Einojuhani Rautavaara

The first part in a series of four – two secular and two sacred – this recording sets out to explore different facets of a cappella choral music from the 20th and 21st centuries. Volume 1 takes its name from one of the nine cycles of secular music presented here. In this panorama of works, the word, through poetry, is central to musical creation; it becomes the subject of play, with the composers appropriating it and translating it into music. Alongside famous cycles from the repertoire, Ens Aedes have chosen to record a work commissioned by them from Philippe Hersant, as well as several cycles by other composers who are still active.

These cycles set words by William Shakespeare, Joseph von Eichendorff and Paul Éluard; the listener will also discover (or rediscover) poems by Charles d’Orléans, Louise Labé and Henry Felix.

This new recording features the complete works for violin and piano by iconic Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautaavara (b. 1928), including world premières.

The performers are two of the most fascinating talents from Finland who are know for a fresh approach: violinist Pekka Kuusisto (“may be the best thing to happen to classical music in years” – The Guardian) and pianist Paavali Jumppanen (“immense power and an extraordinary range of colours” – The New York Times), who, for Deutsche Grammophon, made acclaimed recordings of Pierre Boulez’s Complete Piano Sonatas.

This CD also includes Rautavaara's opus 1, the piano suite Pelimannit (The Fiddlers), which is based on traditional polska tunes for the fiddle. Following Pekka Kuusisto's concept, this recording presents the original violin tunes, alternating with the respective movements from Rautavaara's piano suite.

This new release features the three-act opera Kaivos (The Mine, 1962) by Einojuhani Rautavaara. The patriarch of Finnish composers wrote this, his first opera, in 1957–62 and today considers it, “perhaps the best opera I have ever written, a real thriller whose underlying theme – that a human being defines himself through his choices – is nevertheless universal.”

This CD release represents an apogee in the work’s exceptional history: the opera’s underlying thematic allusions to the 1956 Hungarian uprising impeded a staged performance in Finland, a neighboring country of the then Soviet Union. Instead, a Finnish TV production was broadcast in 1963. The first live (concert) performance in Tampere (Finland) in September 2010 featured the same cast and performers as this première CD recording.

Legendary baritone Jorma Hynninen (lead role ‘Commissar’), who celebrates his 70th anniversary in 2011, has starred in a number of Finnish operas since the 1970s to great international success, including at the MET in New York.

Acclaimed conductor Hannu Lintu leads the reputed Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra on this disc.

Disc also includes complete synopsis, libretto and English translation.

Original world premiere recordings made in the presence of the composer

This new international catalogue includes all of Ondine’s recordings that are available for physical purchase at September 2010.

Drawing upon some of the most successful recordings in Ondine’s 25 years of history, the enclosed CD pays tribute to legendary Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara with two major orchestral masterpieces, recorded in his presence and performed by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Both composer and orchestra have been in a privileged partnership with the label since its very beginnings.

Leif Segerstam’s recording of Angel of Light (Symphony No. 7) became an international best-seller and spurred Rautavaara to considerable international fame, culminating in a GRAMMY nomination and a Cannes Classical Award as ‘Best Disc of Music by a Living Composer’.

These works are both presented here in their world première recording

Einojuhani Rautavaara is recognized as one of the most notable Finnish composers after Jean Sibelius. His recordings on Ondine have been bestsellers and garnered numerous awards (including a 1997 Grammy nomination for Angel of Light).

This new recording features the mystical composer’s latest orchestral works, two poignant testimonies of a mature artistic, spiritual and human personality.

The uplifting orchestral work Before the Icons (2005) is based on the earlier piano cycle Icons (1955) and therefore spans over Rautavaara’s entire career. The work drew its inspiration from a book of Orthodox icons.

Rautavaara wrote A Tapestry of Life in 2007 after an almost miraculous recovery from an acute illness. “Few contemporary composers are as skilled (…) in using tonality without compromise,” wrote the New Zealand Herald, upon its premiere.

Leif Segerstam and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra build on their long-time pedigrees of performing their compatriot’s music.

This special box contains all four of Ralph Van Raat’s Naxos recordings plus an exclusive interview CD which includes music selected by Ralph specifically for this boxed set.

Also on this bonus CD, Ralph speaks about his musical choices for the set, as well as his own playing in an exclusive interview with Naxos Classical Music Spotlight’s very own Raymond Bisha.

Featured composers include: Tavener, Adams, Rzewski, Lindberg, Takemitsu, Ives, Bolcom, Messiaen, and more.

This release marks the culmination of the 80th birthday celebrations for Ondine's best-selling omposer, Einojuhani Rautavaara, following a successful campaign on his back catalogue. Ondine has had a long and fruitful association with the Finnish cult composer since the late 1980s, having recorded the premières of many of his works and garnering many awards along the way, including a Grammy nomination for his Angel of Light (Symphony No. 7). This new recording features his complete works for male choir - one of the most popular genres in this composer's artistic output.The two ensembles are the YL Male Voice Choir (Helsinki University Choir), one of the world's most prominent male voice choirs and the commissioner and dedicatee of most of Rautavaara's (and also Jean Sibelius') works for male voice choir. Only recently the Choir was featured on the critically acclaimed recording of Sibelius' Kullervo, along with the Talla Vocal Ensemble, a smaller group of 10 singers originally founded within the YL Choir.