Starter Packs

Complete your collection with these curated titles, grouped at a special discount.

Shop Now
Rautavaara: Angels & Visitations
Ondine

Rautavaara: Angels & Visitations

$18.99

Details

Composer
RAUTAVAARA, EINOJUHANI
Artist
Segerstam, Helsinki Po, Etc.
Format
CD
Label
Ondine
Released
Aug 29, 2002
Catalog #
ODE 1079-2D
UPC
761195107928

About

The magical world of Einojuhani Rautavaara is one that evokes other realms. Angels figure particularly heavily, especially those angels that deal with death and destruction. As Rautavaara himself says, “My angels are not those like in the altarpieces of Raphael...my angels are powerful.”

As well as with angels, many mystics have been preoccupied with the language of the birds (Messiaen in music, but think also of Saint Francis of Assisi preaching to the birds). One of the most popular Finnish works of recent years has been the Cantus arcticus, for prerecorded bird sounds and orchestra. It is a hugely impressive three-movement soundscape marked by a timeless feel and by beautiful, glowing lines. The taped birds could easily have sounded like a cheap effect, so it is telling that they emerge as an integral part of the work’s emotional vocabulary. Segerstam’s performance is excellent, as one would expect from this fine musician.

The very title Autumn Gardens seems to invite comparison with Takemitsu—all we need is a descending flock of the birds from the Cantus arcticus. It is certainly easy on the ear, so much so that the acerbic, percussive dissonances of the third movement of the First Piano Concerto come as something of a relief. Gothóni is an excellent pianist here; his way with some rhythms makes me suggest he has links to jazz. Back to pure atmosphere for the Clarinet Concerto, though—truly excellently played by Stoltzmann.

The second disc begins with an Adagio celeste for string orchestra. The strings of the Belgian National Orchestra play really sumptuously in this gently pulsating score; the much more abrasive Flute Concerto excerpt that follows (complete with agile low bassoon and menacing percussion) acts as a necessary corrective, although it is not long before it, too, shows its delicate side.

True and False Unicorn is a reminder of Rautavaara’s stature as a composer of choral works. The second movement, “Young Sagittarius,” is full of delightfully light rhythmic play, as is In the shade of the willow. Anadyomene , subtitled “Adoration of Aphrodite,” evokes more of a sense of the massive, using expansive, coloristic writing and including moments of real light.

The final work, Angels and Visitations , has a deliberately ambiguous title. “Visitations” may indeed refer to the Annunciation, but it may equally invoke something more sinister. Climaxes, therefore, tend towards the darkly hued. There are shades of Sibelius during the course of the piece, but Rautavaara transforms the material so that it glows in a most un-Sibelian way. This tense score (with its Pétrouchka -like mêlée of sounds) is one of the most impressive on either disc here, and is an apt way to close.

Although other companies are championing the Rautavaara cause, most notably Naxos, Ondine has a certain authority. Both sides of Rautavaara’s personality—the meltingly beautiful and the near violent—are given a chance to make their mark here.

