September 28th
Mart Saar 28 September [O.S. 15 September] 1882 – 28 October 1963
Preludes 1 to 28
By Karl Akel[1] (†1942)↑ Põhjavaim. Valik Mart Saare ja Tuudur Vettiku kirju (koostaja Tiiu Tosso). Tallinn: Eesti Teatri- ja Muusikamuuseum, 2007, lk 7. ISBN 9789949153558 – pianolog.ru / image, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30580854
Mart Saar was an influential Estonian composer, organist, and collector of folk songs, born on 28 September 1882. He grew up in a small village called Hüpassaare, where his father worked in forestry and taught him music at home. Saar attended local schools, studying under Joosep Kapp, another prominent composer. In 1901, he left for the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, where he graduated in 1908 and furthered his studies until 1911. Saar then became a music teacher in Tartu and moved to Tallinn in 1921 to work as a freelance composer.
During his life, Saar married twice and had three children. His music often combined the essence of Estonian folk traditions with newer styles, reflecting his deep love for Estonia’s nature. Some of his well-known works include “Oh Kodumaa” and “Küll ma Laulaks”. Saar’s compositions are celebrated for their emotional depth and often explore themes of life and nature. He passed away on 28 October 1963, leaving a lasting legacy in Estonian music.
*Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) indicate dating systems before and after a calendar change, respectively. Usually, they refer to the change from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar as enacted in various European countries between 1582 and 1923.
