English translation (literal): *Time of Awakening* Here the sea came to a halt, someone stopped it, the shore overcame the water, land began from the shore: plain, golden, rocky, earthy, cloudy, windy, full of expectation. Soon the foremother and the forefather got together here, established their home with toil, brought kids to the house. There was fortune, was joy, was laughter, was crying, was labour, was toil on this land. Estonia, Estonia, you are my homeland, you are close to my soul. Estonia, Estonia, you are my homeland, You are deep in my heart. With fire, with sword the foreign man came, brought trouble, brought pain, ate the foreign bread. The father fell, the mother, the brother still in childhood, the whole land became wet from tears. “Estonia, Estonia…” Father’s mind, mother tongue, I shall hold on this land. Father's land, mother’s land it still is: plain, golden, rocky, earthy, cloudy, windy, full of expectation. “Estonia, Estonia…”
I was in this place in summer some years ago. If when empty it looks impressive I cannot imagine how must be when it is full of singers. Thanks for uploading this beautiful song.
Am I imagining it, or does the composer quote the Estonian national anthem in the violins towards the end of the piece? If so, quite a brave bit of defiance, given that the anthem was still illegal when he composed the piece in 1983?
