Estonia · 150th anniversary of the first Song Festival

Issue date29 May 2019

Total mintage1,000,000

EU maximum1,000,000

Editions3

Edge letteringEESTI × 2, alternating upright/inverted, separated by dots

InscriptionLaulupidu 150 / 2019 / EESTI

DesignerGrete-Lisette Gulbis

mintMincovna Kremnica, š.p, Kremnica

Issue occasion

The commemorative coin marks 150 years of the Estonian Song Festival. The design depicts an abstracted festival procession of participants dressed in traditional costumes, moving like a wave through the cheering crowd, and combines music, traditional costumes and the various event venues. It also shows the opening notes of the Estonian national anthem and the inscription “Laulupidu 150”.

The design

The coin’s design depicts an abstract representation of the procession of participants dressed in folk costumes, moving like a sea wave amid the joyful cheers of the proud crowd. The design combines music, folk costumes and the various venues of the country’s major and important song festival by the sea. The first notes of the Estonian national anthem are also depicted, as is the inscription “Laulupidu 150” (Song Festival 150) along the lower inner rim of the coin. The year of issue “2019” is shown at the top in the centre, with the issuing country “EESTI” immediately below.

The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the coin’s outer ring.

Background on the topic

The first pan-Estonian Song Festival took place in Tartu in 1869. It emerged following the example of the song festivals that were widespread in the 19th century and was co-organized by Johann Voldemar Jannsen. Initially, mainly male choirs and wind orchestras performed. Singing together in the Estonian language coincided with the period of national awakening, when a stronger sense of cultural and political cohesion developed among the Estonian-speaking population. At that time, Estonia belonged to the Russian Empire; administration and social life were also shaped for a long time by the Baltic German upper class.

Jannsen also wrote the lyrics to “Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm” (“My Fatherland, My Happiness and My Joy”). The song, with a melody by the German-Finnish composer Fredrik Pacius, was performed at the first festival and later became Estonia’s national anthem. The melody is also used for the Finnish anthem, albeit with different lyrics.

The Song Festival developed into a regularly held mass event, later supplemented by dance festivals. Since the 20th century, Tallinn has been the central venue. An open-air stage with a large choir stand was built there, where very large choirs can perform together. The festivals continued even during Soviet rule. The repertoire and proceedings were subject to state directives, while the Estonian language, choral music and communal traditions remained publicly present.

The “Singing Revolution” of the late 1980s built on this role. At gatherings and music events, tens of thousands sang patriotic songs and called for political self-determination. This peaceful mass movement accompanied the path to the restoration of Estonian independence in 1991.

The tradition of the Baltic Song and Dance Celebrations in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania was recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. The anniversary therefore provided an occasion to commemorate on a circulating coin not only a series of events, but also its connection with language, national identity and political self-assertion.