YL Male Choir from Finland

The oldest Finnish language choir, the YL Male Voice Choir, was founded in 1883 as an opinion leader of the Finnish high society. Its roots are in 19th century Finland, which was growing into a separate nation. The origins of Finnish male voice choral singing can be traced to Germany via Uppsala, Sweden. It was first practised in Turku in the late 1810s, and from there it spread east after the university was moved to Helsinki in 1828. Students practised singing under varying conditions and titles - for example, a singing society called Akademiska Sångsällskapet was founded in 1838.

YL as an organisation has managed to respond well to challenges posed by each period of time. On the other hand, it has preserved proven traditions. YL has withstood the language strife, years of war and the radicalism of the late 1960s, when the choir criticised for being reactionary. YL is a part of the history of the University of Helsinki and its Student Union. The manifold social backgrounds of the singers and the exchange of opinions brought forth by the diversity of their major subjects have indicated the aspirations typical to Finnish academic students. Today the sharpest edges of the major difficulties and movements of each period have been blunted.

Continuity has been upheld many brothers, fathers and sons from the same families in the choir. After their choral careers, many singers of YL have acted in noteworthy ideological and societal positions, having a diverse impact on the development of society. Among others, the choir has had the privilege of having as members President J.K. Paasikivi, Councillor of State Johannes Virolainen, 24 future ministers and about 40 MPs. YL has always paid attention to artistic quality. Many singers of the early years did, however, join the choir also for reasons other than artistic and remained active for only a short while. Today the average young student joins YL for a long time, is artistically ambitious and takes in a large repertoire quicker than his predecessors. Active participation in the choir requires from the singer rigorous work, a strong sense of humour and a socially inclined nature.

Discography

Sibelius

Sortunut Aani l
Terve Kuu
Venematka
Saarella Palaa
Metsamiehen Laulu
Sydameni Laulu
Rakastava
Koskenlaskijan Morsiametl
Tulen Synty
Vapautettu Kuningatar
Hymn
Kuutamolla
Isanmaalle
Veljeni Vierailla Mailla
Har Du Mod y
Laulu Lemminkaiselle
Jaakarien Marssi
Till Havs
Humoreski
Ne Pitkan Matkan Kulkijat Sibelius, Johan
Finlandia-Hymni

YL Male Voice Choir was founded in 1883 under the auspices of the Helsinki University. Two years later Jean Sibelius became a student at the conservatory in Helsinki, and soon what would become a long and fruitful collaboration began. When the composer made his breakthrough with Kullervo in 1892, singers from YL formed the backbone of the choir, and when he started to write for male choir a cappella the following year his first work was Venematka (The Boat Journey), composed for the choir’s tenth anniversary. After that, a majority of Sibelius's most famous works for male choir were commissioned and premiered by YL, which has never ceased to be regarded as the foremost exponent of Sibelius’s music for male choir – the voice of Sibelius! The present program includes both a cappella works and works for male choir and orchestra, in which YL is supported by Lahti Symphony Orchestra conducted by Osmo Vänskä. It takes us through a variety of moods and themes: from the brief and very moving Sydämeni laulu – a lullaby for a dead child – to Tulen synty (The Origin of Fire), a re-telling of the ancient Kalevala legend of how fire came into the world, as well as the patriotic sentiments of Vapautettu kuningatar (The Captive Queen) and, of course, the hymn from Finlandia, probably Sibelius’s most famous composition, here in a choral version.

Rautavaara - Complete Works for Male Choir

Lauluja (The Singer) (1956)
Syksy virran suussa (Autumn at the Rivermouth)
Two Preludes of T.S. Eliot
I. Winter Evening
II. The Morning Comes
Kaksi psalmia (Two Psalms) for male choir
23
130
Ave Maria
Joulun virsi (Christmas Hymn) for male choir
Elämän kirja (A Book of Life)
I. Kindheit (Childhood)
II. Ma bohème (My Bohemian life)
III. L'Amoureuse (One in love)
IV. Vanitas! Vanitatum vanitas
V. Hope is the Thing with Feathers
VI. Are You Ready?
VII. Huojuva keula (The swaying prow)
VIII. Le Bain (Swimming)
IX. Me emme kuole koskaan (We shall never die)
X. Så var det (So it was)
XI. Song of Myself

This double CD comprises Einojuhani Rautavaara's complete music for male choir - one of the most popular genres in the Finnish cult composer's artistic output. The two featured ensembles are YL Male Voice Choir (Helsinki University Choir), one of the world's most prominent male voice choirs and the prominent commissioner and dedicatee of most of Rautavaara's (and also Jean Sibelius's) works for male choir, and the Talla Vocal Ensemble, a smaller group of 10 singers originally founded within the YL Choir. 2 CDs; booklet with liner notes in English and Finnish and the sung lyrics in the original language and in English.

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