Veljo Tormis (7 August 1930 – 21 January 2017) was an Estonian composer, regarded as one of the great contemporary choral composers[1][2] and one of the most important composers of the 20th century in Estonia.[3] Internationally, his fame arises chiefly from his extensive body of choral music, which exceeds 500 individual choral songs, most of it a cappella. The great majority of these pieces are based on traditional ancient Estonian folksongs (regilaulud), either textually, melodically, or merely stylistically.
His composition most often performed outside Estonia, Curse Upon Iron (Raua needmine) (1972), invokes ancient Shamanistic traditions to construct an allegory about the evils of war. Some of his works were banned by the Soviet government, but because folk music was fundamental to his style most of his compositions were accepted by the censors.
More recently, Tormis' works have been performed and recorded by Tõnu Kaljuste with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, and others. In the 1990s, Tormis began to receive commissions from some a cappella groups as the King's Singers and the Hilliard Ensemble.
Tormis famously said of his settings of traditional melodies and verse: "It is not I who makes use of folk music, it is folk music that makes use of me."[3] His work demonstrates his conviction that traditional Estonian and other Balto-Finnic music represents a treasure which must be guarded and nourished, and that culture may be kept alive through the medium of song.[3]
^"Veljo Tormis at Oregon Bach Festival". Archived from the original on 2006-09-02. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
^"Veljo Tormis at the Pacific Youth Choir". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
^ abcDaitz, Mimi. Ancient Song Recovered: The Life and Music of Veljo Tormis. Hillsdale, NY: Pendragon Press, 2004. ISBN 1-57647-009-1.
The first and only major writing on Tormis in English as of 2006[update]. Includes discussion of many of Tormis’s compositions, Estonian history, and regilaul (the Baltic-Finnic runic song upon which much of Tormis’s music is based), translations of several important articles and interviews, analysis of several representative major choral works, and copious biographical information. Also includes a glossary, annotated discography, bibliography, a complete alphabetized list of works (found nowhere else in English), and a CD with several pertinent musical examples.
Commons has media related to VeljoTormis. VeljoTormis Data Bank. VeljoTormis discography at MusicBrainz Fennica Gehrman’s Tormis page (publisher) with a...
Lamp (born 1968), competitive runner Veljo Reinik (born 1981), actor VeljoTormis (1930–2017), composer "Estonian Name Days". Behind the Name. 2017. Retrieved...
Saar (1882–1963), Lepo Sumera (1950–2000), Eduard Tubin (1905–1982), VeljoTormis (1930–2017) and the living composers mentioned below. There are several...
most well-known Estonian composers are Arvo Pärt, Eduard Tubin, and VeljoTormis. In 2014, Arvo Pärt was the world's most performed living composer for...
indicating "generally favorable reviews". "Big Victory For Composer VeljoTormis". Vaba Eesti Sõna. 6 July 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2020. "Top of the...
Stormy Sea") is an a cappella choral composition by the Estonian composer VeljoTormis completed in 1996. The piece was commissioned by the Swedish Orphei Drängar...
Rautavaara Leevi Madetoja Uuno Klami Tauno Marttinen Aulis Sallinen VeljoTormis A number of folk metal bands have drawn on the Kalevala heavily for inspiration...
work by Jaakko Mäntyjärvi Incantatio maris aestuosi, a choral work by VeljoTormis "Estonia", a song by Marillion "Ever so blue", a song by Heini Vaikmaa...
modern works, particularly those of the Estonian composers Arvo Pärt and VeljoTormis. The group has been nominated for numerous Grammy Awards, and has won...
Tomalin tomandandy Tomatito Isao Tomita Sheridan Tongue Pınar Toprak VeljoTormis David Torn Raúl de la Torre Kazumi Totaka Toto Colin Towns Kazuhiko Toyama...
choral tradition, including collaborations with the Estonian composer VeljoTormis, the choir promotes new compositions or arrangements for men's chorus...
in Tartu, 1644). This prayer has been used by the Estonian composer VeljoTormis in his 1974 choral work Litany to Thunder (text rendered into the Võro...
quarter of the 20th century, primarily thanks to the work of composer VeljoTormis. In modern times Jaan Kross and Jaan Kaplinski remain Estonia's best...
English language setting of Kullervo's story, Kullervo's Message, from VeljoTormis. In June 2023, the video game Warframe released a new playable character...
version for small orchestra Prozession Toru Takemitsu – November Steps VeljoTormis Eesti kalendrilaulud (Estonian Calendar Songs) Maarjamaa ballaad (Ballad...
1967), actress, singer-songwriter Koit Toome (born 1979), pop musician VeljoTormis (1930–2017), composer Tõnu Trubetsky (born 1963), singer, composer, writer...
variable ensemble of 19 or more players, Nr. 37 Toru Takemitsu – Distance VeljoTormis – Curse Upon Iron (Raua needmine) Peter Maxwell Davies – Taverner (12...
Derivative Use of Balto-Finnic Traditional Song in the Choral Compositions of VeljoTormis". Fontes Artis Musicae. 51 (3–4): 323 – via JSTOR. Vissel, Anu (2003)...
2006) August 6 – Abbey Lincoln, American singer (d. 2010) August 7 – VeljoTormis, Estonian composer (d. 2017) August 10 – Jorma Panula, Finnish conductor...
Narimanbekov, Azerbaijani-French painter and academic (d. 2013) 1930 – VeljoTormis, Estonian composer and educator (d. 2017) 1931 – Jack Good, British television...
fell into obscurity afterwards. Among his students were Ester Mägi, VeljoTormis, Lydia Auster, Edison Denisov, Grigory Frid, Tikhon Khrennikov, Karen...
Estonian composer and teacher. He was born in Tallinn and studied with VeljoTormis in his teens, and from 1968, with Heino Eller at the Estonian Academy...
the song "Raua Needmine" (Curse Upon Iron) by the Estonian composer VeljoTormis in the 2009 school year. The girls' basketball program won three consecutive...
(1845–1917) Rudolf Tobias (1873–1918) Helen Tobias-Duesberg (1919–2010) VeljoTormis (1930–2017) Eduard Tubin (1905–1982) Helena Tulve (born 1972) Konstantin...
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