ESTONIAN SYMPHONIC MUSIC. THE FIRST CENTURY 1896-1996.
The first possibility to get acquainted with Tubin’s work occurred in the autumn
of 1956 when his Fifth Symphony was performed in Tallinn for the first time with great
success (ERSO was conducted by Sergey Prokhorov). Estonian composers were deeply
impressed by its inner might, captivating pulsation, incessant thrust and an aura of
national tragedy emanating from the sound canvas of the first movement.
Veljo Tormis, graduate of the Moscow State Conservatoire with Professor
Vissarion Shebalin in 1956, had just started his path becoming a disciple of the
Estonian choral music masters Mart Saar and Cyrillus Kreek. In the following decades
Tormis immersed himself totally into ancient runic song, its inner beauty and magic,
and offering this to an international audience. His vivid individual choral style has won
international appreciation and Tormis is considered one of the leading exponents of the
folk music tradition in the contemporary Western world. All his choral work bears a
annaabi.ee 
