Einojuhani Rautavaara: 12 Concertos

Number of Discs: 4
Total time: 268:12
Label: Ondine
Availability: In stock
Item #: 8017416

Member Price: $39.98

Review

This four-disc Ondine set collects the complete concertos of Einojuhani Rautavaara. While these 12 works may not make the best argument for the Finnish post-modernist's status as a great composer -- his eight symphonies surely make good that claim -- they certainly make the best argument for his status as an amazingly effective, astoundingly diverse, and wonderfully individualistic composer. The works themselves are all from Rautavaara's wide-ranging maturity. There are three piano concertos, one concerto each for violin, cello, double bass, flute, clarinet, organ, and harp, as well as a Ballad for harp and orchestra, plus the sui generic "Cantus Arcticus" for taped Artic bird songs and orchestra. Though the majority of the works are in three movements, each is unlike any other in conception and execution. From the megalomaniacal Piano Concerto No. 1 through the atmospheric Flute Concerto "Dances of the Winds" to the luminous Bass Concerto "Angel of Dusk," Rautavaara never repeats himself. Each work is superbly composed for its chosen soloist; the nearly Romantic Piano Concerto No. 3, "Gift of Dreams," written for Vladimir Ashkenazy, is a prime example. The soloists are always technically impressive, particularly Patrick Gallois' virtuosity on four separate flutes. They are also often emotionally compelling, especially Elmar Oliveira's seamless legato in the Tranquillo that opens the Violin Concerto. Recorded in cool, clear, deep, and very vivid digital sound, this set deserves to be heard by fans of the best of post-modernism. ~ James Leonard, All Music Guide

Review-capsulated

"10/10" —Classics Today

Okay, the Ballade for Harp and String Orchestra technically isn't a concerto, but who's counting? Rautavaara's concertos are arguably more consistent and representative than his symphonies. The First Piano Concerto, the earliest work here, exudes the sort of spiky Finno-Russian neoclassicism that we find in Englund and Shostakovich, but from the Second Piano Concerto on Rautavaara is very much his own man, and every one of these pieces, even the relatively gnarly concertos for organ and double bass, are well worth getting to know. Several strike me as flat-out masterpieces, including the Second and Third Piano Concertos, the Violin Concerto, the Harp Concerto, and of course Cantus Arcticus for taped birds and orchestra.

Furthermore, the performances are all first rate, from Ralf Gothóni and Vladimir Ashkenazy in the piano concertos, to Elmar Oliveira, Richard Stolzman, and Patrick Gallois in the concertos for violin, clarinet, and flute, respectively. The orchestral accompaniments leave nothing to be desired either, and the engineering is uniformly excellent. All of these works have appeared previously in Ondine's Rautavaara edition where many have been reviewed in detail at CT.com, but coupling them this way makes an ideal introduction to the composer and his special sound world. I just hope this set, which inevitably has a retrospective feel to it, doesn't mean that Rautavaara will not continue to produce symphonic works and concertos despite the ill-health he has suffered recently. By all means, indulge!

—Classics Today

Read About This Recording

"10/10" —Classics Today

"A concerto has for me always been a drama, a conflict between the individual and the collective." —Einojuhani Rautavaara

Featured on this four-disc collection are Rautavaara's 12 concertos, performed by leading artists including clarinetist Richard Stolzman, pianists Vladimir Ashkenazy and Ralf Gothóni, Patrick Gallois on flute and many others.

Includes a 16-page booklet.

