On the occasion of the composer’s 100th birthday anniversary, Johan Tamverk's oratorio „David and Goliath” (1934) will be performed in Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn, in October 3.
Johan Tamverk (1906–1988) graduated from the Tallinn Conservatoire in 1929 as a student of Artur Kapp, one of the trailblazers of young Estonian music. Sacred music – large scale choral works and choral songs, form the bulk of Tamverk’ oeuvre.
Oratorio "David and Goliath" is written for male choir, male soloists, organ and symphony orchestra and was commissioned by August Topman, organ teacher of Tamverk and conductor of the Tallinn Male Song Society’s male choir. Oratorio was premiered on December 8, 1934 in Tallinn by representative staff in these days: Tallinn Male Song Society’s male choir and Estonian Broadcast Orchestra, vocal soloists Karl Ots, Benno Hansen and Karl Viitol and organist Hugo Lepnurm.
At Tamverk’s jubilee concert, oratorio „David and Goliath” will be performed by Estonian National Male Choir and Estonian National Opera Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mihhail Gerts with soloists Mati Turi, Uku Joller and Priit Volmer, and organist Ene Salumäe.