BALTIC VOICES AND STRINGS

Pure, minimalist sound with a distinctive character


The evocative sound of a unique music culture, bridging a thousand years from
the ancient to the contemporary. Tallinn features the world-famous Estonian
Philharmonic Chamber Choir and Tallinn Chamber Orchestra plus two organs—all
recorded in the iconic Niguliste church. With a pure, wintry, ‘Nordic’ sound,
Tallinn is equally well suited to early music as to contemporary minimalism and
avant garde, adding distinctive textures to dramatic scores, underscoring, and
any other expressive compositions.

Full male and female choirs, 16 singers in total
Chamber string ensemble: 5 violins, 4 violas, 3 celli, 2 basses
Two detailed church organs
Melodic legato for fluid performances
Evolving ‘dynamic wave’ sustains and textures
Recorded at Niguliste (St. Nicholas’ Church) with multiple mic positions

The Choir

Drawn from quieter vocal textures and long tones, the Tallinn choir can produce dark, moody passages as well as serene, calming moments. Evolving sustains crafted from subtly changing notes let you create seamlessly extended single-note lines and chords. Recorded syllables based on the Estonian language add a local, Baltic flavor unlike any other vocal library. And atonal murmurs and whispers add mystery and suspense to any production.

The strings

Tallinn’s chamber strings have a minimalist, icy surface and a warm core—perfect for ethereal, meditative parts and dark, thrilling cues alike. Moving beyond basic articulations, the strings offer multiple long and short notes, plus flageolet, tremolo, and extra-long sustains. All almost devoid of vibrato, for a decidedly modern and distinctly Estonian sound.

The organs

Tallinn includes both the primary organ and the choir organ of the Niguliste church. Played by Ene Salumäe, and incorporating select registers and bass samples, the organs are designed to match the atmosphere of the choir and chamber orchestra—they truly glow in the rich acoustic environment of this originally medieval space.

Pure, emotive sound

All voices and instruments were recorded in the rich acoustic space of the Niguliste church to capture a specifically local ‘Nordic’ aesthetic. The sound has become synonymous with renowned Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, whose Grammy Award–winning Da Pacem was recorded by this same choir largely in this same church. The space and the performers form a perfect and unique whole.

By mixing sound from six mic positions, you can create anything from a close-up, intimate performance to an expansive, cinematic soundscape soaked in reverb. Voices and instruments remain precise and clear even as you blend in more of the Niguliste’s organic sound.

The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

Tallinn features the Grammy Award–winning Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (EPCC), founded in 1981 by Tõnu Kaljuste. The choir’s repertoire ranges from Gregorian chant and Baroque music to contemporary compositions, in particular from Estonian composers.

Read more

The Tallinn Chamber Orchestra

Established in 1993, also by Tõnu Kaljuste, the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra (TCO) performs works that span the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras to the twenty-first century. The TCO collaborates frequently with the EPCC, participating in joint performances and highly regarded recordings, including the Grammy Award–winning Adam’s Lament by Arvo Pärt.

Interview with Tõnu Kaljuste

Mic merging
Preserve your system resources: Fine-tune your mix using multiple mic positions, then merge into a single channel within the player.

Greater usability
SINE is designed to complement the compositional workflow. Create on the fly with auto keyswitch options, and easy remapping tools.

Download à la carte
Choose only the instruments and mic positions that you currently need—no need to download the entire collection at once.

Title

Orchestral Perspectives

Tallinn

Baltic voices and strings

Studio

Niguliste Kirik (St Nicholas Church), Tallinn

399,00 € +VAT

Not licensed
Licensed
  • Seraphim by Benjamin Botkin
    Tallinn
  • Stamen by Susanne Hardt (choir only)
    Tallinn
  • Vetevaim by Mihkel Zilmer
    Tallinn
  • Taiga by Benjamin Botkin (strings only)
    Tallinn
  • Telliskivi by Timo Loosli
    Tallinn
  • The Heir by Emmanuel Jacob
    Tallinn
  • Where Is Cold by Genevieve Vincent
    Tallinn
  • Danse Macabre by Timo Loosli (organs only)
    Tallinn
  • SALVE by Iva Zabkar
    Tallinn
  • Celestian by Alex Niedt (strings only)
    Tallinn
  • The Story of Tallinn by David Kudell
    Tallinn
  • The Trees of Laulasmaa by Sascha Knorr
    Tallinn

Specifications

  • Works with Orchestral Tools’ SINE Player—NOTE: Very latest version required!
  • 92 GB of samples (43 GB SINEarc compressed)
  • 24 bit / 48 KHz patches
  • System requirements SINE:
  • Mac OS 10.13, i5, 4 GB RAM (16+ GB recommended)
  • Windows 10, Intel Core i5 or similar (Windows 7 is not officially supported)
  • Interfaces: VST, AU

Important

If you want to buy the Kontakt version of this collection, please note:

  • This is not the latest version of this collection - the SINE version might offer additional features not available here
  • We don't maintain and update the older Kontakt versions of our collections
  • You can upgrade this Kontakt version to the SINE version later for an additional upgrade fee*

*= Upgrade fee is around 10% of the regular collection price. This is due to doubled costs for downloads and licensing.