"The performances are all first rate ... The orchestral accompaniments leave nothing to be desired either, and the engineering is uniformly excellent. By all means, indulge!" —Classics Today

Tracks + Soundclips

Einojuhani Rautavaara: 12 Concertos
	1.	Violin Concerto by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Violin: Elmar Oliveira Length: 12:52
	2.	Violin Concerto by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Violin: Elmar Oliveira Length: 11:27
	3.	Cello Concerto by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Max Pommer Cello: Marko Ylönen Length: 06:01
	4.	Cello Concerto by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Max Pommer Cello: Marko Ylönen Length: 06:27
	5.	Cello Concerto by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Max Pommer Cello: Marko Ylönen Length: 05:13
	6.	Angel of Dusk, concerto for double bass & orchestra (also version for bass, 2 pianos & percussion) by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Tapiola Sinfonietta Conductor: Jean-Jacques Kantorow Double Bass: Esko Laine Orchestra Leader: Tero Latvala Length: 07:29
	7.	Angel of Dusk, concerto for double bass & orchestra (also version for bass, 2 pianos & percussion) by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Tapiola Sinfonietta Conductor: Jean-Jacques Kantorow Double Bass: Esko Laine Orchestra Leader: Tero Latvala Length: 08:41
	8.	Angel of Dusk, concerto for double bass & orchestra (also version for bass, 2 pianos & percussion) by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Tapiola Sinfonietta Conductor: Jean-Jacques Kantorow Double Bass: Esko Laine Orchestra Leader: Tero Latvala Length: 10:08
Disc #2
	9.	Ballad for Harp and Strings (also version for harp & string quartet) by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra Harp: Reija Bister Conductor: Juha Kangas Length: 10:14
	10.	Harp Concerto by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Harp: Marielle Nordmann Length: 09:59
	11.	Harp Concerto by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Harp: Marielle Nordmann Length: 05:17
	12.	Harp Concerto by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Harp: Marielle Nordmann Length: 08:04
	13.	Cantus Arcticus (Concerto for Birds & Orchestra), for orchestra & taped bird songs, Op. 61 by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Length: 06:54
	14.	Cantus Arcticus (Concerto for Birds & Orchestra), for orchestra & taped bird songs, Op. 61 by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Length: 04:18
	15.	Cantus Arcticus (Concerto for Birds & Orchestra), for orchestra & taped bird songs, Op. 61 by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Length: 08:09
Disc #3
	16.	Flute Concerto ("Dances with the Winds"), Op. 69 by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Flute: Patrick Gallois Length: 08:30
	17.	Flute Concerto ("Dances with the Winds"), Op. 69 by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Flute: Patrick Gallois Length: 01:47
	18.	Flute Concerto ("Dances with the Winds"), Op. 69 by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Flute: Patrick Gallois Length: 07:28
	19.	Flute Concerto ("Dances with the Winds"), Op. 69 by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Flute: Patrick Gallois Length: 05:16
	20.	Clarinet Concerto by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Clarinet: Richard Stoltzman Length: 13:23
	21.	Clarinet Concerto by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Clarinet: Richard Stoltzman Length: 07:23
	22.	Clarinet Concerto by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Clarinet: Richard Stoltzman Length: 05:16
	23.	Annunciations, concerto for organ, brass & symphonic winds by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leif Segerstam Organ: Kari Jussila Length: 27:23
Disc #4
	24.	Piano Concerto No.1 by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra Piano: Ralf Gothoni Conductor: Max Pommer Length: 09:37
	25.	Piano Concerto No.1 by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra Piano: Ralf Gothoni Conductor: Max Pommer Length: 07:24
	26.	Piano Concerto No.1 by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra Piano: Ralf Gothoni Conductor: Max Pommer Length: 03:19
	27.	Piano Concerto No.2 by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Piano: Ralf Gothoni Conductor: Jukka-Pekka Saraste Length: 05:24
	28.	Piano Concerto No.2 by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Piano: Ralf Gothoni Conductor: Jukka-Pekka Saraste Length: 11:33
	29.	Piano Concerto No.2 by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Piano: Ralf Gothoni Conductor: Jukka-Pekka Saraste Length: 05:21
	30.	Piano Concerto No.3 ("Gift of Dreams") by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Piano: Vladimir Ashkenazy Length: 10:02
	31.	Piano Concerto No.3 ("Gift of Dreams") by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Piano: Vladimir Ashkenazy Length: 11:55
	32.	Piano Concerto No.3 ("Gift of Dreams") by Rautavaara, Einojuhani Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Piano: Vladimir Ashkenazy Length: 05:58