The Published Choral Folk Songs of Cyrillus Kreek, Estonian Nationalist

This research will trace the development and productivity of Cyrillus Kreek (1889-1962) as a composer of choral folk songs and his influence on Estonian culture. The core of the study provides a chronological examination of Kreek’s published choral folk song arrangements. Kreek’s work is the summation of direct and indirect influences in his life, such as Estonian folk music and the Estonian national awakening that began in the late nineteenth century and flourished in the early decades of the twentieth century; conversely, his music, along with that of his contemporaries, impacted the process of defining what it meant to be Estonian. An outgrowth of this study has also illuminated the need for user-friendly, accessible editions of his choral folk songs so that other parts of the world may more fully enjoy the benefits of his work and the deep, rich tradition of Estonian choral folk music. Suggestions are given for understanding the context in which Kreek’s music was created and how that context affects its performance. A proposed sample edition and a pronunciation guide are included as appendixes. The document concludes with a discussion of the impact of Kreek’s music on the future of Estonian life and the international choral music scene