One thing you should know about Estonians is their love for choir music. It almost seems like every Estonian has sung in a local choir at one stage in their life. I sang in a children’s choir, and after that in a youth choir. The absolute highlight of Estonian choir music are the Song Festivals, held every 5 years in Tallinn, Estonia. The tradition goes back to 1869! Thousands of choir singers practice with their local choirs the same songs in different harmonies in order to qualify for the Song Festival on the central stage. Some wear their local folk costumes for the event, and everyone is aware of the great honour to perform, come rain or shine. I’ll leave a couple of Youtube links for you at the end of this blogpost – you’ll love it, or at least you’ll be impressed, I’m sure.
This found group photo from 1911 shows the choir of the Haapsalu city (Haapsalu laulukoor, lauluselts) with their teacher and musical master Kirill Wiebe. Doesn’t he look like one proud teacher! Surrounded by his students of all ages, bound together by their love for choir music. Among the singers, you’ll also find Kirill’s own daughter Lydia Wiebe.
Such a pity the other members of the choir are not identified, but let’s see what we can find out about the father and the daughter.
Kirill (Karl) Wiebe (or also Viibe/Wiibe in Estonian) was born on January 30, 1865, on the Estonian island of Saaremaa. Most Estonians are of Lutheran faith, but Kirill’s family (his father Jakob Wiebe and mother Tiiu Darja née Vaust) belonged to the minority congregation of Russian Orthodox. Kirill graduated from the Teachers Seminar in Tartu in 1885 (one of the students in the back rows).
His passion was choir music and he started conducting the Haapsalu choir after he graduated. Kirill had two daughters with his wife Paula: Julie (born on September 23, 1889), and Lydia (born on Deecember 13, 1897).
Lydia Wiebe
During WWI, Kirill’s family was forced to evacuate to the Russian Empire. As a result of the Estonian Independence War following WWI, the Estonian Republic declared itself independent and expats could return and apply for Estonian citizenship. The Wiebe family returned to Estonia in 1920. Father Kirill continued to work as a teacher in Haapsalu. And his daughters had both followed their father’s path, too.
I don’t know what became of Kirill and his daughters. But I will leave you here with a photo of Kirill I found in the Estonian Archives online:
I am sure that the ambition of his choir was to participate in the Estonian Song Festival, too. And perhaps they even did! When I look at the photo of him, I get the feeling that he inspired many young people to love and take up choir singing.
I leave a few Youtube links to Estonian Song Festivals here for you:
Link for 2019 (1)
Link for 2019 (2) – one of all time favourites – only women choirs
Link for 2014 (1)
Link for 2014 (2)
The next Song Festival (Laulupidu) will take place between July 3-6, 2025. Find out more about it on www.visitestonia.com (no commercial ad, just a personal recommendation ;-))
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