Estonia mourns a major composer

Estonia mourns a major composer

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norman lebrecht

January 23, 2017

The formidable choral composer Veljo Tormis died on January 21 at the age of 86.

 

 

More performed in his homeland than his famous contemporary Arvo Pärt, Tormis rooted his work in pre-Christian, shamanistic rituals, evading the worst excesses of Soviet censorship and oppression.

Some maintain that he was as important for Estonia as Sibelius was for Finland.

Interview here.

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