Review: Musicality has paved the way for the expansive project that has made the Tapiola Choir's career a unique one. All the way from the 1960s the choir has worked hand in hand with many of Finland's finest composers. This work has generated a quite new choral repertoire of very high quality and - most important - completely lacking all the stock "music for children" mannerisms.

Songlist: Dreams op 85, Pater Noster, Vintern var hard, Suita Grammaticale op. 28, Agnus Dei, Meditatio super Agnum Dei, Halleluja, A

Review: Rainbow Sounds illustrates in a real way the international dimensions of the Tapiola Choir's activities. The choir has made nearly 60 foreign tours to nearly thirty countries. Three times the tour has taken them literally around the world. Tens of foreign choirs have enjoyed a reciprocal welcome in Tapiola as a consequence. It will come as no surprise then that the choir has developed a substantial repertoire of songs from around the world, sung in the original languages. On this CD alone one can hear over half of the thirty-or-more languages in which the choir has sung. Special attention is always paid to accuracy of pronunciation.

Songlist: joko ruvennen runolle/ a kalevala introduction, hanget soi/ singing snow, suomalais-ugrilasia maisemia/ finno-ugric lanscapes: metsasyslaulu/ hunting song, yoen rannalla/ by the riverside, vepsan poluilla/ on vepsian pathways, tammipuu/ the oak tree, paimenessa/ herding song, meren rannalla/ on the sea shore, ba, ba, vita lamm/ baa, baa little lamb, stuff'n' nonsense, let it shine!, aizu bandaisan/ the volacno of aizu bandai, akatonbo/ Red dragonfly, tuira mai/ Stand in rows, danza negroide/ the dance of a negro boy, siyahamba, mina olen harman kankaapaasta/ young rascals form harma village, zai itxoiten/ waiting, nowl des enfants qui n'ont plus de maisons/ christmas carol for homeless children, aglepta/ three fiord skeches: two images, sun and moon, balance, revontulet/ northern lights, Agelpta

Review: The Tapiola Children's Choir was founded as a school choir by Erkki Pohjola in 1963. It rapidly developed into one of Finland's leading choirs, touring Japan, Europe and the US and winning competitions. "Sounds" is a rich, varied collection of 19 songs by outstanding Finnish composers such as Jean Sibelius ("Finlandia Hymn," "Song of My Heart," "The Snow is Falling"), Pekka Hannikainen ("Summer Twilight," "Sleep, my Child, Sleep"), Fredrik Pacius ("Song of Finland," "Our Country"), Aulis Sallinen ("The Winter Was Hard"), Toivo Kuula ("Evening"), Jukka Koskinen ("To Us a Festival is Given"), Michael Praetorius ("Let Us Chant") and others. Other favorites are Bach's "A Son is Born in Bethlehem" and "Let Me Praise Jesus," Handel's "Rejoice, Daughter of Sion" and the lively traditional folk tune "Burro Matti, Lapin joiku." Light accompaniment on two songs. A beautiful, ringing collection by one of our favorite children's choirs!

Songlist: Finlandia hymn, Song of my Hear, Summer Twilight, Sleep, my Child, Sleep, Prayer, To Us a Festival is Given, Evening, Evening Song, Burro Matti, Song of Finland, Our Country, The Winter Was Hard, Hotaru koi, Sakura, Kompira-Fune-Fune, Maira, the Lord's Little Maiden, A Son Is Born in Bethlehem, Let Me Praise Jesus, Rejoice, Daughter of Sion, Let Us Chant, In the Hay by the Oxen's Trough, Oh Nightingale, Come!, The Snow is Falling, I Kneel Down at your Manger, Majatta, lowly Maiden, Finnish Mystery

Review: Over three decades have passed since the founding of the Tapiola Choir, then known as the Tapiola Children's Choir. Shortly after their founding, in 1973 they released "Tapiolan Joulu" ("Christmas With Tapiola"). If you have ever heard that classic album you can't help but be moved by the bell-like chime and purity of the children's voices. On this new Christmas recording the Tapiola Choir, long since recognized as an international treasure, creates a richer, more mature sound with the addition of a couple of dozen young adult voices belonging to the 'seniors.' The choir's founder, Prof. Erkki Pohjola wished to share the experience of creating this recording with former members because this is to be his last as conductor and director of the choir. Additionally, the breadth of the arrangements was enhanced by use of orchestration which never occludes the beauty of the choir and special guest Jorma Hynninen, the celebrated Finnish operatic baritone. The recording begins with an a cappella version of the Australian folk song, "Mary, Handmaiden of the Lord" which was the first three part song ever sung by the original "Choir of the Lower Forms of Tapiola Secondary School." Progressively the song list increases in festivity, youthful fun predominates, and then imperceptibly the feeling returns to the original spirit of Christmas until, finally the choir closes the recording with the a cappella "At Christmas, God Came on Earth." This beautiful recording is not only a testimonial to the young singers of Tapiola but a superb passing of the musical baton to the new conductor, Kari Ala-Pollanen.

Songlist: Maria, Herran piikanen, God Rest You Merry Gentlemen, O Holy Night / Oi, jouluyo, The Joy of Giving, Kulkuset fantasia / Fantasy on Jingle Bells, Tonttujen joulukuusi / Elves around the Christmas Tree, Nigra sum / I Am Black, Noel des enfants qui n'ont plus de maisons, Kuului laulu enkelten, Go, Tell It on the Mountain, Foudu, satakiel, Katso, ihme taivainen, En etsi valtaa, Ioistoa, Maa on niin kaunis, Jouluna Jumala syntyi, Joulukranssi kuudella kielella, - Joulun kellot / Softly, Softly, - Nu tandas tusen juleljus / A Thousand Candles Burning Bright, - Tiliseb tiliseb aisakell / Jingling, Jingling Sleigh Bells Ring, - Leise rieselt der Schnee / Silent Sleeps the Singing Snow, - Mele kalikimaka, - Entre le boeuf.../There in the Hay of the Ox's Stall, - Arkihuolesi kaikki heita / Cast off Thy Everyday Cares