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Cover: Rainbow Sounds

Rainbow Sounds

Tapiola Choir
Kari Ala-Pöllänen, conductor

ODE 884-2 · CD · August 1996

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Track listing

24 tracks · 62:53

Traditional

  1. 1 Joko ruvennen runolle (A Kalevala Introduction) 2:30

Heikki Sarmanto

  1. 2 Hanget soi (Singing Snow) 3:03

Veljo Tormis

  1. Suomalais-ugrilaisia maisemia (Finno-Ugric Landscapes) 8:41
  2. 3 I. Metsästyslaulu (Hunting Song) 1:41
  3. 4 IV. Joen rannalla (By the Riverside) 1:11
  4. 5 IX. Vepsän poluilla (On Vepsian Pathways) 2:01
  5. 6 XI. Tammipuu (The Oak Tree) 0:41
  6. 7 XII. Paimenessa (Herding Song) 1:47
  7. 8 XIV. Meren rannalla (On the Sea Shore) 1:20

Nils Henrik Asheim

  1. 9 Bä, bä, vita lamm /(Baa, Baa, Little Lamb) 2:38

Traditional

  1. 10 Stuff'n' Nonsense 7:17
  2. 11 Let It Shine! 3:37
  3. 12 Aizu Bandaisan (The Volcano of Aizu Bandai) 2:02

Kosaku Yamada

  1. 13 Akatonbo (Red Dragonfly) 2:13

Traditional

  1. 14 Tutira Mai (Stand in Rows) 1:08

Timo-Juhani Kyllönen

  1. 15 Danza Negroide (The Dance of a Negro Boy) 1:47

Traditional

  1. 16 Siyahamba 1:44
  2. 17 Minä olen Härmän Kankaanpäästä (From Kankaanpää in Härmä am I) 2:27

Javier Busto

  1. 18 Zai itxoiten (Waiting) 3:21

Claude Debussy

  1. 19 Noël des enfants qui n'ont plus de maisons (Christmas Carol for Homeless Children) 2:34

Arne Mellnäs

  1. 20 Aglepta 4:52

Olli Kortekangas

  1. Three Fiord Sketches 3:37
  2. 21 I. Two Images 1:12
  3. 22 II. Sun and Moon 1:32
  4. 23 III. Balance 0:52

Pekka Kostiainen

  1. 24 Revontulet (Northern Lights) 9:23

Features

Booklet with liner notes written by the conductor, in English, German, French and Finnish and the song texts in the original language and in English

The artists

Tapiola Choir

The Tapiola Choir is one of the world's leading children's choirs and consists of 70 young musicians aged 9 to 18, all of whom also play at least one musical instrument in addition to singing. Erkki Pohjola founded the Tapiola Choir in Espoo in 1963. After meeting Zoltan Kodály and Carl Orff in 1964, he adapted their ideas into a free-form education method with a chamber-music approach, building on the innate creativity and musical talents of children. He continued to pursue this new music education ideal as conductor of the Tapiola Choir for over three decades. During that time, the Choir evolved from a run-of-the-mill school choir into one of the most acclaimed vocal instruments of our time. International critics called its unique sound the ‘Tapiola Sound'. Kari Ala-Pöllänen continued the work of Erkki Pohjola from 1994 to 2008, until he was succeeded by Pasi Hyökki, one of the Choir's own alumni.

Full biography

Kari Ala-Pöllänen

Like Erkki Pohjola, his predecessor as Conductor and Music Director of the Tapiola Choir, Kari Ala-Pöllänen is a school teacher by training. But he is also a multitalented musician who plays several instruments. He has worked as an orchestral musician and in the fields of folk music and jazz. He has conducted, sung in vocal groups, taught and written text books for schools. To add to all this, he has acted as Artistic Director of international choral festivals, been a juror for choral competitions and been active in training choral directors and singers.

Full biography

Also recommended

Maan korvessa kulkevi lapsosen tie

(Sacred Songs)

Tapiola Choir · Kari Ala-Pöllänen, conductor

ODE 902-2 · CD · Oct 1997

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