Today is the opening concert of Laulupidu, „Õpetajale” (To the Teacher), preceded by the procession of the musicians to the Song Festival grounds.
But first, we had time to go out on to the almost deserted streets of Tallin for a bit more of a look round. One place we wanted to revisit was Katerina Kaïk, easily the most picturesque of Old Town's lanes, running behind what used to be St. Catherine's Church. In the lane is the workshop and display room of a glass-blower, who was busy inside.
We went for morning tea at Maiasmokk, an old café located in Pikk. Said to have been finished in its modern form in 1864, it's the oldest operational café in Estonia. Their specialty is marzipan, but we don't have such a sweet tooth as to want marzian that early in the day!
Went back to the hotel, intending to settle in for a while before making our way to the Song Festival. Turned on the TV and found the live broadcast of the procession, which had already started. We decided to make a move post haste and go out to the procession, and follow its route out to the grounds.
Picture an Anzac Day march, but magnified about ten-fold! The participants are all in national costume, many singing or dancing all the way, the crowds as big, but cheering the procession all along the route. Bands interspersed all the way — but these are also participants in the concert to come!
The procession began at 1pm, went along the 5km route to the Song Festival grounds, and the last of them didn't get into the site until 7:15pm! What a procession! We beat most of them to the grounds, had a bite of lunch in the well-set-up food area, had a bit of a look into the concert area — almost deserted compared with later on! — and then went to watch the marchers (dancers?) come in through the gates. The Australian contingent were very near the end — they hadn't set off until after 5:30pm — and after they reached the grounds, we went in to take our seats. The grounds were now well packed, with about 200,000 spread all over the huge area! Each contingent of performers was welcomed as it entered the performance area!
The venue virtually deserted mid-morning ... while the crowds are building up outside!
The performers being cheered in! ... and the Aussies finally arrive
Then the program began with the passing of the flame, leading to the lighting of the cauldron at the top of a huge tower. Then the singing (and other instrumental pieces). Wow! The sound is visceral, beautiful, I have not enough superlatives to describe it!! The choirs are massive, but so well rehearsed and so disciplined that they perform as one voice! I say disciplined, but also exuberant. During any pauses in the proceedings, the choirs started huge Mexican Waves that came from the back of the choir, right out to the back of the audience, and often bounced there and returned to end up with the choir again. Everyone there participated and enjoyed to the fullest!
The view from our seat, near the end of the concert ...
... and the view of the crowd behind is!
The whole concert — all 4 hours of it — it, too, was available on YouTube, but unfortunately no longer!
So you can have an idea of the scope and size of the concert, here is a run-down [if number of pieces not given, it's one!] ...
- Joint Choirs (3 pieces, 753 choirs, 24,380 singers)
- Select Joint Choirs (139 choirs, 5137 singers)
- Select Mixed Choir (84 choirs, 3221 singers)
- Select Male Choir (17 choirs, 560 singers)
- Orchestra of the Defence Forces and Police and Border Guard Orchestra (2 pieces)
- Select Mixed Choir (43 choirs, 1506 singers)
- Select Male Choir (17 choirs, 560 singers)
- Select Children's Choir (36 choirs, 1444 singers)
- Estonian Natonal Symphony Orchestra (1 piece)
- Solo Song (Ain Anger, bass)
- Select Male Choir (17 choirs, 560 singers)
- Select Female Choir (43 choirs, 1506 singers)
- Select Mixed Choir (84 choirs, 3221 singers)
- Select Joint Choir (139 choirs, 5137 singers)
- Select Female Choir (43 choirs, 1506 singers)
- Select Joint Choir (1 pieces, 139 choirs, 5137 singers)
- Songs to sing together (3 pieces, all choirs plus audience, God knows how many singers!)
For the 'community songs' at the end, some members of the choirs filed out
into the aisles between the audience, singing and bearing little candles. Magic!
At the end of the concert, everyone had to make their way home. It was already past 11pm! Some of the singers chose to walk back, and many of them hadn't done with singing for the day. It was a joy to be part of this whole event!
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