Rautavaara: Works for String Orchestra, Complete

 

While I own the two separate release which make up this 2CD set, Volume 1 (BLOG) & Volume 2 (BLOG), I thought I would offer up this combined recording as well.

If you know the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra or Juha Kangas' leadership of it, you will know you will not be disappointed with any of these performances.

There is a diverse representation of repertoire from Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara represented across this recording, pulling music from 1952 until 1993, the latter date being when these performances were set down.

I must admit to preferring Rautavaara's early Neo-Romantic style, as represented by the Divertimento, Suite for Strings, and his Opus 1 Fiddlers. Those allied to the composer's later works from the 2000s may enjoy the slower-moving Canto III and IV as well, whose music unfolds at a gentle pace, although they are also married to some extra string techniques.

I did not care for the first two Canto settings, nor the Hommage à Kodály Zoltan. The music is too knotty for my tastes harmonically, although not nearly as forbidding as his Fourth Symphony. The rest of the music which is offered lies somewhere in between, neither captivating me nor driving me away, but perhaps merely requiring me to spend more time with some of the pieces.

Since I have the individual releases rather than this 2CD collection pictured above, I would be most tempted to toss Volume 2 altogether, although if I had this later Ondine 2CD compilation, the one with Ondine's favored hazy cover art for Rautavaara pictured above, I would definitely hold onto the entire recording. As it is, I think it is tougher to find the 2CD compilation at a decent price, so I sprung for the older issues. We'll see where this music's future lies...

 

 

Works
Fiddlers, op. 1 (7.30)
Divertimento (8.30)
Suite for Strings (12.37)
Hommage à Liszt Ferenc (4.01)
Epitaph for Béla Bartók (6.16)
Hommage à Kodály Zoltan (14.21)
Canto I (5.35)
Canto II (8.24)
Canto III (9.16)
Canto IV (16.34)
Ballad for Harp and Strings (10.04)
A Finnish Myth (6.16)
Ostrobothnian Polska (3.05)

Soloist
Reija Bister, harp

Ensembles
Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra

Juha Kangas, conductor 

Label: Ondine
Year: 1994-95; 2001
Total Timing: 1.54.04

No, not my favorite music from Rautavaara, but a further exploration of the composer writing for orchestra.

I wish I enjoyed more, but some of this music is just simply off-putting. Again, no fault of these performers, nor their leader.

Find more Rautavaara recordings HERE!