Augustin (August) Vokk (Voka Kusti)

August Vokk (Voka Kusti). Photo by E. Kivaste 1974. ERA, Foto 10809.

The main aim of the collection expedition to the Muhu island was to record local village songs and collect data about them. We were struck by good fortune with the opportunity to record old men’s songs in its natural environment. We recorded a group of men, who has previously sang together and who had a lot of shared repertoire. /---/ Truth be told, handwritten song notebooks were used to recall the words of the songs. The most knowledgeable of the songs and directing singers were Villem Saarik, Bärni Tuulik, August Vokk, Vassili Väli, Mihkel Alt and Vassili Oidekivi. (On collection circumstances and purposes, Rüütel 2016: 28)

We managed to collect the richest songs’ harvest in Suuremõisa village. From there came three male singers: Bärni Tuulik, Villem Saarik and August Vokk. /---/ It is important to add here, that their singing was also captured on stereo recording. Those tapes were the founding stones of the Estonian Folklore Archives stereo sound recordings collection. (On collection circumstances and purposes, Rüütel 2016: 19)

We succeeded in separately recording men from Suuremõisa and Kantsi villages. /---/ Toomu Bärni and Voka Kusti had to clear their throats on occasion, when their voices began to get scratchy. Both smoked, so Mõisa Villem had all the right to say: “Why do you smoke then?! I don’t smoke and have no problems with my voice.” (On collection circumstances and purposes, Rüütel 2016: 22–23)

In the newer tunes, generally of foreign origin, that were based on tonic chord, an intentional two-three part singing can be heard. Bärni Tuulik improvised secondary part (majorly in third), August Vokk dubbed melody octave lower. Thus the song performance was not even and certain. There was no norm, secondary voices were joined or improvised at will. For example, during the performance of the widely known song in waltz meter “At the Maritsa river bank” Villem Saarik’s wife Juula dubs the melody octave higher and August Vokk an octave lower, Bärni Tuulik sings secondary voice majorly in third. This way a special four-part song is created. (Men’s songs’ music and performance styles, Rüütel 2016: 102)

In 1984, we had an opportunity to visit Muhu island with the filming crew from Tallinnfilm to make a short feature about Muhu songs and game songs /---/. My aim was to use the provided recording equipment to make high quality videos that capture men’s songs and game songs and later edit them with sound. It came out on location, that from ten singing men we recorded ten years earlier, only two remained – August Vokk and Vassili Väli. But a couple of other men joined them, so we managed to record some songs, of which there are three in the video. /---/ Some interesting details about men’s dances could be found in recorded interviews. (On collection circumstances and purposes, Rüütel 2016: 27)

Songs:

• 19. Goodness Gracious me (Blacksmith’s house)
• 20. Muhumaa – an islet in the sea
• 21. Hey boys, don’t sulk
• 22. The song is sung and I will take a rest
• 24. My last ship was an English freighter
• 25. Now the sheet music songs begin (a dance song)
• 27. At the boundary of our fields
• 28. At the Orsitsi river bank
• 29. For twenty years I’ve been away (a soldier’s song, a ring game)
• 30. At the Maritsa river bank (a ring game and a dance song)

Videos:

• II. Songs and song games of the Muhu islanders 1984

August Vokk, 1913–1994, Liiva village, comes from Suuremõisa village. Recorded by I. Rüütel, O. Kõiva, K. Salve and O. Kiis in Suuremõisa village in 1974; I. Rüütel, M. Soosaar, H. Eller and H. Aasaru in 1984.