Salaisuus Rajaton

• 1Me tiedämme sen03:58
• 2Muuttolintu03:37
• 3Salaisuus03:48
• 4Taas se laulaa03:26
• 5Elossa03:43
• 6Olen unohtanut kaiken03:38
• 7Tuulta päin03:36
• 8Lokakuu04:05
• 9Kavala03:00
• 10Matkalla03:58
• 11Viaton03:46
• Total Runtime40:35

Info for Salaisuus

The Finnish word Rajaton translates as "boundless" – a word that so accurately describes the way this six-voice a cappella ensemble approaches music. Regularly performing around a hundred concerts and workshops each year, Rajaton exposes their audiences to the kind of diversity of repertoire, singing style, and stage presentation that has made them a phenomenon on the world stage.

Performing at concert halls, churches, jazz and choral festivals, this distinct group of musicians approaches all styles of music with the same level of commitment and integrity, making it difficult to imagine an audience that they could not inspire, or a type of music they could not make their own. In their native Finland, Rajaton is a bona fide pop phenomenon, successfully bridging the gap that often exists between classical and mainstream convention.

Rajaton has released 15 different albums. In 2016, Rajaton celebrates 19 years of music-making with one double platinum, three platinum and eight gold records in Finland under their belt, as their worldwide record sales are drawing near 400.000 copies altogether.

Ever seeking new artistic challenges, the group has grown immeasurably through collaborations with other a cappella artists, including The King’s Singers and The Real Group, as well as productions with film directors and choreographers. But it is perhaps their deep passion for choral art, their generosity of spirit and their sheer enjoyment of singing that has won the hearts and acclaim of audiences and critics everywhere. Their energy – infectious; their ability to entertain and inspire – Rajaton!

Rajaton

Rajaton
Countless vocal groups around the world sing Christmas songs and evergreens. Some a cappella groups base their approach on jazz, some on classical choral music, while others go for a more straight-forward pop sound. Other groups specialize in spiritual music. A few even sing original material.

And then there is a unique group that does all of the above. It's called Rajaton. The Finnish word Rajaton translates as "boundless" – and that's precisely the right word to describe the way this vocal ensemble approaches music. The six-piece a cappella group has performed around the world at concert halls, churches, and jazz festivals, singing everything from spiritual music to pop hits. In fact, it's hard to imagine an audience that Rajaton could not reach with its music, or a type of music Rajaton could not make its own.

Founded in Helsinki in 1997, Rajaton consists of Essi Wuorela (soprano), Virpi Moskari (soprano), Soila Sariola (alto), Jussi Chydenius (bass), Hannu Lepola (tenor), and Ahti Paunu (baritone). All members have vastly different musical backgrounds, ranging from classical to folk, pop, and rock.

"We all have different approaches to music, and that's where the Rajaton sound comes from. One thing we all do have in common, though, is ambition. We're serious about putting music first", group founder Jussi Chydenius says. This ambition has paid off. After several extensive tours, Rajaton has gained recognition and earned rave reviews across Europe. In recent years, the group has also made headways into the North American and Asian markets, with concerts in Canada, the U.S. and Korea among others.

Rajaton has just released their eighth album, called Maa, with which the group returns to its Finnish roots. Like their debut album Nova (2000), the new album consists of original songs composed to Finnish poetry. On Maa, however, most of the songs were for the first time written by the group members, which makes the album an important milestone on Rajaton's way to artistic self-sufficiency.

In their native Finland, Rajaton are a bona fide pop phenomenon. In 2003, the group rose to n:o 2 on the charts with their album Joulu ("Christmas"), a double-platinum-selling holiday collection featuring both original compositions and innovative versions of seasonal standards. In 2006, the album Rajaton sings ABBA with Lahti Symphony Orchestra topped the charts in Finland in its release week and sold platinum in a month. It was the first album featuring other than a cappella songs, and also the first one consisting solely of cover material. Altogether, Rajaton has one double platinum, two platinum and five gold records in Finland, and their albums have sold over 200.000 copies worldwide.

Evergreens are of course just one facet of Rajaton. A vast majority of the songs in Rajaton's repertoire are originals, written by the group members themselves or by some of Finland's most respected contemporary composers and songwriters. "We choose our songs very carefully, whether it's a question of traditional choral music or contemporary pop. We want to entertain, but there also has to be substance to entertainment. The songs we sing always have to mean something to ourselves", Jussi Chydenius explains.

Local success has done little to diminish the group's ambition to bring its music to new audiences. Rajaton will continue to tour internationally, once again amazing all kinds of audiences with their combination of technical excellence, entertainment value, artistic depth – and pure passion for music.

This album contains no booklet.