News
August Pulst jubilee year celebrated in 2009
29.01.2009
In order to celebrate the passing of 120 years from the birth of August Pulst, the collector of antiquities and a preserver of Estonian musical heritage, several joyous celebrations are organised throughout Estonia during 2009.
One of the key events of the jubilee year is the tour of village musicians, during which the village musicians and the new generation of folk musicians give concerts in community centres all over Estonia and end their tour in the Concert Hall of the "Estonia" Theatre in Tallinn on October 30. This was also the venue where during his life (1889-1977), August Pulst organised concerts for folk musicians - an initiative which in the 1920s was considered outrageous, but which despite fierce opposition from the culture management enjoyed great audience success.
In addition to that, August Pulst organised folk music recording and tours for village musicians and singers during the period between the two world wars. For several years, he zealously collected antiquities and was directly involved in the establishment of four museums, three of which, the Art Museum of Estonia, the Estonian Theatre and Music Museum, and the Tori Museum became true and the open air museum was established later.
"August Pulst did not only perpetuate and record folk culture, he also preserved old traditions and presented them in new and in his time bold ways. I often imagine him as an artist who instead of paint used lore to paint beautiful patterns. I would be extremely happy if our school could continue his life's work, "commented Sofia Joons, the head of August Pulst School at the Estonian Traditional Music Center.