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:

Videos:

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.

Publication

Performers

Sound recordings

Videos

Online edition

Editors Janika Oras, Kadi Sarv
Translation into English Inna Feldbach, Olga Ivaškevitš
Project co-ordinator Risto Järv
Web design Lorem Ipsum
Cover photo “Kuivastu Harbour in the early 20th century. Steamship “General Suvortsev” (on the left) and Muhu sailboat uisk (on the right)”. 1910–1919, Saaremaa Museum, SM F 3761:1514 F.

Published materials originate from following archives: Estonian Folklore Archives of Estonian Literary Museum, Estonian National Museum, Saaremaa Museum, Film Archives of National Archives and Estonian Film Institute.

We would like to thank the following contributors for their help in personal information specification: Mihkel Jürisson, Martin Kivisoo, Meelis and Marti Mereäär, Muhu Pärandikool, Helmut Noot, Airi Nõmm, Leena Peegel, Ago Rullingo, Irena Tarvis, Heiske Tuul, Tiiu Tuust, Kadri Tüür and Viia Väli.

Sponsors of the web publication

Ensemble Trad.Attack!
Ministry of Education and Research (IUT22-4)
The European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (Centre of Excellence in Estonian Studies)
The Cultural Endowment of Estonia

Publisher

ELM Scholarly Press, 2018
© and ℗ Estonian Literary Museum, 2018
© Ingrid Rüütel
ISBN 978-9949-586-77-6

Online edition is based on

Muhu rahvamuusikat, laulumänge ja tantse
[Traditional Music, Song Games and Dances of Muhu Island]

Collected and compiled by Ingrid Rüütel.
Recordings from the Estonian Folklore Archives 9. Tartu 2015

[CD, DVD and textbook]
Sound production and CD mastering Jaan Tamm
DVD editing and mastering Jaan Kolberg
Editor Janika Oras
Translation into English Inna Feldbach
Language editors Olga Ivaškevitš, Kadri Tamm
Design Krista Saare
Print Kruul
Replication Baltic Disc AS

Rüütel, Ingrid. Muhumaa laule ja lugusid. Mis on jäänud jälgedesse II
[The Songs and Tales of Muhu Island. What Remains in Our Traces II]

Tartu: ELM Scholarly Press 2016

Editor Asta Niinemets
Music transcription Janika Oras, Ingrid Rüütel, Ludmilla Toon
Notation editing Ingrid Rüütel, Edna Tuvi
Sheet music graphics Edna Tuvi
Texts transcription Erna Tampere, Riina Rehe, Alviine Schmuul, Ingrid Rüütel
Dialectic texts editor Alviine Schmuul
Translation of summary Inna Feldbach
Layout and design Krista Saare
Print Greif