God Protect Us from War

The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a conductor's analysis of a specific set of repertoire by Estonian composer Veljo Tormis. The selected works share two common traits: (1) they are all scored for male chorus; and (2) their subject matter in some way addresses the themes of war and conflict. The author seeks to facilitate informed performance of these specific works and provide a general resource for conductors who have an interest in performing music composed by Veljo Tormis. The study includes a discussion of Estonian history as it relates to war and conflict. It traces various altercations throughout the country's history, including its conquest by Christian crusaders, its economic capitulation to Baltic German nobility, and its invasions by Czarist Russia. It also examines Estonia's plight after the turn of the century, including its role in World Wars I and II and its occupation by the Soviet Union. The historical narrative concludes with an examination of the circumstances leading to Estonia's independence. This historical inquiry also investigates the role of singing as a means of cultural preservation in the face of foreign tyranny. This includes an examination of the National Song Festivals, which began in 1869 and continue to the present. The document studies the role of the Song Festivals as a means of cultural expression, as well as their function as a vehicle for peaceful protest. This discussion also includes the events known as the "Singing Revolution," which demonstrate how the act of singing helped to unify public sentiment against the Soviet Union, ultimately resulting in Estonian independence. Significant events regarding the life of Veljo Tormis, from his birth until the present, are highlighted. The narrative identifies key experiences in his life that influenced him as a composer, including childhood encounters with church music and organ lessons, composition studies in Moscow, and travel to Kihnu Island, Estonia, and Budapest, Hungary. This chapter documents how Tormis's experiences ultimately resulted in a dedication to using folk songs within his musical compositions. Information about Tormis's compositional source material of choice, a type of Estonian folk music known as regilaul, is also provided. The study identifies characteristics of both the texts and melodies of regilaul. In addition, issues of performance practice are addressed, and academic interest in the collection and preservation of the tunes are examined. The study concludes with an analysis of nine pieces by Veljo Tormis. These pieces are: Incantatio maris aestuosi (Incantation for a Stormy Sea), Tõmbtuul (Crosswind), Maarjamaa ballaad (The Ballad of Mary's Land), Varjele, Jumala, soasta (God Protect Us from War), Piispa ja pakana (The Bishop and the Pagan), Katkuaja mälestus (Plague Memory), Jäta päike paistma! (Let the Sun Shine!), Sõttaminek (Going to War), and Ilmiantajan tarina (Story of a Betrayer). For each piece, a general overview of pertinent compositional information is provided, including instrumentation, vocal ranges, publication facts, and available recordings, including performance times. In addition, information on the source of the texts, word-for-word and poetic translations, and an IPA pronunciation guide is included. Finally, each piece is analyzed for its musical content, including formal tables and musical excerpts as supporting information.