The Game of Pearls in the Winter Garden

Rememberance evening Marje Sink 100

16.10.2010 in the Winter Garden of the Estonian National Opera (Rahel Otsa - MuKriErikursus 2010 TLU)

Theodor-Peeter Sink (cello), Madli-Marje Sink (piano), Sirje Puura (soprano), Maria Veretenina (soprano) Oliver Kuusik (tenor), Väino Puura (baritone), Ralf Taal (piano), and others; hostess Pille Lill

On the 16th of October there was a rememberance evening at the Winter Garden of the Estonian National Opera house that was dedicated to the 100th birth year of Marje Sink. The concert belonged to the series events marked under „Marje Sink 100“ that took place from August until the end of December. In addition to the musical events there were also exhibitions held and different radio stations broadcasted programs that discussed the life and works of this composer.

One does not here religious music very often nowadays. Estonians rarely go to the churches and they don’t have much clue about liturgical music let alone that they could sing church songs. On this occasion the music was brought out from the sanctuaries but the solemn atmosphere had come together with the music. Even though the Winter Garden was full of people and extra chairs where brought, five minutes before the concert was supposed to start the hall was filled with quiet excitement. No-one had to mention about silencing the mobile phones. It was understandable without saying.

The rememberance evening began with Pille Lill sharing a personal memory connected to Marje Sink. The concert was commenced by the winner of the 2009 year Marje and Kuldar Sink „Young singer“ prize – Maria Veretenina. She and many other singers were accompanied by the acknowledged pianist Ralf Taal. Alltogether the evening was filled with skillfully presented church songs and instrumental pieces that were full of inspiration. Besides hosting the evening, Pille Lill also took place on the stage beside the young singers, performing three songs that were especially close to her.

As Marje Sink is not so well known nowadays, the organizers took also care of introducing her life inbetween the songs. I would also like to give you a short overiew about that, to explain the place of this composer in the cultural history of Estonia. Marje Sink (born Marie Gildemann) was born on the 18th of October in 1910 in Russia but after the fathers death family moved to Estonia. Because of the families poor situation, Marje was forced to live in the orphanage for some years where she composed her first pieces. In 1938 she finished the Tallinn Conservatoire as the first female composer and from 1944–48 she was the member of the Estonian Composers Union but she was thrown out from there because she refused to take political assignments. In spite of that she continued her work with religious music. She has written about 1000 clerical solo songs, songs for choirs, pieces for ensembles and different instruments that we know of, but it is believed that there are even more manuscripts that belong to her that were left unsigned during the soviet times. Most of her melodies were composed on the texts that her husband who was also a clergyman had wrote.

Listening to the music that Marje Sink had composed I thought that it could be described as a pure and flowing harmony. I was constantly wondering during the concert that these pieces sound so pure and innocent that one can feel that they were composed to be performed in the churches. One does have to take time to listen to this kind of music but when absorbed in this, the time spent will give back more valuable peace that these melodies bring.

During the concert Theodor-Peeter Sink on cello and Madli-Marje Sink on piano also had the chance to perform. The latter played two pieces by Marje Sink and one suit by Bach. If there was anything at all to criticize in the arrangement of the evening then I must say that the last piece mentioned did not fall in with the rest of the evening. But after that Sirje and Väino Puura set the concert back on its track with their singing and the evening was ended by the blessing that bishop gave to everybody.

During the time when Marje Sink was creating her music only the people that were closely connected to religious world could get to know it but now her works have received more public attention. In addition to the music events that took place in this autumn, the performing of her cantata „After the Calvary“ will also take place in spring.

Thinking back to the concert that I heard I found myself wondering that Marje Sinks creation is like a treasure chest that has been in the bottom of the see for a very long time. Now it has been found again and inside the chest there is a pearl. But only these can see the pearl who take time for themselves and listen to this music…with their soul.

Rahel Otsa (TLU, student of cultural science)