Rautavaara: Concertos

 

While Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara's symphonies show the composer moving through time, finding the composer exploring his path from a young man to a mature symphonist, the concertos don't bear such a linear path, at least as addressed on this 4CD Ondine set.

Instead, Ondine pairs up the concertos by classification, with string concertos, wind concertos, harp concertos, and piano concertos appearing on their own separate volumes. While this is not a chronological approach to the music of Rautavaara, this collection does allow the listener to explore how the composer handles various solo instruments.

I think I enjoy Rautavaara writing for soloists moreso than his absolute music for orchestra. Sure, the composer still writes slow-moving harmonic motion in his later style, and while there is more astringency in his earlier works, the solo portions allow the listener a focal point besides his easy-going, lush chords. Here, melodic lines soar above the orchestral palate, providing an extra dimension to Rautavaara's soundworld, and it does wonders for his music.

I wasn't as taken with Rautavaara's piano concertos as much as the others, although his later Gift of Dreams rises above as a keyboard concerto of great worth, while his Piano Concerto no. 1 bears striking character amongst harsher modernism.

It was the harp concertos which impressed me most, perhaps due to that solo instrument's texture melding into Rautavaara's singular orchestral style. So too, I really enjoyed the Violin and Cello Concertos, both works introducing me to his rising melodic lines, ones often missing from his purely orchestral music. If the wind concertos lacked variety amongst one another, Annunciations is a beast unto itself, with the pipe organ diving into bizarre avant-garde techniques. Of course, most will be familiar with Cantus Arcticus, and it is well done here from Leif Segerstam and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra.

It should be noted, Ondine purloins a recording from BIS, adding Angel of Dusk, Rautavaara's Double Bass Concerto to this set. Its inclusion certainly adds to the appeal of this collection.

All in all, I had myself a grand old time with Rautavaara's concertos, probably moreso than I did with his symphonies and orchestral music. I look forward to continuing to explore the many facets of Rautavaara!

 

 

 

Works
Vol. 1: String Concertos (68.21)
Vol. 2: Harp Concertos (52.59)
Vol. 3: Wind Concertos (76.30)
Vol. 4: Piano Concertos (70.37)

Soloists
Elmar Oliveira, violin
Marko Ylönen, cello
Esko Laine, double bass
Reija Bister, harp
Marielle Nordmann, harp
Patrick Gallois, flute
Richard Stoltzman, clarinet
Kari Jussila, organ
Ralf Gothóni, piano
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano

Ensembles
Tapiola Sinfonietta (Vol. 1)
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra (1 - 4)
Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra (2)
Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra (4)
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (4)
    Jean-Jacques Kantorow (Tapiola)
    Jukka-Pekka Saraste (Bavarian)
    Juha Kangas (Ostrobothnian)
    Max Pommer (Leipzig & Helsinki)

    Leif Segerstam, conductor (Helsinki)
    Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor (Helsinki)

Label: Ondine
Year: 1990 - 2001, 2005; 2009 (set)
Total Timing: 4.28.27

I'm going to say, go ahead and check out these concertos. They worked much better for me than Rautavaara's symphonies, with the listener able to focus on a melodic line.

Certainly the performances are top of the line.

 

 

 

  

Find more Rautavaara recordings HERE!