, the choir and orchestra performed Sisask's Pro Patria which basically talks about how Estonians were "the man" before the crusaiders and how the Scandinavians feared them. So it's basically making heroes out of pre-Christian Estonians.</i><br /><br /><br />Yeah... Just what I meant with my first comment here. We don't really know "where to sit" when it comes to religion, do we. So we perform Christian rituals out of habit, while not really giving a damn about them, or Christianity in general.<br /><br />("Hey <i>eestlased</i>, did you know that <i>Issand</i> is actually supposed to mean <i>Isand</i>, and it's not just a meaningless name? Isand Jumal. Lord God. Herr Gott. Herra Jumala." - "What?? You mean Issand isn't God's first name??") :-)<br /><br />My personal opinion is that this is actually a very serious problem. 'Cause, like most Estonians, I also believe "there's more to <i>it</i> than meets the eye". And I think if there'd be a credible explanation to the <i>more</i>, we'd all end up living better, fuller lives.<br /><br />But that's just me. ;-) And everyone else who feels the same way, of course. :-) <br /><br />Anyway, not trying to hijack the discussion about <i>Laulupidu</i>. ;-)<br /><br />PS.<br />Strangely, the English and Estonian Wikipedia accounts on <i>Jüriöö ülestõus</i> differ somewhat. As to the fate of the "four kings", the English version states that "all four Estonian "kings" were hanged in the castle of Weissenstein (Paide)". The Estonian that <i>"Neli kuningat läksid 4. mail Paidesse ... kus rüütlid nad mõõkadega tükkideks raiusid."</i> ("The four kings went to Paide on May 4th ... where the knights hacked them to pieces with swords")Mysthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03111657302405172980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-62168126506261969052009-07-06T21:22:14.373+03:002009-07-06T21:22:14.373+03:00You could say the same thing about the unvailing o...<i>You could say the same thing about the unvailing of the independence monument.</i><br /><br />That was pretty amusing. After the clerical inauguration, the choir and orchestra performed Sisask's Pro Patria which basically talks about how Estonians were "the man" before the crusaiders and how the Scandinavians feared them. So it's basically making heroes out of pre-Christian Estonians.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17076822279861048442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-76019491995006443292009-07-06T19:15:13.324+03:002009-07-06T19:15:13.324+03:00One recurring thought I have when in the company o...<i>One recurring thought I have when in the company of Estonians is that they are still pagans.</i><br /><br />You could say the same thing about the unvailing of the independence monument. After the president's speech all these religious went up to bless the cross and all the crowd are just silent wondering what's going on. I am fairly sure that God didn't actually make that cross. In fact they even interviewed the creators on the telly!Colmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04192365940736735322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-48937190458066617822009-07-06T19:12:13.002+03:002009-07-06T19:12:13.002+03:00This is supposed to be an event where people come ...<i>This is supposed to be an event where people come together and sing the important songs, together. The songs with which we have an emotional connection.</i><br /><br />My feelings exactly. It is called a <i>pidu</i> after all!<br /><br /><br /><i>My biggest complaint was that giant Canadian flag. It's Tallinn, guys, not Toronto.</i><br /><br />There was no shortage of Estonian flags but yes I agree the Canadian flag was a little too big. I wish the organisers had put up some decorations on the stage and around the grounds. There was just flags and more flags, something that was certianly not missing in the crowd.Colmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04192365940736735322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-23416704837443273282009-07-06T14:45:38.138+03:002009-07-06T14:45:38.138+03:00And it was July 4... And no Obama signs either, un...And it was July 4... And no Obama signs either, unbelievable. <br /><br />I was joking about Koit, I hope Michael was too. :)<br /><br />Tickets at the door were only being sold on one side of the parade. That was also dumb. The booths on the "kesklinn" side were dilapidated. People had to dart across to buy tickets, including me, slowing things down further.Kristopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01394211030848077681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-34952930800204427262009-07-06T14:41:50.952+03:002009-07-06T14:41:50.952+03:00i would have liked to have a chilean flag ;)i would have liked to have a chilean flag ;)Michael Moossenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14784939517692967898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-85585496186717430192009-07-06T14:35:27.534+03:002009-07-06T14:35:27.534+03:00My biggest complaint was that giant Canadian flag....My biggest complaint was that giant Canadian flag. It's Tallinn, guys, not Toronto.Giustinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756707910693785516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-73163727533810104672009-07-06T14:23:13.065+03:002009-07-06T14:23:13.065+03:00The tradition of the "first day for the serio...The tradition of the "first day for the serious music" has been alive for many song festivals. Don’t mix up children’s song festival and the “greater” song festival!<br /><br />Saturday’s tragedy was the immense crowds that blocked procession and delayed the arrival of the participants.