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The oeuvre of Estonian composer Veljo Tormis (1930-2017) boasts over 500 choral works, many of which revolve around the oral traditions and folk songs of the Balto-Finnic peoples. Unlike Bartók, to whom he is often compared, he never saw this as an archival or preservationist project but as an act of musical appreciation and promotion. Unustatud rahvad (Forgotten Peoples), written between 1970-89, is a massive collection of 51 pieces, spanning the gamut from wedding ditties to mythological epics, sung with sensitivity and gusto by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. Otherworldly music that feels right at home.
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