Monumenta Estoniae Antiquae
Encyclopedia
The Monumenta Estoniae Antiquae is a corpus of Estonian folksongs which contains around 800,000 pages of manuscript, including 100,000 songs in the standard trochaic dimeter form. This corpus is one of the largest and most significant of its kind in the world.
began at the beginning of the 19th century. The Learned Estonian Society
was established in 1839 as the central organisation for the collection and study of Estonian folklore. It was this society that coordinated the compilation of the Estonian epic Kalevipoeg
, begun by Friedrich Robert Faehlmann
and completed by Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald
.
In 1843 Kreutzwald initiated the idea of the systematic collection of Estonian folklore. Alexander Neus, under the auspices of the Society of Estonian Literati
(Eesti Kirjameeste Selts) founded in 1842, published a three volume anthology of Estonian folksongs in 1852. This three volume set of some 1300 songs is considered the first scholarly publication.
Soon after Dr. Jakob Hurt
assumed the presidency of the Estonian Literati Society in 1872, a project was initiated for the systematic collection of folklore across Estonia. Both collecting and editing was coordinated by Jakob Hurt, organising around 1400 volunteer collectors through appeals, through the press, brochures and personal correspondence. Hurt had planned the publication of a six volume series to be called the "Monumenta Estoniae Antiquae".
Between 1875 and 1886 two volumes of folksongs were published under the serial title Vana Kannel, (in German Alte Harfe). Each volume contained the total material from one parish (kihelkond), thus establishing a principle of geographical and dialectal, rather than thematic, unity. Vana Kannel I gathered up the songs of the Põlva parish
in south-eastern Estonia, and volume II included those of Kolga-Jaani in central Estonia. Hurt was about to complete a third volume, the songs of the Viljandi parish in central Estonia, but difficulties of publishing and the continual inflow of new material intervened.
Between 1904 and 1907, under the auspices of the Finnish Literature Society, Hurt published a three volume series of songs (Setukeste laulud) from the Setumaa district in southern Estonia. Later in 1907 Jakob Hurt died.
During the 1930s the Estonian Folklore Archives revived Hurt's original project and published volumes III and IV of Vana Kannel in 1938 and 1941 respectively. Edited by Herbert Tampere the third volume contains songs of Kuusalu Parish and the fourth volume songs of Karksi parish
. A fifth volume containing songs from Muhu
island was under preparation, however World War II intervened. At that point songs from only four parishes and Setumaa, out of a total of 112 parishes were in print.
During the Soviet period, the Monumenta Estoniae Antiquae project was revived in the mid-1950s, with an additional 40 volumes planned. The plan was to publish a volume on the Haljala parish on the island of Saaremaa in 1960, then publish one volume per year for the next 40 years through the joint efforts of the Museum of Literature and Tartu University. However nothing came of that plan until 1985, when Vana Kannel 5 (Mustjala parish) was published. Kannel 6 (Haljala parish) was published in 1989. On the resumption of independence, volumes 7 (Kihnu parish) and 8 (Jõhvi and Iisaku parishes) were published in 1997 and 1999 respectively.
History
Interest in Estonian folkloreEstonian folklore
The earliest mentioning of Estonian singing dates back to Saxo Grammaticus Gesta Danorum . Saxo speaks of Estonian warriors who sang at night while waiting for a battle. Henry of Livonia in the beginning of the 13th. century describes Estonian sacrificial customs, gods and spirits. In 1578...
began at the beginning of the 19th century. The Learned Estonian Society
Learned Estonian Society
The Learned Estonian Society is Estonia's oldest scholarly organisation, and was formed at the University of Tartu in 1838. Its charter was to study Estonia's history and pre-history, its language, literature and folklore....
was established in 1839 as the central organisation for the collection and study of Estonian folklore. It was this society that coordinated the compilation of the Estonian epic Kalevipoeg
Kalevipoeg
Kalevipoeg is an epic poem by Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald held to be the Estonian national epic.- Origins : There existed an oral tradition within Ancient Estonia of legends explaining the origin of the world...
