Rautavaara's Riverboat

[karlhenning]

Any composer named Einojuhani deserves a separate thread . . . .

[Maciek]

I agree!

[karlhenning]

Maciek, I know that our esteemed Ben would want us to get right to the music . . . but I confess, it is entirely too long since last I listened to the Rautavaara Vigilia.

It's high time, too, that I revisit the Eighth Symphony.

[Maciek]

My comment was about the name entirely. 0:)

I must confess I've only heard about a CD's worth of his music. Liked it very much and would love to buy something finally. So I'll be watching this space very closely for recs.

[btpaul674]

I am personally infatuated with Rautavaara's piano music. His Piano Concerto No. 1 is my absolute favorite piano work. His Etudes and Icons are also amazing, and his Piano Sonatas 1 and 2 are wonderful. Narcissus is also a great piece he composed in 2002.

[Maciek]

Anyone know where I could get some of his piano sheet music?

[not edward]

My random guess would be that there might be something at the Finnish Music Information Centre: http://www.fimic.fi/

[Maciek]

Thanks, Edward. The link led me to his publisher Fennica Gehrman.

[bhodges]

I have long admired his Cantus Arcticus (Concerto for Birds and Orchestra), Op. 61, which is probably borderline kitschy for some listeners, but a breath of fresh air for others.  It's basically an atmospheric tone poem for orchestra with bird sounds taped at the Arctic Circle.  Max Pommer's recording with Leipzig is wonderful, and here is a review on Classical Net.



There is also this Naxos recording with Lintu and the RSNO that I haven't heard, but this review is certainly glowing.



--Bruce

[karlhenning]

Birds, yes.  For the Riverboat, there must be birds 

[Grazioso]

There is also this Naxos recording with Lintu and the RSNO that I haven't heard, but this review is certainly glowing.



--Bruce

I have the Naxos disc and question and can recommend it in the strongest terms: three of his best pieces that I've heard, in excellent sound and performances.

[uffeviking]

Among the many Rautavaara CDs I have, this Naxos truly has the best performance of Cantus Arcticus!

This afternoon I watched a performance of his Lintukoto (Isle of Bliss) Sakari Oramo conducting the City of Birmingham SO at a concert at the Cologne Music Triennale, a festival dedicated to performing music of the 20th century. Beautiful playing under sensitive and thrilling conducting.

The DVD also has Olli Mustonen playing Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 and as the highlight Sibelius's Symphony No. 5. What a treat to watch a Finn conduct the music of his fellow countryman with so much dedication and love expressed in every note. If it's still available, this DVD will move you to the very end: The encore of Sibelius's Valse Triste!

[btpaul674]

I couldnt find the First Piano Concerto of Rautavaara through Fennica Gehrman or anywhere else.

Does anyone have any leads to where I could find the score to this concerto?

[Grazioso]

I couldnt find the First Piano Concerto of Rautavaara through Fennica Gehrman or anywhere else.

Does anyone have any leads to where I could find the score to this concerto?

Looks like Boosey & Hawkes publishes a lot of his scores in conjunction with Fennica Gehrman or exclusively:
http://www.boosey.com/pages/cr/composer/composer_main.asp?composerid=2757
http://www.boosey.com/pages/shop/advsearch_results.asp?author=Rautavaara,%20Einojuhani

No sign of the 1st PC score, though.

Breitkopf & Härtel has it in their database but apparently not for sale atm:

http://www.breitkopf.com/suchErgebnis.php?send=true&searchKmpId=789

[Earthlight]

I am personally infatuated with Rautavaara's piano music. His Piano Concerto No. 1 is my absolute favorite piano work.

I just listened to that a couple of hours ago. It does have a wonderful romantic sweep, and a subtly subversive tonal quality that isn't always put into the service of romantic sweep. The recording has languished on my shelves for a couple of years, but now that it has made it into the tray, I think it's going to stay there for a few days. Fascinating stuff.

I have long admired his Cantus Arcticus (Concerto for Birds and Orchestra), Op. 61, which is probably borderline kitschy for some listeners, but a breath of fresh air for others. 

Cantus worked for me the first time I heard it, and it's held up well to subsequent listenings.

[pjme]

I have wonderful memories of Sawalisch conducting the premiere(?) of the eight symphony with the Philadelphia O. (possibly ,however also from the Cologne festival ca 2000 -2003?). Superb playing and a very enjoyable work.
I have the version with Leif Segerstam on Ondine - excellent.

Cantus arcticus is fine - a bit kitschy,yes, but never silly .

Mikko Franck performed several Rautavaara pieces with the Belgian Nat.Orch. - recently (his last concert as chief) the brass + percussion Requiem for our time.

Peter

[btpaul674]

So I just got done reading an essay by Anne-Sivuoja-Gunaratnam about Rautavaara entitled " 'Narcissus Musicus' or an Intertextual Perspective on the Oeuvre of Einojuhani Rautavaara." I found it interesting that we could've had another piano concerto, as the original first piano concerto written in 1954 has been lost. Subsequently we could have had 4 PCs. DAMN!

[Novi]

I have long admired his Cantus Arcticus (Concerto for Birds and Orchestra), Op. 61, which is probably borderline kitschy for some listeners, but a breath of fresh air for others.  It's basically an atmospheric tone poem for orchestra with bird sounds taped at the Arctic Circle. --Bruce

I heard the Cantus Arcticus for the first time over the weekend. I enjoyed it and am glad I went to the concert, but I'm not sure that I'm sold on Rautavaara solely by that piece.

I see what you mean by 'borderline kitschy.' I think it depends on how you approach the piece. If you go with a 'too cool for school' attitude, then it's going to sound a bit twee. 

However, the programme notes talked about Rautavaara's stylistic diversity so I'm keen to hear more of his other works. Hmm, maybe some of his piano works or symphonies?

[karlhenning]

However, the programme notes talked about Rautavaara's stylistic diversity so I'm keen to hear more of his other works. Hmm, maybe some of his piano works or symphonies?

The Vigilia.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Not a big fan of this composer, but there are 2 discs I like a lot.

The first is the Naxos shown above, with the 3rd Symphony etc. I especially like the symphony, it sounds like quasi-serialist Bruckner.

The other is the Ondine disc with the Finnish Brass Symphony playing R's music for brass & wind ensembles. Highly recommended for those who like serious brass music.