Chairman of the Estonian Composers Union (1974-1993)
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Jaan Rääts is the longest-serving leader of the Estonian Composers' Union, he has been involved in the organizational work of the Estonian Composers' Union for a total of 27 years.

In the years 1974-1993, he acted as the chairman of the Composers' Union and previously as the deputy of Boris Kõrver, the chairman of the Composers' Union in 1966-1974. In 1975, Jaan Rääts was elected secretary of the Union of Composers of the USSR, the then chairman of the Union of Composers of the USSR was Tikhon Hrennikov.


​​VIDEO  (ERR):AK filmikroonika 1958-1991: 1 | VESTLUS JAAN RÄÄTSAGA | Videoarhiiv | ERR

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NEW RESEARCH WORK (2021)

​Under the supervision of  Tiiu Männiste (media and communications PhD) an cultural management alumna of the Tartu University Viljandi Culture Academy completed a seminar work:

Jaan Rääts, Chairman of the ENSV and Estonian Composers'  Union, as a cultural manager in the contemporary context of cultural management" (2021) 

Interviews for the completion of the work were given by top Estonian cultural and social figures:​​

​Alo Põldmäe, Sven Grünberg, Priit Kuulberg, Heiki Pisuke, Peeter Paemurru, Reet Remmel,  Olav Ehala, Peeter Vähi, Merike Vaitmaa, Voldemar Lindström, Eeva Potter, Rein Rannap, Virve Normet, Jüri Trei, Igor Garšnek, Tiina Mägi,​ Jaan Rääts. 

​The diploma work is available in Estonian in the library of Tartu University Viljandi Culture Academy.
E-CATALOGUE ESTER:   https://www.ester.ee/record=b5482181*est​


SUMMARY

The theme of the seminar work is Jaan Rääts, Chairman of the Estonian Composers' Union and the Estonian SSR, as a cultural organizer in the contemporary context of cultural management. The sample consists of 17 interviewees, including composers, musicologists and cultural figures who have had long-term collaborations with Jaan Rääts through the Composers' Union and external organizations. 

Long-term creative and pedagogical activities

Due to his democratic management style, long experience in the cultural field and diplomatic personality Jaan Rääts was repeatedly elected Chairman of the Composers' Union. He is one of the longest-running leaders in the history of the Estonian Composers' Union- a total of 27 years, 19 years chairman of the Composers' Union. His contribution as a composer, pedagogue and cultural leader in social activities is also important. He is a world-renowned composer, a teacher of composition with a large number of students (including Raimo Kangro, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Tõnu Kõrvits, Mihkel Kerem, Vsevolod Pozdejev, Timo Steiner, Tõnis Kaumann, Avi Benjamin Nedzvedski, Toomas Trass, Tõnu Raadik, and other talented composers).

Contributing to the preservation of Estonian musical high culture

As an effective cultural organizer, Jaan Rääts helped to preserve the high musical culture of Estonia. Jaan Rääts had long-term work experience in Estonian Radio (sound director 1955 -1966) and Estonian Television (editor-in-chief of music programs and music director of television) in 1966 -1974. His versatile work experience made it possible to develop co-operation between Estonian Radio, Estonian Television and the Estonian Composers' Union in organizing joint music events, promoting and storing Estonian music culture. In the years 1974 -1993, when the Composers' Union was directed by Jaan Rääts, favorable recording opportunities were created for the musical works of Estonian composers. The new creation of all members of the Composers' Union was acquired (bought) by the Ministry of Culture. Thanks to this, the Estonian Theater and Music Museum has manuscripts of composers 'works, recordings of Estonian composers' works on Estonian Radio and video materials on Estonian Television, which are available to all researchers around the world.

Supporting young composers, an innovative approach to music culture As the chairman of the Composers' Union

Jaan Rääts also opened up opportunities for young composers and musicians, inviting them to take part in the daily activities of the Composers' Union. As a leader, he defended members of the Composers' Union and young composers and musicians with the authorities in the event of problems. Today, young talented composers have become outstanding cultural figures, many of whom have also 57 been students of Jaan Rääts. As a chairman of the Composers' Union he defended innovative music styles. Jaan Rääts understood the significance of developing youth music in the context of Soviet culture. Using his social position, he legitimized the music we now call the beginnings of Estonian progerock under the guise of dealing with Soviet youth culture. At the moment, it is a classic of music, at that time it was seen by Soviet cultural officials as a protest against Soviet rule.

​Initiation of music events

As the chairman of the Composers' Union Jaan Rääts initiated, coordinated and organized numerous music and cultural events. In order to promote the composer's new works more widely he initiated in 1979 Estonian Music Festival (Estonian Music Days since 1991), which is still the oldest and largest music festival in Estonia. Contributing to the creation of a new cultural space in the process of re-independence Jaan Rääts was one of the founding members of the Cultural Council of the Creative Unions of the USSR in 1987, and one of the organizers and facilitators of the joint conference of the Presidium of the Creative Unions of the USSR held on 1-2 April 1988. As the head of the Composers' Union, Jaan Rääts was one of the founders of the Estonian Authors' Society and a signatory of the Estonian Authors Society' Declaration. The head of the Estonian Composers' Union, Jaan Rääts, was one of the chairmen of the extraordinary eighth session of the 11th Supreme Soviet of the USSR on 16. November 1988, when the Declaration on the Sovereignty of the Estonian SSR was adopted.
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​   November 1974. Jaan Rääts has just been elected        Chairman of the ENSV Composers' Union.
Alo Põldmäe: "I perceived democracy in his case. He tried to help Composers Union members in trouble. One very important feature, why he was chosen as the head of Composers Union several times, was his democratic management style. (Põldmäe, 2021)
Sven Grünberg: "I have sometimes wondered what our music culture would have been like if, instead of Jaan Rääts, it had been led by those who eagerly followed all the instructions of the Communist Party, and unfortunately there were many of them. Fortunately, we were lucky to have the fresh-thinking, innovative and exceptionally talented Jaan Rääts at the helm." (Grünberg, 2021) ​
Jüri Trei: "Jaan was very faithful and had a very good heart. Very human and always treated everyone very well. Balanced as a leader, did not "hit his heels together". It was quite difficult because he had to be able to manage tensions in different situations. Jaan's phenomenon was that he communicated and knew how to communicate with everyone". (Trei, 2021)
Priit Kuulberg: Jaan has helped a lot of people. Especially young people. He treated young people very well. Jaan was a person with a capital "A". (Kuulberg, 2021)
Igor Garšnek: "Jaan Rääts was a gentleman  and a diplomat at the same time." (Garšnek 2021)
Tiina Mägi:  "What I liked about Jaan Rääts was that he never said a bad word. Something that can often happen in a leader's job. His silence was, for me, his denial. 
​I liked that. When Jaan didn't say something, I understood that something probably needed to be corrected. He could have very freely said more bluntly and asked to leave. But he always listened to his colleagues, it was really nice." (Mägi, 2021)

