4 K A Hermanni Street (Photo: Robert Varik).
Heino Eller (ERM Fk 3078:658).
Kaarel Ird (TM F 696:6).
Epp Kaidu (TM F 696:2).
Hermanni 4
- The residence of the composer Heino Eller and the theatre figures Epp Kaidu and Kaarel Ird.
4 K A Hermanni Street and Epp Kaidu, Kaarel Ird, and Heino Eller
Many Estonian cultural and public figures have lived in Hermanni Street throughout the years, but the concentration has been especially high at 4 K A Hermanni Street. This house is strikingly imposing even within the context of Hermanni Street itself but, from 1932, it has been the home of the composer, Heino Eller (1887-1970), and a couple of theatre figures in the form of Epp Kaidu (also known as Leida Ird, 1915-1976) and Kaarel Ird (1909-1986).
Heino Eller was an Estonian composer and a remarkable music pedagogue who taught several generations of musicians and composers. Eller taught composition at the Tartu Higher Music School between 1920-1940. From 1940 until his death, Eller was a pedagogue at the Tallinn Conservatoire. Tartu Music College was named after Heino Eller in 1971. His heritage and the ‘family tree’ of his students can be seen on the ground floor of the ‘Our Tartu’ exhibition.
The married couple, Epp Kaidu and Kaarel Ird, were amongst the best-known Soviet Tartu cultural figures at the Vanemuine Theatre, Epp Kaidu primarily as an actress and director, Kaarel Ird as a director and theatre manager. Apparently the charismatic Ird, who was also often called the ‘Old Scary One’, was sweet and kind at home. Their daughter, Kais Adlas, remembers that the mild-natured Epp Kaidu was probably able to work with the imposing Kaarel Ird so that the latter became a quiet man at home. When her parents discussed work, they simply closed the office door. If some louder voices ever happened to be heard from there, an argument about theatre issues had clearly broken out.
See the episode of the programme ‘Rahvakunstnikud’ (‘People’s Artists’) which covers Kaarel Ird via the archive of Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR).