Ensemble
Ansambel Triskele is a vital folk music group from Estonia - five men who share deep interest in folk hymns, early music and ancient rune singing. Since 1997 the group has released seven albums: in addition to Estonian folk hymns Ansambel Triskele has been inspired by the rich heritage of age-old folksongs and the music of European middle ages.
In its compositions Ansambel Triskele has brought together different singing styles and a variety of musical instruments representing both Estonian traditional music (zithers, mandola, bagpipes, jaw harp) and European early music (lute, oud, flutes, frame drum, bells). The factor unifying the members of Ansambel Triskele is their keen interest in a variety of music traditions from all over the world, the influences of which can be found in the group’s performing style.
Members of Ansambel Triskele have participated in several Estonian early and folk music groups as well as international co-operation projects. The group’s lute and zither player Toivo Sõmer is an accomplished jazz performer; the flutist Heikki-Rein Veromann is an experienced folk singer and actor; percussionist Janno Mäe is recognised as an expert on traditional percussion instruments; singer Tarmo Tabas has long-term experience performing Gregorian chant in Tartu Catholic Church; and second singer Ergo-Hart Västrik teaches folklore at the University of Tartu.
Tarmo Tabas - vocals
Ergo-Hart Västrik - vocals
Heikki-Rein Veromann - flutes, bagpipes, jew's harp, vocals
Toivo Sõmer - lute, oud, mandola, zithers, vocals
Janno Mäe - percussion, bells, zither, vocals
Jaanus Roosileht - fiddle, rebec, bowed harp, vocals (until 2010)
Ansambel Triskele has performed on a variety of folk and early music festivals such as:
• Montalbâne Festival of Medieval Music, Freyburg/Unstrut, Germany
• St Wenceslas Music Festival, Prague, Czech Republic
• Sommelo Ethno Music Festival, Kuhmo, Finland
• Skamba Skamba Kankliai International Folklore Festival, Vilnius, Lithuania
• Baltica International Folklore Festival, Tallinn, Estonia
• Viljandi Folk Music Festival, Viljandi, Estonia
• Tartu International Early Music Festival, Tartu, Estonia
Most probably, the symbolic image of triskele or triskelion – three legs running, united at the centre like the spokes in a wheel - reached northern Europe in the late Bronze Age. The image was held to possess protective magical qualities and was used to symbolise the Sun, the Moon, and movement and progress in general. Although associated with the chief Scandinavian god Odin during the Viking period, the symbol was also widely used in Christian iconography and symbolism, primarily as a reference to the Holy Trinity. In Estonia, the triskele symbol was introduced through different cultures and thus captures the semantic fields of various eras. Similarly, one can find references to different layers in Estonian folk music in the works of Ansambel Triskele – there are traces of archaic folk song, the polyphonic traditions of south Estonia, and folk hymn singing.
