Joulu is the fourth album of Finnish

Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

 a cappella

A cappella

A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...

 ensemble Rajaton

Rajaton

Rajaton is a Finnish a cappella ensemble, founded in Helsinki in 1997. The Finnish word rajaton means "boundless", to indicate the breadth of their repertoire, from sacred classical to near Europop...

, released on October 24, 2003. It is a double album, consisting of Christmas

Christmas

Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...

 songs sung entirely in Finnish. Disc 1 is a studio album and contains both original tracks and new arrangements of traditional Christmas songs, including Finnish versions of carols Jingle Bells

Jingle Bells

"Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and commonly sung winter songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont and published under the title "One Horse Open Sleigh" in the autumn of 1857...

 (Kulkuset), Silent Night

Silent Night

"Silent Night" is a popular Christmas carol. The original lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" were written in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria, by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber...

 (Jouluyö, Juhlayö) and The Christmas Song

The Christmas Song

"The Christmas Song" is a classic Christmas song written in 1944 by musician, composer, and vocalist Mel Tormé and Bob Wells. According to Tormé, the song was written during a blistering hot summer...

 (Joululaulu). Disc 2 is a live album, recorded in Karjaa Church, and consists of eleven devout

Devotional song

A devotional song is a hymn which accompanies religious observances and rituals.Each major religion has its own tradition with devotional hymns. In the West, the devotional has been a part of the liturgy in Roman Catholicism, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, and others, since...

 tracks. The album peaked at #2 on the Finnish album chart and has sold double platinum.

Disk 1

1. Joululaulu
   Lyrics: Sakari Topelius / Music & Arr. Jussi Chydenius
   Jussi Chydenius
   Jussi Chydenius is a Finnish musician and composer. He is best known for singing bass in the vocal ensemble Rajaton.He is the son of composer Kaj Chydenius and director Kaisa Korhonen. His brother is music producer Kalle Chydenius. He played drums for the rock band Don Huonot from 1989–2001 and...
   
   
2. Tonttu
   Words: Viktor Rydberg
   Viktor Rydberg
   Abraham Viktor Rydberg was a Swedish writer and a member of the Swedish Academy, 1877-1895...
   
    / Finnish lyrics: Walter Juva / Music: Lyyli Wartiovaara-Kallioniemi / Arr. Jussi Chydenius
3. Tähtilaulu
   Lyrics: Helena Viertola / Music & Arr. Anna-Marie Kähärä
4. Ketun Joululaulu
   Lyrics: Traditional / Music & Arr. Mia Makaroff, Hannu Lepola & Jussi Chydenius
5. Pukki Tietää
   Lyrics: Arto Tamminen & Kim Kuusi / Music: Kim Kuusi / Arr. Jussi Chydenius
6. Kulkuset
   Jingle Bells
   "Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and commonly sung winter songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont and published under the title "One Horse Open Sleigh" in the autumn of 1857...
   
   
   Music: James Pierpont
   James Pierpont (musician)
   James Lord Pierpont was an American songwriter, arranger, organist, and composer, best known for writing and composing Jingle Bells in 1857, originally entitled "The One Horse Open Sleigh". He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and died in Winter Haven, Florida...
   
   , E. Sandström & G. Westerberg / Finnish lyrics: Kullervo / Arr. Iiro Rantala
   Iiro Rantala
   Iiro Rantala is a Finnish jazz pianist. He has studied piano in the jazz department of Sibelius Academy and classical piano in Manhattan School of Music. He is one of the best known Finnish jazz pianists, both in Finland and abroad. He's a pianist and composer of Trio Töykeät, a Finnish jazz trio...
   
    & Hannu Lepola
7. Varpunen Jouluaamuna
   Words: Sakari Topelius / Finnish lyrics: K.A.Hougberg / Music: Otto Kotilainen / Arr. Anna-Marie Kähärä
8. Talvi-Iltana
   Lyrics: Einari Vuorela / Music & Arr. Jussi Chydenius
9. Joulun Neiet
   Lyrics: Eino Leino / Music & Arr. Jussi Chydenius
10. Jouluyö, Juhlayö
    Silent Night
    "Silent Night" is a popular Christmas carol. The original lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" were written in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria, by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber...
    
    
    Music: Franz Gruber / Finnish lyrics: K.O.Schönemann / Arr. Jarmo Saari
11. Joululaulu
    The Christmas Song
    "The Christmas Song" is a classic Christmas song written in 1944 by musician, composer, and vocalist Mel Tormé and Bob Wells. According to Tormé, the song was written during a blistering hot summer...
    
    
    Lyrics: Robert Wells
    Robert Wells (songwriter)
    Robert Wells was an American songwriter, composer, script writer and television producer. During his early career, he collaborated with singer and songwriter Mel Tormé, writing several hit songs, most notably "The Christmas Song" in 1945...
    
     / Music: Mel Tormé
    Mel Tormé
    Melvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
    
     / Finnish lyrics: Riikkamaria Paakkunainen / Arr. Pessi Lavanto

Disk 2

1. Seimeen Syntynyt
   Lyrics: Oke Peltonen / Music: Leevi Madetoja
2. Jeesuslapsen Joululahjat
   Lyrics: Jaakko Haavio / Music: Jaakko Hulkkonen
3. Jeesuksen Seimellä
   Lyrics: Lempi Vihervaara / Music: Raimo Tanskanen
4. Ja Neitsyt Pikku Poijuttansa
   Lyrics: Severi Nuormaa / Music: Selim Palmgren / Arr. Ilkka Kuusisto
5. Joululaulu (Arkihuolesi Kaikki Heitä)
   Lyrics: Alpo Noponen / Music: Leevi Madetoja
6. Toivioretkellä (Maa On Niin Kaunis)
   Music: Traditional / Finnish lyrics: Hilja Haahti / Arr. Traditional & Jussi Chydenius
7. En Etsi Valtaa, Loistoa
   Lyrics: Sakari Topelius / Music: Jean Sibelius
   Jean Sibelius
   Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
   
    / Finnish lyrics: Unknown
8. Hiljene, Maa
   Lyrics: Lauri Pohjanpää / Music: Ilmo Riihimäki
9. Vuotaa Armo, Taivaan Ilo
   Lyrics: Jaakko Haavio / Music: Ilkka Kuusisto
10. Jouluhymni (Rauhaa, Vain Rauhaa)
    Lyrics: Une Haarnoja / Music: Ahti Sonninen
11. Heinillä Härkien Kaukalon
    Music: Traditional / Finnish lyrics: Martti Korpilahti / Arr. Jussi Chydenius

External links

• Official Rajaton website
• Rajaton - Joulu at Last.fm
  Last.fm
  Last.fm is a music website, founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. It has claimed 30 million active users in March 2009. On 30 May 2007, CBS Interactive acquired Last.fm for UK£140m ....