Estonian Song Festival

Estonian Song Festival

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Estonian Song Festival

Tallinn Song Festival Grounds

The Estonian Song Festival () is an event which takes place in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, every five years in the month of July. The last song festival was in 2004, the next festival will be in 2009. Nowadays those festivals are held on The Tallinn Song Festival Grounds.

History

The tradition of the song festival was born along with Estonian national awakening. The first national song festival was held in Tartu in the summer of 1869. One of the organizers of the first song festival was Johann Voldemar Jannsen. In the first three festivals only men's choirs and brass orchestras participated. 822 singers and 56 brass players participated in the first festival. Starting with the fourth festival, mixed choirs were also participating. Starting with the sixth festival in 1896, the festival tradition moved to Tallinn.

In 1947, due to Soviet rule, strict restrictions were set on repertoire. Because of the inclusion of children's and boys' choirs the total number of participants rose to 25 000-30 000 people. Dance nights started in 1947 became predecessors of later National Dance Festivals accompanying the song festival.