-- Fanfare

Tracklist 23 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 I. Suo (The Marsh) 06:55
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Suo (The Marsh)
    Duration
    06:55
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  3. 2 II. Melankolia (Melancholy) 04:18
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Melankolia (Melancholy)
    Duration
    04:18
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  4. 3 III. Joutsenet muuttavat (Swans Migrating) 08:09
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Joutsenet muuttavat (Swans Migrating)
    Duration
    08:09
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  5. 4 Autumn Gardens: III. Giocoso e leggiero 10:32
    Track
    4
    Title
    Autumn Gardens: III. Giocoso e leggiero
    Duration
    10:32
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Vladimir Ashkenazy
  6. 5 Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 45: III. Molto vivace 03:14
    Track
    5
    Title
    Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 45: III. Molto vivace
    Duration
    03:14
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Performer
    Ralf Gothóni
    Ensemble
    Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Max Pommer
  7. 6 Clarinet Concerto: II. Adagio assai 07:24
    Track
    6
    Title
    Clarinet Concerto: II. Adagio assai
    Duration
    07:24
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Performer
    Richard Stoltzman
    Ensemble
    Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  8. 7 Symphony No. 7, "Angel of Light": III. Come un sogno 10:14
    Track
    7
    Title
    Symphony No. 7, "Angel of Light": III. Come un sogno
    Duration
    10:14
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  9. 8 Vespers: Psalm of Invocation 01:53
    Track
    8
    Title
    Vespers: Psalm of Invocation
    Duration
    01:53
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Finnish Radio Chamber Choir
    Conductor
    Timo Nuoranne
  10. 9 Vespers: Evening Hymn 02:07
    Track
    9
    Title
    Vespers: Evening Hymn
    Duration
    02:07
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Finnish Radio Chamber Choir
    Conductor
    Timo Nuoranne
  11. 10 Vespers: Ekteniya 01:16
    Track
    10
    Title
    Vespers: Ekteniya
    Duration
    01:16
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Finnish Radio Chamber Choir
    Conductor
    Timo Nuoranne
  12. 11 Vespers: Final Blessing 01:15
    Track
    11
    Title
    Vespers: Final Blessing
    Duration
    01:15
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Finnish Radio Chamber Choir
    Conductor
    Timo Nuoranne
  13. 12 Apotheosis 07:51
    Track
    12
    Title
    Apotheosis
    Duration
    07:51
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Mikko Franck
  14. Disc 2
  15. 1 Adagio celeste 07:31
    Track
    1
    Title
    Adagio celeste
    Duration
    07:31
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Belgium National Orchestra
    Conductor
    Mikko Franck
  16. 2 Flute Concerto, Op. 63, "Dances with the Winds": IV. Allegro 05:06
    Track
    2
    Title
    Flute Concerto, Op. 63, "Dances with the Winds": IV. Allegro
    Duration
    05:06
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Performer
    Patrick Gallois
    Ensemble
    Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  17. 3 I. Before the Arras: The Unicorn questions the nature of the chase 02:07
    Track
    3
    Title
    I. Before the Arras: The Unicorn questions the nature of the chase
    Duration
    02:07
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Finnish Radio Chamber Choir, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Timo Nuoranne
  18. 4 II. Horn and Hounds: Young Sagittarius 01:30
    Track
    4
    Title
    II. Horn and Hounds: Young Sagittarius
    Duration
    01:30
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Finnish Radio Chamber Choir, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Timo Nuoranne
  19. 5 II. Horn and Hounds: A Virgin, waiting 02:36
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Horn and Hounds: A Virgin, waiting
    Duration
    02:36
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Finnish Radio Chamber Choir, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Timo Nuoranne
  20. 6 Anadyomene, "Adoration of Aphrodite" 12:13
    Track
    6
    Title
    Anadyomene, "Adoration of Aphrodite"
    Duration
    12:13
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  21. 7 Piano Concerto No. 3, "Gift of Dreams": III. Energico 05:58
    Track
    7
    Title
    Piano Concerto No. 3, "Gift of Dreams": III. Energico
    Duration
    05:58
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Performer
    Vladimir Ashkenazy
    Ensemble
    Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Vladimir Ashkenazy
  22. 8 Symphony No. 1: II. Poetico (2003 version) 07:40
    Track
    8
    Title
    Symphony No. 1: II. Poetico (2003 version)
    Duration
    07:40
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Belgium National Orchestra
    Conductor
    Mikko Franck
  23. 9 II. Laulu oravasta (The Squirrel) 02:38
    Track
    9
    Title
    II. Laulu oravasta (The Squirrel)
    Duration
    02:38
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Finnish Radio Chamber Choir
    Conductor
    Timo Nuoranne
  24. 10 III. Sydameni laulu (Song of My Heart) 03:51
    Track
    10
    Title
    III. Sydameni laulu (Song of My Heart)
    Duration
    03:51
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Finnish Radio Chamber Choir
    Conductor
    Timo Nuoranne
  25. 11 Angels and Visitations 19:16
    Track
    11
    Title
    Angels and Visitations
    Duration
    19:16
    Composer
    Einojuhani Rautavaara
    Ensemble
    Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam