May 27, 2012

Some Estonian songs and memories from our Singing Revolution


Just a little tribute to Estonian music. We are a tiny singing nation, music and singing is part of our culture so much that when other nations had revolutions, we had a Singing Revolution, starting 1988 to when we got our independence in 1991. I was 8 years old at the time, when my family took me to the secret nightly song sessions on our song festival ground. We didn't really know how to fight against the monstrous width and power of the Soviet Union. So we gathered in the shadows, holding hands, lighting candles, singing national songs in our language which had been forbidden for almost almost half a century. In my life I have yet to feel again the power of emotion that ran through us then, the unity in our voice, heart and longing. We embodied one wish, one will and one dream.

Estonian music is mainly lyrical and poetic hence only a few songs have been translated, its not an easy task to capture the simple yet mystical nature of the Estonian song. The same way as our family names have all to do with nature, my own means tulip for example, the songs mainly talk about the wind and mountains, silence, forests and flowers, the mystic, life, death and of course love.

So here's a couple of songs I found with translation and a clip from the movie singing revolution.

My lesson from that time was this-
No matter how dark the times.
No matter how small and seemingly powerless.
We have each other.
We can find our common voice.
And heart.
The Universe will do the rest. :) 







May 08, 2012

A musical interlude- Elgar and du Pre


“My idea is that there is music in the air, music all around us, the world is full of it and you simply take as much as you require.”
― Edward Elgar, Edward Elgar: Letters Of A Lifetime



"I love the physical thing of being on the earth that bore you, I have the same feeling when I walk in a very beautiful place that I have when I play and it goes right. Playing lifts you out of yourself into a delirious place . . ."
Jacqueline du Pre

May 03, 2012

Two poems by Doris Kareva


Two poems by Doris Kareva
(translated by Tiina Aleman)



That Which Is Can Be Expressed

I don't know if all roads lead to truth,
but every truth is a road.
The sea is salty from the glad tears
of the rivers, when they meet.

Into that apocalyptic water
I throw all my delusions,
into the clean water dregs of the times,
black pepper into the golden honey.

Suddenly there's lightness. Suddenly it's clear.
Everything is still and separate.


Idleness Is Often Empowering...

Idleness is often empowering,
recreating oneself—
just as the moon gradually
grows full once again,
a battery surely and
steadily recharges,
so everything, everyone
must have time for the self—

for mirth and laziness
time to be human.