Észtország, az „éneklő nép” hazája
Estonia: Home of the Singing People

Summary/Abstract: Estonians call themselves a “singing people” (laulurahvas). Since 1869, this love for singing crystallizes regularly in the form of large outdoor concerts bringing together choirs from across the country. This tradition of “Feasts of Song” (laulupidu) has survived, through various compromises, all the changes of political regime, while reflecting the changes in the historical context. It accompanied the formation and evolution of Estonian national feeling and still plays a major role as a medium of identity, due to its popularity (every five years it brings together 250,000 people, about 20% of the population) and to the patriotic songs that occupy an important part in the program. Paradoxically, this major identity building event is not specifically Estonian: it was modeled on the Sängerfeste organized in German-speaking countries, it gives almost no room for traditional Estonian songs, and it also exists in very similar forms in Latvia and Lithuania.

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