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The maleness in male choirs – recent memories of RAM


Estonian life in Canada is frequently enriched by the talent overflowing the boundaries of Eesti. The recent tour of Estonia's National Male Choir (RAM) in southern Ontario was a case in point. The concert-series, one of the choir's many international forays during this spring season, not only created moments of pride in the hearts of RAMfans but also raised general awareness of Estonian communities in Canada at the locations visited.

I had the priviledge of hearing the choir in the fine musical town of Peterborough. Since the programme was international in scope, I wound up being the recipient of a fantastic music education. I had never before encountered the relatively current works of Bonato (Italy) and Whitacre (USA). The music (not the name) of the Estonian composer Grigoryeva, which has once again placed a small country's musical output on a wider European scale, was also new to me.
The final encore at the famous Peterborough concert (All Saints Anglican) on May 24 by the Estonian National Male Choir (RAM) was the 100-year old “Meeste laul” (In Praise of Men) by Miina Härma. The rousing song evoked memories of concerts by Toronto’s Estonian Male Choir 50-60 years ago. Photo by Andres Raudsepp

The sounds and creative content in the first half of the concert made me less and less conscious of listening to a male choir. It was just great music. The creations of Tormis in the second half I internalized in a different, personal way because I know the composer (a very distant relative) and, lost in the music, I momentarily forgot that I'd also been a member of a male choir for 50 years. Then something shook me out of that reverie.

The choir left quickly after the first encore but suddenly they were back. Quite naked. Sorry, I meant without their binders. In their black open-neck shirts, looking almost beyond the audience, they really let loose with a piece called “Meeste laul” (In Praise of Men) and suddenly we were in roaring male gender musical territory. In other words, my musical world.

A lady next to me raised her eyebrows and looked at me. I just whispered: “This is it!” I didn't have time to tell her that this male song was written by a woman (Miina Härma). But suddenly all the members of the National Male Choir were my brothers.

This brings us to a rather lightweight topic. Why are so many men's choirs called “male”. The Toronto Estonian Male Choir has a similar appellation. After some minor research a few years ago, I discovered that the word male in choral music is more inclusive (same as in “female”). A male choir can include boys' and youths' voices to give it a broader scale. Perhaps even the sounds of geezers who remain male even though they may no longer perform as well. Thus I am led to believe that a “men's choir” and a “women's choir” are somewhat more restrictive and not always favoured in European translations. Go figure!

So the “Meeste laul” that I heard in Peterborough confirmed not only that the choir but the song itself had what? The word is – gender!

Andres Raudsepp

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