Page 31 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

A POR TRAIT OF EST ONIA , LA T VIA AND LITHU ANIA 29

Veljo Tormis Baltic Folk Singers
(b.1930) is a
celebrated com- The Soviet era saw government-approved
poser of choral performers refine folk songs with classical
music based on harmonies and accompaniment, but enthusiasts
the folk songs of worked to preserve genuine traditions. Today, a
his native Estonia. number of festivals are held all over the region.
Many of his more
political pieces of
the 1970s and 80s
were censored
by the Soviet
government.

Iļģi, the famous Latvian folk music band, was formed
in 1981. Like most folk musicians of the country, they
revived forgotten traditions and developed into a
band that used folklore as an impulse for creating
music of their own.

Veronika
Povilionienė
(b.1946) has
enjoyed success
since the late
1960s, initially
promoting folk
singing as a mode
of anti-Soviet
protest. In recent
years, she has also
recorded pop and
jazz albums.
The Baltic Psaltery
The most characteristic instrument used by the region’s folk singers is the Baltic psaltery. It exists
in numerous variations, and is known as kokle in Latvia, kanklės in Lithuania and kannel in Estonia.
In the late 19th century, hybrids influenced by German and Austrian zithers were developed.

The body is a single A bridge connects
piece of wood with Wooden the strings to the
an ornamented pegs are resonator, unlike
soundboard added. used to tune traditional
the strings. psalteries.
Strings made from
steel, bronze or
natural fibres
number between
5 and 12. Strings of the
modern zither-
Strings are like hybrids can
positioned number many
unevenly. more than those
used in the tradi-
tional kanklės.
Kannel Kokle Kanklės