Gustav Ernesaks

Gustav Ernesaks (Russian Густав Густавович Эрнесакс; born December 12, 1908 village Perila, then Peningi community, now the town Raasiku, Harju County, † January 24, 1993 in Tallinn ) was an Estonian Soviet composer and choirmaster.

Life

Gustav Ernesaks closed in 1931, the Tallinn Conservatory with the music pedagogy and composition with Artur Kapp from. He then worked at various schools in Tallinn as a music teacher. From 1937 to 1941 he was a lecturer at the Tallinn Conservatory.

During the Second World War Ernesaks engaged in state communist art ensembles in Yaroslavl. In 1944 he founded the National Male Choir of Estonia ( Eesti Rahvusmeeskoor - RAM), whose artistic director he remained until his death in 1993. In 1945 he became professor of choral conducting at the Tallinn Conservatory.

Gustav Ernesaks was one of the organizers of the great Estonian song festivals and author of the anthem of the Estonian SSR. During the Soviet period, Estonia, he was, however, without taking one of the most popular leaders of the Estonian society, too much open opposition role. Some still refer to him as a pioneer of the Singing Revolution in Estonia. In 2004 a monument to Gustav Ernesaks was unveiled on the singer stage of Tallinn.

Work

Gustav Ernesaks ' work is very extensive. Most of taking songs for choir, including the nationally -minded " My fatherland is my love " (Mu isamaa on minu arm ) on a text by Lydia Koidula. It was Estonia under the Soviet occupation of the central songs self -assertion. His works include five operas and many other works that have been found in Estonia widespread. Ernesaks also wrote the music for the anthem of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic.