Maarja Nuut premieres large-scale work inspired by Eha Lättemäe’s poetry

Estonian musician Maarja Nuut’s new large-scale work, “Combing Hair with Sand”, premiered last week. In an interview with ERR’s Plekktrumm programme, she described how the piece grew from a difficult period and her discovery of poet Eha Lättemäe’s work.

The idea began in autumn 2022, when Nuut was troubled by social issues and had been asked to write a choral cycle. She said she was looking for a central idea around which to build it, but felt unable to continue along the path she had been taking.

A blog post by Lauri Sommer led her to Lättemäe’s poetry. Nuut said the line “combing hair with sand” immediately caught her attention. She added that when she begins writing, she often cannot identify exactly what she is looking for; instead, the process draws her in a particular direction, and she follows it.

The work was created and is performed with London-based vocal ensemble Shards and Swiss drummer Nicolas Stocker. Nuut helped the singers learn to perform in Estonian, including through voice messages. She said her music is influenced by folk music and that the way she wants to deliver a text shapes its melody.

Nuut said the seasons strongly affect her mood and creative life. She feels more creatively active in the dark months, and describes her work as moving through periods of intense interest in different subjects. What she learns stays with her, she said, even when it is not immediately apparent in her current music.

Her musical path has included classical violin, Indian ragas, Estonian folk music and electronic music. Nuut said her broad approach to sound and rhythm has remained largely consistent, while she continues to deepen her work and expand her musical tools.