Colleagues about Jaan Rääts:

Peeter Paemurru: "Jaan Rääts left me with the impression of a very professional leader who positively supported the development of music and musical life. Usually, when a composer gets into a leading position, it is a case of one composer, It is very common for a composer who takes a leading position to be tempted to include more of his own compositions. In Jaani's case, however, it was the other way round - when he was music director of Estonian Television, he did not allow any of his works to be broadcast on television. /.../ 
Jaan categorically forbade, for example, the performance of his Trio No.3. This was his attitude, and it certainly ruled out from the outset that many unjustified reproaches." (Paemurru, 2021)
Rein Rannap: "I think that Jaan Rääts has always defended innovative and more free-spirited art, since the time when he was a sound director at the Estonian Radio. He defended rock, pop and jazz music. I remember how he praised the songs that were in the singing competition and recognized them as beautiful melodies, etc. He was not blindfolded and far from academic, he understood and appreciated all kinds of good music. (Rannap, 2021)
​ "I think that Jaan Rääts has had a great influence on the protection of cultural life and cultural figures. If someone said that, do you support Western ideology and doubt communist morality, Rääts was able to diplomatically and politically correct answer to the representatives of the authorities in such a way that the problem was removed. I think that Jaan Rääts was a buffer between rigid ideology and artists' desire for freedom. He must have known human psychology very well to be able to stage and defend things that were condemned by the authorities. He had a very good sense of how much he can and can flexibly push the boundaries, so that nothing breaks and no one gets into trouble. Jaan Rääts had the ability to maneuver between two different interest groups - artists who wanted to overturn and shake everything and officials who wanted to keep everything and avoid changes." (Rannap, 2021)
Alo Põldmäe:"We lived in a society where we had to follow certain ideological rules. Jaan Rääts, as the head of the organization, also had to follow these instructions in order to deal with other important matters. But it must be emphasized that Jaan, as the head of the organization, did not impose on anyone that a composer must write a patriotic piece for one or another anniversary.  A composer who wanted to write a thematic piece chose the text himself and created beautiful music for it. Some succeeded better, some worse. I don't know that as a party member Jaan Rääts exerted ideological creative pressure on composers. Jaan didn't start pushing anyone or persecuting anyone or pushing anyone aside." (Põldmäe, 2021) 
Jüri Trei:  "In order to protect people in case of ideological problems, and to prevent any major mess, Jaan Rääts was very helpful, human and accommodating. In order to protect people, a paper was hastily drawn up if necessary, which explained how to protect the creative person in front of the authorities in case of problems. Sometimes it was the case that the composer or the performer himself did not even know about the existence of the document protecting him. But paper with a protective content solved many problems for people." (Trei, 2021)
"It was 1975. Hugo Lepnurm had received a letter from America, in which 20 lecturers and students asked for the opportunity to visit the churches of Tallinn and give a concert introducing American music. Suddenly it turned out that the letter had been held for 4 months, probably also read, which was typical of the system at the time. Thus, the letter reached Lepnurm two days before the group of 20 Americans was due to arrive in Estonia. Hugo Lepnurm went to the Rector of the Conservatoire and asked if the American professors and musicians could give a concert at the Tallinn Conservatoire. The rector of the conservatoire at the time said categorically no, that the conservatoire was a closed institution, andno foreigner would set foot in the conservatoire. The moment had come for urgent action.
​I saw Jaan Rääts, who was already  the chairman of the Composers' Union at the time, and complained to Rääts that Americans were banned from performing at the Tallinn Music High School and Tallinn Conservatoire. I asked if the hall of the Composers' Union could be used.
Jaan Rääts replied hesitantly that there was no problem. Later that evening we put up notices at the Tallinn Conservatory on Vabaduse Puiestee. The hall was full later, everyone had come to hear the Americans.
(Trei, 2021)

​​VIDEO ARCHIVE, COMPOSERS UNION  (ERR):

https://arhiiv.err.ee/video/vaata/jaan-raats-223937

https://arhiiv.err.ee/video/vaata/muusikaelu-karl-leichter-75​
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https://arhiiv.err.ee/audio/vaata/meie-heliloojad-nlkp-26-kongressi-eel-meie-heliloojad-nlkp-26-kongressi-eel-jaan-raats-27043

https://arhiiv.err.ee/audio/vaata/muusikaline-tund-ekp-xix-kongressi-delegaat-helilooja-jaan-raats

JAAN RÄÄTS PERSONAL ARCHIVE:

Emigration of Arvo Pärt and Composers Union (1980) 
Previously unpublished interview with Jaan Rääts
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