Evald Vain

December 20, 1915 Tallinn – November 9, 1970 Tallinn
Member of the Estonian Composers' Union since 1958
Buried at Tallinn Siselinna Cemetery (Vana Kaarli Cemetery)

The songs of aknowledged song writer Evald Vain belong to Estonian popular music classic and the repertoire of many Estonian singers and ensembles.

Evald Vain graduated from the Tallinn Conservatory in violin performance in Johannes Paulsen’s class (1938) and studied composition in youth seminar of Estonian Composers’ Union (1948–1957).

Vain worked in Estonian Radio Symphony Orchestra, first as a violinist, after as an oboe player (1940–1967). As a popular musician, he played in dance orchestras Bi-Ba-Bo and Merry Pipers, quartet of restaurant OK, pre-war Kuldne Seitse – where in addition to violin he also played saxophone, Emil Laansoo ensemble and jazz orchestra of State Youth House.

Evald Vain has written mainly light and jazz music, especially he has aknowledged as a talented song writer. In 1950ies he wrote famous songs like "No One, Nobody Never", "Summer Inside the Winter", "Why I Fell Silent?", "How Not", in the 1960ies instrumental variety music with colorful harmony and folksy intonations became prevalent. His masterful treatment of orchestra was formed from the collaboration with the Estonian Radio Variety Orchestra. Composer’s songs have been written mostly on texts by his wife Erika Vain, these are published in author-collections "Kümme estraadilaulu" ("Ten variety songs", 1963) and "Laule" ("Songs", 1966).

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