Joulu on meillä (Christmas record)

Published in 2009.

The Polytech Choir (PK)
Conducted by Juha Kuivanen
Soloist bass Matti Salminen
Procuced by Polyteknikkojen Kuoron musiikkikustannus Oy

Introduction

The king bass Matti Salminen crowns the new Christmas record from the Polytech Choir. The record includes many beloved and timeless Finnish Christmas carols such as On hanget korkeat, nietokset; Tuikkikaa oi joulun tähtöset and Jouluyö, juhlayö (Silent night).

More information (e.g. music samples) can be found at joulukonsertti.fi/levy/ (in Finnish).

Buy the Christmas Record!

Order the record immediately from the Polytech Choir Record Store online!

The record will be available at all major record stores throughout Finland.

English summary

Dear listener,

With this record, we want to communicate and share with you our feeling of Christmas. We have attempted to reach that spirit of Christmas, which is tender, warm, tranquil and sincere. In this spirit of peace, worldly turmoil quiets down, and we are left with a feeling of awe, gratitude and joy. This spirit is timeless and always available to us – if we just let it in our hearts. Peaceful Christmas!

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The Polytech Choir (PK) is an academic Finnish male choir whose singers are students and graduates of the Helsinki University of Technology. Founded in 1900, the choir is still firmly rooted in Finland's vibrant National-Romantic tradition of male-choir singing. Every year, the choir has 10-15 performances, including traditional Christmas and spring concerts. The choir regularly joins forces with leading symphony orchestras both in Finland and on tour abroad. PK is particularly proud of its pioneering work to promote modern male-choir music. During the past 20 years, the choir has commissioned and premiered almost 40 new works.

Juha Kuivanen (b. 1961) has been the conductor of the Polytech Choir since 2004. One of the leading choral conductors in Finland today, he holds a diploma in conducting and a Master’s degree in music. In addition to conducting PK, he works as Chorus Master at the Finnish National Opera and teaches choral conducting at the Sibelius Academy.

Matti Salminen (b. 1945) is one of the world's most respected bass singers. Currently he has a contract at the Zurich Opera. Salminen has performed at the most important opera houses of the world, such as Vienna, London, Paris, Berlin, the Metropolitan of New York and La Scala of Milan. He debuted at the Finnish National Opera in 1969, and his international career began in 1971 at the Cologne opera. His most important performances include ones at the Bayreuth Festival, the Salzburg Festival and the Savonlinna Opera Festival. Salminen has been awarded with such titles as Berlin, Austrian and Bavarian chamber singer. Other tributes include the German Bundesverdienstkreutz and the Commander of the Order of the White Rose of Finland. Salminen has also won two Grammy Awards for the recordings of Wagner's Rhinegold and Twilight of the Gods.

Contents

1	Sibelius	On hanget korkeat, nietokset
2	Hakasalo	Jouluyönä
3	Kokkonen	Aattoiltana*
4	Kokkonen	Legenda*
5	Kokkonen	Jouluna*
6	Merikanto	Joulu tullut on
7	Hannikainen	Jouluaattona
8	Rautavaara	Joulun virsi
9	trad.	Kolme kuningasta
10	Sibelius	En etsi valtaa, loistoa*
11	Ranta	Taas kaikki kauniit muistot*
12	Hannikainen	Tuikkikaa, oi joulun tähtöset*
13	Kotilainen	Varpunen jouluaamuna*
14	Bruckner	Locus iste
15	Grieg	Ave maris stella
16	trad.	Noël Nouvelet
17	trad.	Heinillä härkien kaukalon
18	Gruber	Jouluyö, juhlayö
19	trad.	Maa on niin kaunis

*) The Polytech Choir and Matti Salminen