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The Estonian tenor and singing pedagogue, Naan Põld, (nickname Nathan Benjamin Põld), began his singing studies in 1940 at the Tallinn Conservatoire with Helmi Betlemi and Arno Niitovi. He left Germany in combat. He continued his music studies in 1946-1952 in Detmold, Northwest, Germany. He studied with Professor Frederick Husler, a renowned singing professor, who, in particular, became a concert-oratorio singer. He graduated from the Academy with a diploma and honour.
In Germany there were many refugee camps for Estonians, but by the 1950's they were liquidated and refugees moved to America and Sweden. Naan Põld stayed in Germany after graduating from the Academy of Music. Between 1962 and 1967, he worked as a singing pedagogue at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover. From 1967 to 1988, he worked as Hamburg's Hochschule für Musik und Theater as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief of the Vocal Department.
His many (nearly 100) students include Christina Hagen, Wolfgang Schöne, Bernd Weikl, Jan-Hendrik Rootering and others. The greatest international recognition came from the J.S. Bach's Passions, W.A. Mozart's and Verdi's roles, the Haydn oratories, and as soloist in George Frideric Handel's operas. He performed the Evangelist part in J.S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244) 210 times in several parts of the world. He also made a great contribution to the best of Estonian songs. His repertoire included Eduard Tubin, Mart Saar, Tuudur Vettik, Eduard Oja, Riho Päts and Alfred Karindi.
His father Harald Põld was a teacher at the Kose parish, his brother Eerik Põld was an art historian, and his brother, Hillar Põld, was a teacher of church and church history. |