<br /><br />I liked it. If only it had began 1.5 hours earlier everything would have been ok. We were all able to read the program before attending the first concert.Minahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04077816901574176875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-47644287886549614452009-07-06T14:23:06.576+03:002009-07-06T14:23:06.576+03:00I hope you're all joking about the Koit thing,...I hope you're all joking about the <i>Koit</i> thing, right? ;) Lüdig's "Koit" is way older and a traditional opening song. Michael's critique is true on many occasions.<br /><br />The <i>rongkäik</i> wasn't organized well enough. If the people didn't have the intelligence to keep a corridor, the organizers should have anticipated that. It was really horrible near the back of the song stage. I, who was carrying a sign, was cut off by old ladies chatting with each other and eating something. They were literally standing in the middle of the parade and were completely oblivious of their wrongdoing. That also caused massive halts all along the parade's path. At times it seemed that there was more standing than marching.<br /><br />Then, I think it's important to distinguish between the "professional choirs" (kutselised koorid) and the "selected choirs" (valikkoorid). The thousands of singers in the selected choirs pretty much have no other stage in Estonia where to perform together with such a mass than the <i>laululava</i>. The professional choirs and the symphony orchestra had 9 pieces put together which was in my opinion excessive and made most of the people leave. Many people are criticizing the repertoir of the <i>valikkoorid</i> although most people had already left by the time the selected choirs actually came on stage (between 23:20 and 23:30 somewhere). And those songs were a lot more "hearable" in my opinion, it's just a pity that by then there was no one to hear them.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17076822279861048442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-44260196082294040572009-07-06T13:59:25.713+03:002009-07-06T13:59:25.713+03:00Michael, I agree with most of your critical points...Michael, I agree with most of your critical points.<br /><br />The thing with Saturday, though. I've never understood the point of having this "serious concert" as part of <i>Laulupidu</i>. This is supposed to be an event where people come together and sing the important songs, together. The songs with which we have an emotional connection.<br /><br />The works of Beethoven, Wagner and Verdi - they're just out of place. We have the "Estonia" theater for those - or did Juhan Liiv give away the coat off his back for nothing? :-) And plenty of concert halls. And plenty and plenty of occasions to listen to them.<br /><br />Once in five years, we should focus on the music that's ours. That people really care about.<br /><br />I hope the en-masse leaving on Saturday evening will serve as a good hint for the organizers, for the future.Mysthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03111657302405172980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-43090981411339065662009-07-06T13:50:36.482+03:002009-07-06T13:50:36.482+03:00the people who were leaving rather early included ...<i>the people who were leaving rather early included most of the 25,000 singers</i><br /><br />ufff... i did not know that, even worse...<br /><br /><i>Saturday is the more "serious" concert for professional choirs</i><br /><br />yes, i know, but i do not want them, specially not alone, and as far i can tell most of estonians they do not want them either, they rather prefer to hear the old country ladies that can not really sing and where banned from the event.<br /><br /><i>Even the "Koit" is a different "Koit" from the one sung by Tõnis Mägi</i><br /><br />i was also really mad at this, and to use the same name!!Michael Moossenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14784939517692967898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-9898905739075989912009-07-06T13:31:28.783+03:002009-07-06T13:31:28.783+03:00Good post entry, Michael -- I had many of the same...Good post entry, Michael -- I had many of the same feelings regarding Saturday. One important point of order -- the people who were leaving rather early included most of the 25,000 singers. Saturday is the more "serious" concert for professional choirs. Even the "Koit" is a different "Koit" from the one sung by Tõnis Mägi. The massed choirs only sing 4-5 songs at the beginning.Kristopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01394211030848077681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-73603931959695300822009-07-06T13:17:25.026+03:002009-07-06T13:17:25.026+03:00i do not have the knowledge you have about estonia...i do not have the knowledge you have about estonian traditions, but i had high expectations on this event, which at the end where fulfilled, but not without noticing some big problems. <a href="http://www.moossen.net/en/blog/2009/07/05-song-celebration-conclusion.html" rel="nofollow">read more</a><br /><br />sorry if this looks like spam but i really want to share my experience with all of you ;)Michael Moossenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14784939517692967898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-83465153837876529882009-07-06T12:10:40.083+03:002009-07-06T12:10:40.083+03:00One recurring thought I have when in the company o...<i>One recurring thought I have when in the company of Estonians is that they are still pagans.</i><br /><br />Well... I would say that we are currently godless, and that is not a good way to be. The ancient feeling for the world has been lost, the religion of <i>võõrad ristikoerad</i> is unsuitable. What to do...?<br /><br />PS. Your link is to St. George himself. For the uprising, the link is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George%27s_Night_UprisingMysthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03111657302405172980noreply@blogger.com