page_title: Music of Estonia
section_title: 20th century
hierarchical_section_title: Music of Estonia / 20th century
caption_attribution_description: Eesti: XVII üldtantsupidu. 2004. English: Mark A. Petersen (MAPix), Estonian folk dancing, eesti tantsupidu, 2004.
context_page_description: The recorded history of music in Estonia dates back as far as the 12th century. The older folksongs, referred to as runic songs, are in the poetic metre regivärss the tradition shared by all Baltic Finns. These were gradually replaced by rhythmic folksongs in the 18th century.
context_section_description: In the 1960s, the Soviet government began encouraging folk art from its constituent republics. Local ethnographic bands were formed after Leiko, a choir from Värska, came together in 1964, while a less regionally distinct form of Estonian folk music was soon promoted, Estonian Ring Dance beginning with the formation of Leigarid in 1969. The 1950s and 60s also saw the publication of Herbert Tampere's Eesti rahvalaule viisidega (Estonian folk songs with melodies), a collection of folk songs. The first LP of traditional music, Eesti rahvalaule ja pillilugusid (Estonian folk songs and instrumental pieces) was released in 1967. In the 1980s, a series of festivals took place that helped stimulate increasing agitation for freedom of expression; these included the 1985 conference of CIOFF, the 1986 Viru säru and 1989's Baltica.
  In the 1950s, Estonian baritone Georg Ots rose to worldwide prominence as an opera singer.
  Estonia also produced a number of classical composers of high repute during the twentieth century, including: Miina Härma (1864–1941),  Rudolf Tobias (1873–1918), Heino Eller (1887–1970), Artur Kapp (1878–1952), Artur Lemba (1885–1963), Mart Saar (1882–1963), Lepo Sumera (1950–2000), Eduard Tubin (1905–1982) and the living composers mentioned below.
caption: Ring Dance in XVII Estonian Dance Celebration (2004)
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