2021 Kirjeitä Joulupukilta (Markus Bäckman)

Letters From Father Christmas

Release Date: 2021.11.02
Reader: Markus Bäckman
Language: Finnish
Translators: Kersti Juva and Alice Martin
Organisation: © 2021 WSOY
ISBN: 9789510478530
Duration: 2 hour 11 minutes
Unabridged: Yes
Country: Finland
Licenced: Yes
Formats: CD, Digital

Markus Bäckman is a prominent figure in Finnish voice acting, widely recognized for his deep and versatile bass-baritone. He provides a solo narration that is both gentle and authoritative. He effectively distinguishes between the shaky, “old” voice of Joulupukki (Father Christmas) and the more robust, clumsy energy of Napakontio (the North Polar Bear). He has been praised for ability to make the letters feel like a direct address to the listener, maintaining the intimacy of a father writing to his children.

The recording uses the well regarded translation by two significant figures in Finnish Tolkien scholarship:

  • Kersti Juva: The translator of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Her involvement ensures that the tone remains consistent with the broader Finnish Tolkien “canon.”
  • Alice Martin: An expert on Tolkien’s poetry and shorter prose, she worked alongside Juva to ensure the wordplay and verses in the letters were translated with poetic precision.

This 2021 production is based on the täydellinen laitos (complete edition). It includes:

  • The Full Chronology: Letters spanning from 1920 to 1943.
  • Character Commentary: The humorous “asides” written by the North Polar Bear and Ilbereth the Elf secretary.
  • Narrative Descriptions: Since the letters are famous for their original illustrations, Bäckman’s narration is paced to allow the listener to absorb the descriptions of the visual mishaps at the North Pole.

This release was the first in a series of Tolkien’s shorter works narrated by Markus Bäckman for WSOY: