Speaking to "Terevisioon," flautist and festival organizer Reet Sukk explained how a Renaissance and Baroque-era flute differs from its modern descendant.

Sukk showcased flutes made of different materials and tuned in various ways in the studio.

"The baroque flute differs from the modern flute in that the present-day flute is made of metal and has many keys. Both the exterior and the interior differ significantly, so the instruments produce different sounds; their timbre is quite distinct," she said.

"The festival focuses on early music performed specifically on historical instruments and their replicas," Sukk went on.

"This year, the opening concert features the Estonian Baroque orchestra," she said, adding: "We always have many international guests and Estonian musicians at the festival."

The Baroque orchestra has been facilitated by Baroque music specialist Andrew Lawrence-King, who also appeared on "Terevisioon."

Sukk noted "Andrew's baroque harp is a replica of Stradivarius' only surviving harp," Sukk said, referring to the famed luthier Antonio Stradivari.

The original harp dated to 1681.

Sukk and Lawrence-King also presented several other Baroque instruments including recorders of various types.

The pair then gave a short recital for "Terevisioon" viewers.

The Tallinn early music festival starts on Saturday and runs until the first Sunday of Advent, ie. December 1.

The seventh of its kind, the festival will also pay special attention to young musicians, Sukk added.

The official festival site is here.

Andrew Laurence-King is a native of Guernsey who is resident in Estonia. Recent productions he has been involved in include Claudio Monteverdi's (1567-1643) L'Orfeo, performed at this summer's Birgitta Festival in Pirita, and the ongoing run of Shakespeare's "As You Like It," translated into Estonian ("Nägu Teile Meeldib), at the Linnateater's current home, the Salme kultuurikeskus in Kalamaja.

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