, begun by Friedrich Robert Faehlmann
Friedrich Robert Faehlmann
Friedrich Robert Faehlmann was an Estonian philologist and an Estophile active in Livonia, Russian Empire...
and completed by Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald
Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald
Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald was an Estonian writer, who is considered to be the father of the national literature for the country.-Life:Friedrich's parents were serfs at the Jõepere estate, Virumaa. His father worked as a granary keeper and his mother was a chambermaid...
.
In 1843 Kreutzwald initiated the idea of the systematic collection of Estonian folklore. Alexander Neus, under the auspices of the Society of Estonian Literati
Society of Estonian Literati
The Society of Estonian Literati was an influential association of Estonian intellectuals based in Tartu between the years 1871 to 1893.-History:...
(Eesti Kirjameeste Selts) founded in 1842, published a three volume anthology of Estonian folksongs in 1852. This three volume set of some 1300 songs is considered the first scholarly publication.
Soon after Dr. Jakob Hurt
Jakob Hurt
Jakob Hurt was a notable Estonian folklorist, theologist, and linguist. With respect to the latter, he is perhaps best known for his dissertation on "pure" -ne stem nouns...
assumed the presidency of the Estonian Literati Society in 1872, a project was initiated for the systematic collection of folklore across Estonia. Both collecting and editing was coordinated by Jakob Hurt, organising around 1400 volunteer collectors through appeals, through the press, brochures and personal correspondence. Hurt had planned the publication of a six volume series to be called the "Monumenta Estoniae Antiquae".
Between 1875 and 1886 two volumes of folksongs were published under the serial title Vana Kannel, (in German Alte Harfe). Each volume contained the total material from one parish (kihelkond), thus establishing a principle of geographical and dialectal, rather than thematic, unity. Vana Kannel I gathered up the songs of the Põlva parish
Põlva Parish
Põlva Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Põlva County. It has a population of 3,882 and an area of 228.63 km².-Settlements:Villages:...
in south-eastern Estonia, and volume II included those of Kolga-Jaani in central Estonia. Hurt was about to complete a third volume, the songs of the Viljandi parish in central Estonia, but difficulties of publishing and the continual inflow of new material intervened.
Between 1904 and 1907, under the auspices of the Finnish Literature Society, Hurt published a three volume series of songs (Setukeste laulud) from the Setumaa district in southern Estonia. Later in 1907 Jakob Hurt died.
During the 1930s the Estonian Folklore Archives revived Hurt's original project and published volumes III and IV of Vana Kannel in 1938 and 1941 respectively. Edited by Herbert Tampere the third volume contains songs of Kuusalu Parish and the fourth volume songs of Karksi parish
Karksi Parish
Karksi Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Viljandi County. It has a population of 4,041 and an area of 321.45 km².-Settlements:TownKarksi-NuiaVillages...
. A fifth volume containing songs from Muhu
Muhu
Muhu , is an island in the Baltic Sea. With an area of 198 km² it is the third largest island belonging to Estonia, after Saaremaa and Hiiumaa....
island was under preparation, however World War II intervened. At that point songs from only four parishes and Setumaa, out of a total of 112 parishes were in print.
During the Soviet period, the Monumenta Estoniae Antiquae project was revived in the mid-1950s, with an additional 40 volumes planned. The plan was to publish a volume on the Haljala parish on the island of Saaremaa in 1960, then publish one volume per year for the next 40 years through the joint efforts of the Museum of Literature and Tartu University. However nothing came of that plan until 1985, when Vana Kannel 5 (Mustjala parish) was published. Kannel 6 (Haljala parish) was published in 1989. On the resumption of independence, volumes 7 (Kihnu parish) and 8 (Jõhvi and Iisaku parishes) were published in 1997 and 1999 respectively.