Runic song

Runic song is typically monophonic among most Baltic Finnic groups, though it is generally polyphonic when practiced among the Seto.

[1] Runic song usually does not contain rhyming couplets, but is frequently heard in alliterative trochaic tetrameter, or Kalevala meter.

The 1888 runic song transcription process in Estonia largely began following an appeal by Jakob Hurt to collect written Estonian folklore.

However, the appeal largely failed in its endeavour due to the significant volume of self-authored works which were submitted, as well as low levels of musical literacy.

Another push, under the guidance of Oskar Kallas and including students from both the University of Tartu and the Saint Petersburg Conservatory was much more successful; over 13,139 folk songs were collected between 1904 and 1914.