[In partnership with the Veljo Tormis Virtuaalkeskus (Veljo Tormis Virtual Centre), VEMU employee and Eesti Elu / Estonian Life contributor Monika Siim conducted a number of interviews, one of which was with musicologist and choral conductor Mimi S. Daitz.
Today, on the occasion of what would have been his 95th birthday, read what Daitz has to say about the composer, including for those who aren't familiar with his music.]
Interview conducted by Monika Siim
Can you tell us about who Veljo Tormis was and what made him a significant figure in music?
He's a significant figure in music is certain, but he's also a significant cultural hero in Estonia because his music is profoundly based on regilaul, the ancient, traditional folk songs of the Estonian people. They don't know how old these songs are – it's definitely not the 19th-century Germanic folk song, although he wrote one or two pieces based on that type of music. But that was not his voice.
